Which countries did IWC make watches for during WW11
Sun, 20 January 2019 14:50
I would be interested in knowing which countries IWC made watches for during World War 11.
If anybody has information about this it would be appreciated.
Thanks
Messages: 811 Location: Southern California
Registered: December 2003
at least three come to mind...
Sun, 20 January 2019 19:50
Germany (B-Uhr for the Luftwaffe)
Britain (Mark series for the MOD)
Australia (Mark series for the RAAF) - not sure if this was actually during the war or afterward
I'm sure there were others...
Messages: 23 Location: East Coast, U.S.A.
Registered: March 2011
Re: at least three come to mind...
Mon, 21 January 2019 16:53
I believe they also made watches, including the first so-called Portuguese watches, for a dealer (Taxiera and Gonçalves, I believe) in Lisbon, beginning around 1939, the year Germany invaded Poland. I don't know, however, that these watches were for the Portuguese government or in any way connected with the outbreak of the war. They do, however, have a rather military look and were built for accuracy and resemble aviation watches. I wonder for whom exactly they were made. The watches were probably not particularly fashionable at the time as they were too big for the general market. So they may have been a kind of tool watch with a potential military connection. Does anyone have any insight into the nature of the market for the first Portuguese watches?
Messages: 1953 Location: Toronto, Canada
Registered: November 2013
Re: Which countries did IWC make watches for during WW11
Fri, 25 January 2019 13:16
In addition to the watches already mentioned
IWC produced watches for the German Navy, called KM Watches for Kriegsmarine.
Used on U-Boats. The whole dial was lumed with Radium and the numbers blacked out. They were highly legible in the dark.
After the war, Mark XI was also supplied to South African (SAAF) and New Zealand (RNZAF) Airforces.
Time is measured not by a watch, but by moments.
