The subject of this auction is a truly, truly rare piece of military watch history: an original Domino early pilot's watch of the German Air Force from around 1930 with knurled bezel and arrow index, the precursor of the military chronograph as described in detail by Konrad Knirim in the "Bible of Military Watches".
All these early pilot's watches with arrow indexes were essentially prototypes for submission to the fledgling Luftwaffe and were never mass-produced.
Examples of these prototypes with the earliest central seconds hand are extremely rare; 98% of these early pilot's watches had indirect seconds like the later service watches of the army/Wehrmacht.
Interestingly, this extremely rare specimen also literally bears the signatures "antimagnetic" and "unbreakable", which were later often stamped on the backs of army service watches.
A super rare piece of military watch history!
The very rare, early pilot's watches with knurled bezel and arrow index were the first true pilot's watches because they were the first models to exhibit the typical features of a chronograph predecessor: curved, fixed lugs, knurled bezel with arrow index and indirect seconds on the black dial.
The classic wristwatch catalog, for example, lists the early Natalis pilot's watch with an estimated value of €2,500, and an Omega – which we currently have in our eBay shop – even with €5,000, with a strong upward trend in value.
36mm case diameter, approximately the later size of the service watches of the Wehrmacht army.
These early pilot's watches of the German Air Force, lacking chronograph functions for the precise measurement and display of flight duration, were generally equipped with a rotating, knurled bezel and index markers. Wide, curved lugs and supports extending far to the rear, which became a distinguishing feature of these early pilot's watches, allowed them to be worn on a long strap over flight suits.
All models of this period already possessed the typical features that later became the standard for all Wehrmacht service watches: 98% of them had the indirect seconds hand at the "6", a black dial, radium-filled hands and Arabic numerals; this particular example even has a central seconds hand, which was experimental for a wristwatch of this era.
Early pilot's watches, all issued unmarked because, according to the Treaty of Versailles, there was no Reichswehr, let alone Luftwaffe, in Germany, were manufactured by practically all renowned brands such as Omega, Longines, Zenith, IWC (caliber 83), Breitling, Titus, Helvetia, Tissot, Roamer, Lanco, Rellum, as well as the small manufacturers Natalis or Wagner, and supplied to the Reich Air Force.
As can be seen from the photos in this offer, according to the "Classic Wristwatches Catalog" by Muser Horlbeck, these pieces were/are traded for between €2500 and €5000, or achieved corresponding prices at the Muser/Horlbeck auction house.
Description:
Deep black, unrestored, well-preserved dial with central seconds, Arabic numerals and hands, early tachymeter scale, fluorescent hands, absolutely original (see photos), signed "Domino", "unbreakable" and antimagnetic.
Runs and functions perfectly – accuracy not tested – contains an unsigned movement with fine adjustment. Radium filling in the hands is perfectly preserved or restored.
EZ: 2: Functional, good collector's condition with usual and visible signs of wear, dial and radium fillings unrestored in good condition, original, genuine leather under-strap strap brand new
