Doxa Orig. Board Clock Built-in Clock Zeppelin Airship Imperial Air Force WWI

Original, early, very rare original Argentan Doxa aircraft/pilot's clock of the Imperial German Flying Corps of World War I, associated with the legendary Jasta flying aces Baron von Richthofen and Ernst Udet

The pilot's clock with a "reversed dial", typical for the World War I era, for better readability in its holder, is already extremely rare in itself. However, an example in its original holder for screwing into the cockpit of a fighter plane or a Zeppelin of the Imperial German Flying Corps almost never appears on the market. According to our research, this model is currently the only one offered on Ebay worldwide.

This unique piece of military watch history could have been used in a fighter plane or a Zeppelin; this can no longer be clarified. However, the missing "FLZ" signature on the back makes use in a Zeppelin more probable.

There are 2 compelling reasons why – in our humble expert opinion – it is 99% certain that this is an authentic example from the Imperial German Flying Corps of World War I and that this unique piece of (military) watch history was used in a biplane fighter aircraft or Zeppelin in World War I:

1. The typical rotated dial for the cockpits of early fighter planes, described and shown in numerous pictures by Konrad Knirim.

2. As shown in the photos below, so-called "car clocks" were always signed and marked "Automobile" on the dial and were delivered with mineral glass.

Exactly this Doxa model with a comparable movement and dial structure is shown by Konrad Knirim, the "pope of military watch history," on page 85 of his world-renowned standard work "Military Timepieces".

Most of these few hundred first aircraft clocks in military aviation history famously crashed and were lost with their pilots or burned, making this a super rare piece of military watch history!!

The pilot's/aircraft clock offered here thus represents not only the first true pilot's clock in military history but also the rarest and least produced version of it. A super rare offer that typically only appears on the market every few years.

The wonderfully authentic piece, with a proud 65mm case diameter (without crown!!), is signed "Doxa" on the dial and movement, was manufactured in Switzerland, where all warring parties ordered their service watches before World War I.

The Doxa movement, which was extraordinarily elaborate and robust for its time – note the early fine adjustment and the inner glass movement protection cover – is running and functional (accuracy not tested). Interestingly, except for the division of a bridge in the middle, it corresponds exactly to the pictures in Konrad Knirim, down to the arrangement of the smallest screws and levers.

Dial unrestored, best preserved, all Arabic numerals are complete. Blued steel hands in Breguet style and indirect seconds, as later common for Wehrmacht service watches. The red "Doxa" signature on the dial is identical to the signature of the Doxa Jasta pilot's watch described by Konrad Knirim.

Runs and functions, accuracy not tested, all covers close flush and precisely.

Unique opportunity to acquire a genuine piece of military watch history!

Condition: 1 - 2: best collector's condition, hardly any recognizable signs of age or wear, winding works perfectly, inner movement protection cover intact.