About this lot
Description
circa 1942, type B (Baumuster B), the unsigned chocolate brown dial, 50mm diameter, with cream Arabic numerals, blued edged orange sword shaped hands and centre seconds, large outer minute track with smaller inner hour track, the signed mechanical oversize crown wind hacking movement, calibre D5, number 02316, with onion shaped winder, the grey metal case, 55mm diameter, marked to the side FL23883, verso H2316, and inside 'Bauart: Durowe, Gerät-Nr. 127-560B, Werk-Nr H2316, Anforderz Fl. 23883, Hersteller Lacher & Co Pforzheim' to an oversize double wrap brown leather strap with steel pin buckle
Footnote: Other notes: The German Beobachtungsuhr was a Luftwaffe aviator's watch of WW II. Used as a navigation instrument during flight, the name strictly translates as an 'Observer´s watch' or 'Observation watch' and they are often referred to simply as a 'B-Uhren' or a 'B-watch'. Two types were made - Type A were produced from 1940 to 1941, and Type B - this example - were produced from 1941. Once on board, each navigator received an audio timing signal from the airbase before the start of their mission, and if their time did not match, the hacking mechanism allowed for adjustment. The hacking feature temporarily stops the movement's gear train to allow for perfect crew/flight synchronisation between aircraft. This ensured that all the navigators had exactly the same time to the second before take off. B-Uhren watches contained very high quality movements and were regulated and tested to the highest chronometer standards of the Deutsche Seewarte in Hamburg. Luftwaffe High Command gave exact instructions regarding operating precision and before being delivered the fine adjustment of each watch was conducted in 6 positions and at 3 varying temperatures. The movements varied between manufacturers but Lacher & Co in this example used its famous Durowe D5. Although different manufacturers used slightly different movements, the exact specifications of the watch in general were defined by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) - Imperial Air Ministry - and so they all had to have a number of features in common including a non reflective grey case with a 55 mm diameter. Marked to the inside of the case back was the type, device and movement number, stock number and the manufacturer's name and the case side was to be marked 'FL 23883' FL = flug {flight}, 23 = navigation, 883 = code assigned by the German Testing Office for Aeronautics. They were all fitted with an extra large onion shaped crown to allow ease of use without needing to remove flying gloves and an oversized double wrap strap that was expressly made to allow wear over shearling flight jacket sleeves. B-Uhren watches guided German navigators in all their campaigns of World War II and it still remains a formidable watch today.
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