neodetectorist
Bronze Member
I went out and hit the woods today. Found the usual nails, foil balls, headstamps and iron bits then had this screaming quarter hit. Actually thought I found my first silver quarter but much to my surprise it was a watch. Getting dark I put it in my pouch and headed back to the truck.
As I was cleaning it up at first I saw no markings on the back. The pin holding the back on easily broke and I lifted the back off and was stoked to find first the 935 stamp.
Very exciting for me.
There are 5 Halmarks stamped there also.
2 standing bears. 1 above and 1 below the 935 mark.
What looks like W over a Co
L M with a flower in between
A crescent moon next to a crown which research lead me to believe this stamp indicating a Swiss made watch imported to Germany.
This appears to be a WWI trench watch.
Maybe the owner served in the war and purchased this watch in Germany or possibly brought it home as a war souvenir.
A marking on the outer back put a personal touch on the watch. The owner scratched his initials “WEH” on the back.
This watch will not ever serve to display the time obviously but I think in some way is one of my most unique and favorite finds.
Any other info on this would be appreciated.
Thanks for looking.
As I was cleaning it up at first I saw no markings on the back. The pin holding the back on easily broke and I lifted the back off and was stoked to find first the 935 stamp.
Very exciting for me.
There are 5 Halmarks stamped there also.
2 standing bears. 1 above and 1 below the 935 mark.
What looks like W over a Co
L M with a flower in between
A crescent moon next to a crown which research lead me to believe this stamp indicating a Swiss made watch imported to Germany.
This appears to be a WWI trench watch.
Maybe the owner served in the war and purchased this watch in Germany or possibly brought it home as a war souvenir.
A marking on the outer back put a personal touch on the watch. The owner scratched his initials “WEH” on the back.
This watch will not ever serve to display the time obviously but I think in some way is one of my most unique and favorite finds.
Any other info on this would be appreciated.
Thanks for looking.
Last edited:
Upvote
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My Great Grandfather was one of them. Still have the watch he made to graduate from Watch making school in Thailweil? Switzerland. It is curious to see the crescent and crown A German Hallmark without another country hallmark (That I recognize ) As If this were made in Germany it would have stayed there or have an import mark of the receiving country. You did say swiss made for Germany but it would have been the other way around as the swiss importing into Germany would not add Germanys Hall mark. This being the Crescent Watch Co stamp up top with the Crown and Crescent to the left This could be a case made in Germany for import to the USA (Im thinking) Either way the fact that you see Swiss on the part other the the case Dial? Movement? means nothing as Early watches were purchased in pieces and assembled by the jeweler "Custom" e.g. you bought the dial, hands, case and movement separately and it was assembled for you. It is not unusual at all to see high end movements in cheap case and the other way around depending on if you wanted accuracy on a budget or flashy but could care less about the time. or parts and pieces from different countries ending up in the same watch. Your watch looked a lot like this one when it was intact I think. 
