Le Phare

A very rare cockpit chronograph of the "Flieger- und Luftfahrt-Zentrum Berlin 'FLZ'" (air force maintenance unit), presumabely delivered by watch dealer and jeweller Friedrich Wilhelm Kreis in Berlin/W

Sold

estimated

250—500 €

Price realized

400 €

Our current catalogue

specific features

Case

Iron, gun-metal finished, pink gold crown and hinge, engraving FLZ (Flieger- und Luftfahrt-Zentrum Berlin) and air force symbol propeller.

Dial

Enamel.

Movement

3/4 plate movement, screw compensation balance.

Case no.27830

Cal.114VCC, 19'''

Diam.51 mm

Circa1916

Ctry.Swiss

Wt.83 g

According to Dr. Konrad Knirim this chronograph was used by the Prussian aviation units during the First World War. The marks showing a winged propeller with the letters FLZ, often in combination with full owner’s identification.
Around 1916 the FLZ at Berlin Adlershof was formed from the "Prüfanstalt und Werft (PuW)" (the testing and the service divisions). The FLZ at Adlershof still existed during the Second World War.
The watches were converted and delivered most probably by watch dealer and jeweller Friedrich Wilhelm Kreis in Berlin/W, who supplied a great number of pocket chronographs and stop watches. Friedrich Wilhelm Kreis owned the company Strasser & Rohde from 1918 until his death and moved it from Glashütte to Berlin.
A nearly identical pocket watch chronograph is illustrated and described in Konrad Knirim "Militäruhren" (military timepieces), Bottrop 2002, p. 93.