111st Auction
2024/11/16
Lot 82
A. Lange & SöhneArtillery
An extremely rare deck watch for the "Messbatterie" - ordered by the Führungshauptamt in Berlin-Wilmersdorf - purpose-built watch with seconds' device in mirror writing and jumping fifths of a seconds indication - with contemporary, extra long leather strap
Sold
estimated
20.000—30.000 €
Price realized
25.000 €
specific features
Case
Platinin, matted grey, push back.
Dial
Matte black, luminous Arabic/Roman numerals, centre seconds, outer minute scale 5-55, inner minute scale in mirror writing 5-55, fifths of a seconds' indication, blued steel lance-type luminous hands.
Movement
Manual.
Case no.210445
Cal.48
Diam.65 mm
Circa1941
Ctry.Germany
In 1940 the "Waffen- und Geräteamt" (weapons and equipment department) ordered the company Lange & Soehne to develop a deck watch for the "Messbatterie", based on the Luftwaffe watch B but with a larger diameter. For photographic purposes the seconds numerals were to be added in mirror writing too. After some silver-cased prototypes, ten watches per month were to be delivered starting in March 1941.
According to the document at hand in November 1941 Lange & Soehne produced 21 of these watches in platinin cases with a diameter of 65 mm.
Lit.: "Militäruhren" by Konrad Knirim, Essen 2002, page 452.