Item: Lange & Söhne Beobachtungsuhr,B-Uhr,55mm,World War II, F1 23883
Sold For: $3,505.00
Bids: 32
Date: Jun 17, 2012
Auction: Ebay
Description and Image By: guitaremo71
For your consideration, we have here an extremely scarce A. Lange & Söhne Beobachtungsuhr, or “B-Uhr” with a Type-B dial, circa 1940-1943. If you are familiar with this watch, then you are aware of what an opportunity this is, especially in a “No Reserve” format. If winning this auction won’t change your lifestyle, do not let this one get away!!! For those unfamiliar, the German Air Force (aka Luftwaffe) commisioned five companies to build watches to the same military spec design. A. Lange & Sohne, IWC (Big Pilot anyone?), Wempe, Stowa, and Laco each produced B-Uhr intruments. The watches were scarce, shared between flight crews, and many if not most never made the return trip to base.
The design specifications consisted of high legibility, a 55mm case, a hand wound movement with oversized “onion” crown facilitating winding with flight gloves, a center ceconds, and an extra long strap so the instrument could fit over flight jackets or be strapped to the leg for “hands free” use. There were two dial configurations, the more plain Type A and the Type B. The Type B seems to be the more rare. The story of “the Find” has been chronicled on HODINKEEdotCOM and PURISTPROdotCOM. Here is a bit of how I came across the watch: “I came across the watch via a retired clock repairman who found the watch in the tool box in a shed at an estate sale 28 years ago. This gentleman wandered in and asked me if I might be interested in his WWII pilot’s watch. He came back in about an hour later and I just about fell over. I was expecting something a bit different than a Lange.
He says he didn’t know exactly what it was but recognized that the watch was a quality timepiece. He subsequently researched it and discovered what it is. He came close to selling it in the 1980s. He states it was wrapped and ready to go to a friend in California whom collected military watches. The day before he mailed it, the man died.“ Mr. L. Miller, from whom I acquired the watch, explained that the estate was from a retired Lockhead employee. It follows that this gentleman was the original American owner and brought this relic back after serving in WWII. Purely conjecture, but it all fits. This watch has seen action. There is a remnant of the original strap still riveted to case, the center second hand is missing as well as the seconds wheel. This removing this “module” may have been the most expiditious repair at the time. The balance wheel swings back and forth freely and the movement will hold a wind, however it is not running. Leave the watch in the “as found” condition, send it to Glashutte, or have your qualified watchman restore. The patina tells an intriguing story and the condition fuels the imagination. Tread lightly when restoring!