Elwood Haston's WW2 Wrist Watch
World War II Rolex Watches
Composed by Vincent Deschamps
In a few of the articles I’ve written on the subject of WWII watches I mentioned that Switzerland remained neutral during World War II and that many of the brands we now cherish made watches for both the Allied and Axis forces: namely the British, French, Italians, and Germans. By the time war broke out in 1939, Rolex had already relocated to Switzerland. However, it was one of the few brands—if not the only one—that sold watches exclusively to the Allied forces.
Rolex, therefore, made a few models that found their ways to the battlefields, whether on land or in the air. Unlike other Swiss brands, Rolex did not issue military watches—meaning the brand was not following what we refer to as Government-issued military specifications. Instead, Rolex made watches for the military which it distributed by way of local retailers or sent directly to the military. And, as the story goes, sometimes directly to captured soldiers in German camps.
Different sources say different things about which field watches Rolex made during World War II and how they were distributed. First, the Rolex Oyster Army. Rolex, of course, used the Oyster case to guarantee that the movement would be protected against water, dust, and dirt. The Oyster Army according to some, better made than many field watches that were officially issued to armed forces.
The Following Images are Part of a Repair Report Created by Rolex Repair
Specifically About Elwood Haston's Watch - the Images are of His WW2 Watch
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