SOLD - WWII Helbros Bomber Pilot's Watch Original Black Dial Super Rare
**Huge reduction in price - no other coupon codes, offers and /or sales may be applied to this watch (thank you). For three years straight I've been trying to find another one of these to validate the version I have in the silver dial. Well here it is in a black dial. On a rarity scale of 1 through 10 - this is a 10. Go ahead, try to find another, I don't think you will. And for you die-hard military watch collectors, this is what I would call a grail watch. This is a WWII Bomber Flight Pilot Watch likely commissioned for production pre WWII or during WWII. Helbros is a factory Switzerland watchmaker founded in 1913 by brothers Helbein in Geneva, registered in 1918. Settling later in the United States, they took the name of Helbros Watch Corporation instead of Helbein Brothers. It was acquired by S & S Time Corporation (ironically still in business today), making it a sub-brand of Jules Jürgensen at that time. Helbros was focused on sports and military watches and became a key assembler and manufacturer of commissioned military watches both pre-WWII, especially for Germany, and during WWII for the US and its allies most notably England. In the book "U.S. Intelligence and the Nazis" there is an interesting story of possible spy activity implicating Helbros and its principals of war crimes. Fund transfers from Germany moving through Helbros Watch Co., New York was identified by US intelligence agencies. The connection isn't clear but was clearly not legal at the time and indicates that Helbros may have been still providing key military watches to Germany during the war. This watch appears to be a manufactured in-house piece which is quite unusual for Helbros with even the case made by Helbros which measures a healthy 36.8MM in diameter. The larger case size is a major suggestive element pointing to this being a German commissioned military piece just prior to WWII which would make it a Bomber Pilot Timer Navigationsuhr Flieger Watch. US and English market watches were mostly smaller in diameter. Either way, these are extremely rare and highly sought after; this piece in particular is unique compared to the few other examples found.
CASE: WHITE METAL CASE SIGNED HELBROS, 36.8MM IN DIAMETER, DOUBLE HINGED BACK, IN GOOD CONDITION SHOWING MODERATE WEAR AND HEAVY BRASSING. ORIGINAL CROWN AND DUO-DIRECTION ROTATING BEZEL WITH WHITE COLOR POINTER TO TIME AN ACTION. THE HINGES ARE SIMPLE PIN HINGES WHICH MAKES THE INNER AND OUTER COVERS REMOVABLE IF NEEDED.
DIAL: ORIGINAL BLACK DIAL WITH ORIGINAL ARABIC NUMERALS LUMINOUS STILL IN TACT IN GOOD CONDITION OVERALL WITH ORIGINAL HANDS.
MOVEMENT: HIGH GRADE 17 JEWEL SWISS MANUAL WIND KEEPING GOOD TIME AND IN GOOD CONDITION.
STRAP: PERIOD ARMY GREEN NATO STRAP ATTACHED TO THE ORIGINAL CLOSED LUGS.
We also have this in the silver dial version.
