Men’s 1945 Elgin A-11 Aviator’s Watch

Today's military wristwatches are, in effect, disposable: their specifications state that they are made to be discarded when they stop running. However, 60 years ago, when WWII was raging, much more was expected from a timepiece. Resources weren't as available, technology was relatively simple and no one could afford to throw anything away. Watches had to be sturdy enough to stand up the grueling salt, heat and humidity of the Pacific Theater as well as the numbing cold of the European Campaign. American watch houses ceased civilian production during these years and devoted themselves to producing timing instruments for the war. Elgin, then the largest watch manufacturer in the world, produced bomb timers and fuses, aircraft and tank watches, ship's chronometers, pocket and wrist watches. Of the timepieces carried in the field, the A-11 wrist watch seems to be the most romanticized and desirable WWII watch Elgin produced. These watches were ordered to be used by Army Air Corps and Navy aviators, although many of them made their way onto the wrists of regular Army officers. Specifications for the watch were very exclusive: they had to be waterproof, have a center-sweep second hand as well as a "hack" feature, allowing the watch to be synchronized with a master time source for missions and bombing runs. By pulling out on the stem, the sweep second hand would be "hacked" or stopped; time could be set, then the stem pushed back in so the sweep could resume its motion.

The agreement with American watch houses was that they would support the war effort by supplying timepieces for ground troops and equipment; however, after the war all wrist watches had to be destroyed. American watch executives felt that if these watches were allowed back into the states, they would cripple business at a time when plants had not been able to produce and sell civilian watches for years. The United States government agreed and most of these faithful time companions were unceremoniously crushed, buried, or dumped to prevent them from competing with civilian watch sales.
A few watches made it back to the states, most of which having been well used during the war. To find an A-11 is rare; to find one in excellent condition rare indeed, but to find a specimen in this mint condition? You may scour the world and not find another like it. This magnificent example of the Elgin A-11 Aviator's wristwatch is completely original and in mint condition. It measures 39mm lug-to-lug by 34mm in diameter and features a midnight black dial with white, oversized Arabic numerals, all crisp. Bubble crystal is beautifully transparent, with absolutely no scratches or inclusions. The white “spear” hands are handsome, the mint case is flawless, the cleaned, oiled and calibrated model "539" 16 ruby jewel Elgin movement is flawless. The crown is brand new old stock, original to the case, snapping nicely when pulled out; hack feature works perfectly, stopping the sweep second hand for synchronized timing. The chromed base metal case is beautifully engine turned with a coin, or "reeded" edge on both back and bezel. Back is engraved. "A.F. U.S. ARMY/TYPE A-11/Spec. NO. 94-27834-B/SER NO. AF45-22436/MFR'S PART NO. 2114/ORD.NO.W33-038AC-6600/ELGIN." We've outfitted the watch with a correct re-creation of the two-piece O.D. fabric strap it would have been issued with during or shortly after WWII. This piece is in the same pristine shape as a new watch issued to a pilot 50 years ago: a fine watch in incredibly rare condition.