UMF RUHLA WRIST WATCH - MADE IN EAST GERMANY

Offered for sale is a very nice military style mechanical Wrist Watch manufactured in the East German Republic (DDR) during the 1950s; This watch was made by UMF (Uhrenmanufaktur) Ruhla and features a pin pallet movement, developed in Germany before the Second World War by the descendants of the Thiel Brothers.

This is a interesting and collectible, medium sized watch that is in working order; It winds, sets and keeps time and is supplied with a 'new' authentic military style arm band or strap of East German origin.

We found this watch in Lugau in the picturesque area of the Erzgebirge near the border with Chekoslovakia. It is possible that it may have been issued as a service watch for use by military or semi-military personnel and it carries the service mark  'D-19092/77624 inside the case.

Thiel movement, 28.4 mm dia, x 5.6 mm high with pin pallets, chromed brass, no jewels, sub seconds, manual wind, engraved with the codes '44 3' and '54 3' which confirms the date as 1953.

Chromed brass, one piece case 31 mm dia., detachable bezel, 17 mm fixed lugs.

Matt black face with white Arabic numerals, luminous hands and hour markers. The watch appears to be fitted with a hard mineral crystal, which together with the fixed lugs and service number support the conclusion that this may have been issued as a military timepiece.

Mechanical watches make the ideal gift - classic appearance and no battery to fade or fail. They do, however, require attention from time to time by a competent watchmaker and although usually good timekeepers, a mechanical watch needs to be wound regularly and carefully. Timekeeping is unlikely to match the exact performance of modern quartz movements but, if properly looked after and regularly serviced, a mechanical watch will still be keeping good time long after its modern counterpart has ceased to function.

This watch was handcrafted by the watchmaking co-operative of the Thuringian town of Ruhla in the former German Democratic Republic before the fall of the 'Iron Curtain' in the early 1990s. The town's watchmaking tradition was founded in 1862 and survived two world wars and occupation by Russia to become one of the main centres for the production of wrist watches in Eastern Europe.

Production of 'low-tech', popular, work-a-day mechanical watches for the masses continued at Ruhla until imports of quartz movements became possible with re-unification of Germany during the early 1990s. Traditional mechanical watches are still made in the former East German factories but todays products include some of the most expensive watches in the world and are aimed at a very wealthy market.

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'NO QUIBBLE GUARANTEE'

We know that you will be pleased with this watch and, on this auction, we will back our confidence with a 'No Quibble Guarantee' that if you are unhappy with the item for any reason, you may return it to us and, provided we receive it safely back within ten days of the auction ending, we will refund the auction price in full.

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