WWII 1940 Pattern American Army Ordnance / ORD Watch (Hand Wound Mechanical Version)
SKU: ORD1/HW In WWII, Ordnance watches were made for the US military by Waltham, Hamilton, Bulova, and Elgin. The original watches were made of nickel-plated brass because wartime conditions precluded the use of stainless steel. Consequently, the original watches were not very durable, making it challenging to find one in good condition today. The original watches were very small, measuring 33/34mm, but we have increased the size slightly to 36.5 mm (excluding the crown) and 39 mm (including the crown). The US Army Ordnance Department watches were intended for use by non-aviation personnel. The A-11, which is similar but has a black dial, was the USAAF equivalent. Interestingly, the British War Office procured a very similar timepiece in 1938, two years before the ORD watches, which explains why the designs look almost identical. Before WWII, and particularly during WWI, soldiers adapted various civilian pocket watches and trench watches to their needs. This was also the case with Ame