*WW2, British, Military GSTP Pocket Watch, Swiss Made by Jaeger LeCoultre in Original Bakelite Field Case*
This is one of the rarest models of the WW2, a Swiss watch by Jaeger LeCoultre, made for and used by the British government during World War 2. It has a nickel case with the original enameled clock face and manual winding.
The movement comes in a nickel open face case, which has a snap on back and bezel. The back has the letters “GS/TP” followed by the army stores number “P55964 followed by the British Broad Arrow. (G.S.T.P. stands for General Services Timepiece/Temporary Pattern, which indicates that the watch was purchased by the British government for the armed forces 1939-1945.) 5cm diameter. The white enamel dial has old luminous numbers and hands – (with little luminosity left). The dial is signed “Jaeger LeCoultre, Swiss Made”. Inside on the case it has serial number: 215532. The movement is stamped “Swiss Made, Jaeger LeCoultre, 467/2”. 5cm diameter.
The British Government ordered a significant quantity of wrist and pocket watches for various Allied armed forces branches during the war. These watches, supplied to War Department specifications, varied in build and finish standards across different manufacturers. While the basic construction and performance were strictly defined, other variables allowed for a wide range of qualities and costs. Most military watches were reliable and well-built, though somewhat utilitarian. However, for applications requiring absolute accuracy, a select few high-grade watches, notably from IWC and Jaeger LeCoultre, were ordered. Despite their higher cost, these watches met specific military requirements for utmost precision.
Jaeger-LeCoultre is a Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer founded by Antoine LeCoultre in 1833 and is based in Le Sentier, Switzerland. In 1847, Antoine invented a keyless watch, the second simple and reliable winding and time-setting system to do without a key after Patek Philippe’s version of 1845. Instead, it relied on a small push-piece that activated a lever to change over from one function to another. Unfortunately the invention was not patented, allowing other watchmakers to quickly implement the system. The collaboration between Jaeger and LeCoultre led to the company being officially renamed Jaeger-LeCoultre in 1937. Since 2000, the company has been a fully owned subsidiary of the Swiss luxury group Richemont.
*Condition*
The face is in good condition with some light wear to the painted lumed Arabic numerals, the crystal has some faint marks in places, the case has some plate wear exposing brass base metal underneath. The watch has been fully serviced and is in perfect working order. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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