*GSTP Army Issue WW2 White-faced Pocket Watch by Buren, Grand Prix*
A Buren, Grand Prix, British military, pocket watch. A white enamel dial with Arabic numerals, lumen on the quarters. The face is inscribed “Buren Grand Prix, Swiss Made”. A snap on back and bezel. The back has the British Broad Arrow followed by the letters “G.S.T.P”, (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). This is followed by the army stores number “H10974″. 5cm diameter.
The watchmaking company Buren, located in Buren an der Aare, Chézard, La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland, and London, U.K., originally operated under the name F. Suter from 1873 to 1898 and as H. Williamson Ltd. from 1898 to 1932. The London branch faced financial difficulties in the crash of 1929, leading to liquidation, while the Swiss arm underwent reorganization in 1932 as the Buren Watch Co. SA.
At the 1929 Barcelona World Fair, Buren received the Grand Prize for the excellence of their exhibit and the technical and stylistic perfection of their watches. Subsequently they would engrave or stamp ‘Grand Prix’ on later production pieces. Following the Barcelona Exhibition, the company went on to manufacture a new range of movement calibres which they called their ‘Grand Prix’ series.
*Condition*
The face is in excellent condition with very minor fading to the lumen. The stem works to pull to change the time and to wind the watch. The second hand works and the watch appears to keep time. The case has some scratches and marks commensurate with its age and service. We can open the watch on request. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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