Navigation B watch and wrist compass

Lot 1107 limit € 3.700

Wempe chronometer works, deck watch, matted metal case, black dial with Arabic numerals, markings at 12 o'clock, hour, minute and second, phosphorescent numerals and hands, gold-plated bridge caliber Revue Thommen 31, movement starts to run, stamped on the side of the case. FL 23883 for the requirement classification of the German Air Force during the Second World War, cover marked: RLM Nav B - Clock 1507, Reich Air Ministry navigational observation clock and consecutive numbering, D approx. 56 mm, good condition, leather strap was added later, with original wrist compass with model and requirement designation, AK 39 Fl 23235-1, good condition was worn as an emergency compass in connection with observation watches, D approx. 61 mm, the Wempe B watch on offer is a rare early version from the early 1940s, please Please note the following literature reference military watches by K. Knirim, page 342 Wristwatches with chronograph calibres. Wempe experimented with pocket chronograph movements (Valjoux 61) because of the sweep seconds on the first wristwatches. Since Glashütte could not supply enough wristwatch movements, Wempe in particular converted all available pocket chronograph movements from Valjoux, Longines, Excelsior Park, Heuer, etc. in such a way that the chronograph mechanism was shut down and only the center seconds function was used became. These movements were built into the cases of wristwatches. As a result, chronometer quality could not necessarily be achieved, and the watches did not have the stop-seconds function for setting to the second as an externally recognizable limitation. The watches were therefore not given the Fl. 23883, but the marking RLM Nav.-B-Uhr and the consecutive number. Since the existing dials did not necessarily match the movements, they were screwed or glued separately