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It would be a great find for any vintage Swiss watch collector or military style enthusiast
Up for sale is an authentic, highly collectible WWII-era style Helvetia Waterproof mechanical wrist watch, manufactured in Switzerland during the 1940s. This timepiece is powered by an in-house Swiss manual-wind Helvetia Caliber 800C movement housed in a solid stainless steel screw-back case.
The back cover features historical personalized inscription dated "18-4-48" (1948). The watch comes equipped with a premium quality brown leather military Bund/NATO style strap (can easily be swapped for a standard two-piece strap). The movement has been fully checked, oiled, and serviced - running strong and keeping accurate time!
DEFECTS: Authentic light age patina on the dial; minor hairline micro-scratches on the case consistent with age.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Switzerland
MANUFACTURER: Helvetia Watch Co. (General Watch Co.)
OVERALL CONDITION (10-point scale): 8.5
CASE
Solid stainless steel screw-back case with brushed and polished finishing.
Condition (10-point scale): 8
Inscriptions on outer back cover: WATERPROOF / ANTIMAGNETIC / SHOCKABSORBER / (Personalised inscription: Erling Dahlberg / Smedslätten / 18-4-48 (April 18, 1948 - probably a gift inscription)/ 3595 F)
Inscriptions on inside back cover: STAINLESS STEEL / HELVETIA WATCH CY / SWITZERLAND / 4401728
GLASS
Clear, polished acrylic crystal in excellent condition.
Material: Acrylic / Plexiglas
Condition (10-point scale): 9
DIAL
Original white military field dial with Arabic numerals, outer minute track with 5-minute indicators, and syringe hands.
Condition (10-point scale): 8
Inscriptions on the dial: WATERPROOF / HELVETIA / SWISS MADE
STRAP
High-quality genuine leather Bund / pass-through strap in rich brown tone.
Condition (10-point scale): 10
MOVEMENT
Mechanical: Hand-winding
Caliber: Authentic Swiss Helvetia 800C
Features
Manual wind
Central sweep second hand
Shock-protected balance
17 jewels
Data
Inscriptions on movement: HELVETIA / SWISS MADE / 800C
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT, FUNCTIONS
Width (Without crown) |
1.38 inch (35.0 mm) |
Width with crown |
1.48 inch (37.5 mm) |
Length (Lug to Lug) |
1.65 inch (42.0 mm) |
Depth (Thickness) |
0.43 inch (11.0 mm) |
Crystal Diameter |
1.20 inch (30.5 mm) |
Lug Width (Strap size) |
0.71 inch (18.0 mm) |
Total Weight |
1.94 oz (55.0 g) |
Function |
Hours, minutes, central sweep seconds |
Country made |
Switzerland |
Dimensions of watches

HISTORY & LORE
Helvetia was founded in 1880 in Bienne, Switzerland, by Louis Brandt & Frère (the original founders of Omega). Helvetia established a grand reputation for producing exceptionally durable, high-precision military timepieces for European armed forces throughout WWI and WWII.
Equipped with their famous in-house Caliber 800C movement and a robust waterproof stainless steel casing, Helvetia field watches from the 1940s stand out for their rugged reliability and clean military aesthetics.
RECOMMENDATIONS
All Antique and vintage watches are mechanical. Repairs require precision, so please handle this historical artifact with care.
- Vintage mechanical watches should not be beaten or dropped - shocks can damage the balance staff.
- Vintage watches are generally NOT waterproof. Protect your timekeeper from direct contact with water, heavy rain, or high humidity.
- If your watch becomes wet it should be dried off quickly. Carefully open all covers and use a hair drier to blow dry the movement, dial, covers, crown. This will reduce the amount of rust.
- If your watch becomes wet with any kind of salt water you should immediately immerse or spray your watch with fresh (no-salt) water to remove all the salt from the works before drying the watch completely. Any salt left in the watch will combine with moisture in the air to rust metal components of the movement, case etc.
- Winding any mechanical watch tight may break the mainspring. Stop winding as soon as you feel the natural resistance tightening up.
- When adjusting the hands of your watch, move them in a clockwise direction only to prevent stress on the gear train.
- If you must adjust counter-clockwise make it for small adjustments only (i.e. for minutes, NOT hours).
- Be careful and gentle when adjusting the movement speed (faster or slower). Don't make sharp movements, and don't touch other components in the movement especially the pendulum mechanism.
- Every 2-3 years it is recommended to service, clean, and oil vintage watches to keep them running accurately for decades to come.
- IF the watch is dirty - allow the watch to run down, don't wind it again until you have it serviced by a qualified watch repair expert. Dust will absorb and remove important lubricants and cause the movement pieces to wear down.
- To clean the case, dial and crystal you should use a cloth that does NOT leave fibers as these may get caught up in the movement. Check with your Watch repair expert to get an appropriate cloth.
- Keep your watch away from strong magnetic fields (large speakers, modern computers, magnets) since magnetic exposure can alter the balance spring performance.
- Most Cases and Covers are fine components and will not handle abuse well. The watch should not be shaken, beaten, or stressed.
- Vintage mechanical watches naturally experience a daily deviation error of up to a few minutes. An accuracy of +/- 3 to 5 minutes a day is considered excellent for a classic timepiece.
PAYMENT
- Total amount due includes the final item price plus Shipping.
- Shipping charges are determined based upon the destination address. Please note that buyers are responsible for any applicable local customs procedures.
SHIPPING
We ship worldwide! This item will be securely packed and dispatched to you from Europe via registered international airmail, complete with a tracking number and insurance coverage. Shipments are processed within 1-3 business days after payment clears.
Typical Delivery Timeframes:
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European Countries: approximately 7-10 days;
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USA, Canada, Japan & others: approximately 10-14 days.
NOTE: Actual delivery speeds depend heavily on your local customs handling and postal services. Rest assured, we pack all items with extreme care to guarantee they reach your doorstep in perfect condition!
RETURNS/REFUNDS
We accept returns in compliance with standard platform terms. Items must be returned in their original condition as received. Return shipping costs are to be covered by the Buyer.
FEEDBACK
We strive for 100% customer satisfaction and look forward to earning your positive feedback! If you experience any issues or have any doubts upon receiving your parcel, please contact us immediately *before* leaving neutral or negative marks. We are always here to help resolve any issues amicably.
Thank you for your interest in our vintage treasures!
Please let us know if you have any questions. Good luck!
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