1914 RFC pilots wrist watch

Hi

I'm new to this forum and to be honest I might be in the wrong place
altogether! My hobby is restoring watches from the WW1 period, and this is a
watch that once belonged to a RFC pilot. Its hall marked for 1914 and has a
fine centre second movement marked Stauffer, I've not come across a Stauffer
movement like this before. The pin setting layout is distinctive and the only
reference I can find is to IWC but I'm struggling to be honest so if any one
can say either way that it is a movement that IWC used that would be great.
Whatever the outcome is it's a really top grade watch but I would like to put
a makers name to it.

I am also struggling with image insertion, I've managed one image but I don't
seem to be able to insert a second image on the so I've included links and I
hope this is ok

Hello Gerryd,

This is not an IWC.

Stauffer was an importer of many brands including IWC.

The first pilot watch that was made by IWC was the so called civil Mark 9 just
before WW II.

The second was the iconic Mark II, which was made for RAF in 1948.

Both models had nothing to do with Stauffer, Son & Co.

Regards,

Adrian,

(alwaysiwc).

Adrian

Thank you for you answer, it looks like its another maker and this is a good
thing in one way as it looks like I can eliminate IWC. I generally ID
movements from thier setting spings and the setting retaining bridge and I
have seen identical setting on IWC pocket watch, the base plate and bridges
were different though!

The watch belonged to a pilot and was a private purchase and never an issued
or named a pilots watch. It was common practice for the officers in the Great
War to buy there own equipement including watches.

Gerry

Gerry,

Maybe some additional information.

The movement is most probably a so called ebauche or raw movement or mouvement
en blanc, made by one of the many ebauche factories in Switzerland.

These factories were active between 1850-1925. The made movements with
machines in large quantaties and various calibres. These were often not
signed.

The ebauches were sold to watch manufacturers, who improved them, gave the
their own touch and a case. The dials were than signed by the 'finisher' and
sold. Famous factories were Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Fontainemelon and Aubert
Freres, Fabrique d'Horlogerie en Blanc.

Undoubtly, Stauffer, Son & Co., has bought these raw movements as well. They
were the largest importers of Swiss watches and movements in Great Britain.

Regards,

Adrian,

(alwaysiwc).

I found this today, its a Peerless marked small pocket watch, I would say that
my movement is based on this even down to the centre second friction spring

Gerry,

There are IWC calibres ( 65, 66, 73, 74) which look almost the same as your
watch, but not exactly the same.

These models are called 'finger bridge' movements and the basic model of these
was invented by Abraham Louis Breguet.

The advantage is that some of the parts can be exchanged or repaired without
dismantling the complete movement. The disadvantage is that the cocks are
fixed only at one side, while a bridge-crossing the movement- is fixed at two
locations, making the construction more sturdy.

The idea from Breguet was adopted by many brands, including IWC but also by
the factories of raw movements.

Regards,

Adrian,

(alwaysiwc).