Helvetia 1930/40s Pilots Watches

As well as manufacturing sports style watches in the 1930s Helvetia also provided a range of watches aimed at pilots that have gone on to become firm favourites among collectors.

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During the 1930s and 1940s a variety of watch manufacturers produced pilots’ watches of a very similar pattern. They are often known as 'Flieger' or '1928 Pattern' watches. They are usually larger than standard for watches of the period at around 40mm and have large luminous hands and numerals to allow easy reading of the time even in low light and a large crown so that adjustments can be made with gloved hands.

Along with their range of ‘Sports’ watches Helvetia also made several variations of these pilots’ watches and they are among the most popular among collectors today.

HELVETIA

SPECIALITIES

Waterproof

Watches

Double-dial

and Pilots

Part of Helvetia Advert From 1939

Helvetia started producing pilots’ watches in about 1932. They were approximately 41mm in diameter and were powered by the Helvetia calibre 51S movement. Helvetia fitted these first watches with, what I believe to be, a variant of the Depollier/Brun shock protection system that they had been using since the late 1920s in their sports watches. (For more information see the Sports Watches and Shock Protection pages). The cases were usually made of chrome plated brass and had a hinged inner and outer back cover. They also had large fixed lugs for passing through a long, wide strap that could be fastened over flying clothing if required.

To mark this new range of watches Helvetia adapted their standard logo with the addition of a propeller. Initially this was static below the name but in January 1933 they registered their famous spinning propeller logo.

Helvetia 41mm Pilots Watch - 1932

51S With Early Shock Protection

Case Backs with Serial No

Helvetia 41mm Pilots Watch - 1934

51S Movement With Shock Protection

Helvetia 41mm Pilots Watch - 1934 Serial Number.

Serial Number - 1934

Soon after the introduction of the 41mm version a smaller 36mm version was added. These used several different movements initially, I have seen Patria (another brand of Louis Brandt & Frere), Adolf Schild and Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Fontainemelon (FHF), movements fitted to these watches.

Helvetia 36mm Pilots Watch - 1934

Patria Movement

Chrome Plated Case Back

Helvetia 36mm Pilots Watch - 1934

Adolf Schild Movement

Helvetia 36mm Pilots Watch - 1934 Serial Number.

Serial Number - 1934

Helvetia 36mm Pilots Watch - 1935

FHF Movement

Helvetia 36mm Pilots Watch - Dial

By the end of 1934 the 51S movement had been superseded by the slightly amended 51-10 version and the shock protection replaced with the Helvetia’s own system patented in 1929. Within another year or so the movements used in the 36mm version had also been standardised as the Helvetia 81-24 again using Helvetia’s own shock protection.

41mm Pilots Watch - 1937

51-10 With Helvetia Shock Protection

Serial No and Case Ref 7010

36mm Pilots Watch - 1936

81-24 Movement

Serial No and Case Ref 3410

In 1935 Helvetia produced a central seconds version of their calibre 81 movement. There quickly followed a central seconds version of the smaller Helvetia pilots watch using this movement.

These seem to be rare and the example pictured below is the only one I have actually seen.

Central Seconds Pilots Watch

Calibre 81 - Central Seconds

3410 Case - 1936 Serial Number

During the 1930s a variety of dials were in use but after the start of World War 2 the majority of watches seem to have been of the standard style with the numerals 1 to 12 fully illuminated and fitted with ‘Cathedral’ style hands. By the mid 1930s a thick glass crystal also started being used, this was to help minimise condensation due to the change in temperature when flying at altitude .