UPDATE: The Department of Defense/Department of the Air Force got back with me as to Mil Spec MIL-W-6433, aka the Waltham A-17 Pilot's Watch specification. Unfortunately, the original MIL SPEC documents could NOT be found at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. We highly doubt these docs will be found in Washington DC, many have searched. Several very talented researchers thought that the documents would be found at Wright-Patterson, myself included. The A-17 was originally developed at W-P AFB back in the late 1940s - early 1950s. I filed a FOIA Request about 6 months ago and I received this letter from them last week. Sorry guys, looks like these highly sought after docs may have been lost in time. 

Thank you!

"a modern re-release of that watch would be awesome!"

The NEW Waltham A-17 Pilot's Watch is currently in production.

The prototypes were just finished and full production is currently underway.

Swiss made, automatic, 40mm.

They will be out by year's end I believe.

Check Watch Angels if interested.

Thank you! I love getting to the bottom of a great mystery!

If the docs are found there is usually info on other watches in that file grouping.

Hopefully this will be a big score!

The entire Rolex brand is build upon lies, plagiarism and fraud.

Hans Wilsdorf was not a good man.

He knowingly published FAKE NEWS on the front cover of London's Daily Mail newspaper.

He literally took credit for another man's innovation, absolutely disgracefully.

Rolex did NOT create the world's first waterproof wristwatch as they have claimed for the past 97 years.

That honor belongs to Charles Depollier and his 1918 Waltham Depollier "Field & Marine" Waterproof Watch.

As CONFIRMED by United States government documents found in the National Archives.

Two different official U.S. government reports and numerous U.S. Army documents back all of this up.

Integrity and honor are not things that I would associate with the Rolex brand or their founder.

In 1958 the Rolex Submariner FAILED the U.S. Navy Experimental Diving Unit ability tests.

In 1918 the Waltham Depollier "Field & Marine" Waterproof Watch PASSED the waterproof ability tests conducted by the U.S. Army Engineering & Research Division and by the United States National Bureau of Standards.

When you buy a Rolex all you are buying is hype.

Ayadai,

Completely agree, the trench watch "style" of watch was available WAY before WWI.

Omega was probably responsible for setting the trend as theirs came out 2 years earlier in 1903.

I searched hell and high water for the 1903 Omega being advertised in the USA but could not find an advert for their watch.

According to Gallet this watch was available in open faced and hunting case styles so the movement being offset by 90 degrees is normal.

If you wear a configuration like seen in the advert on the inside of your wrist, like John Wick, the 12 is at the top when you turn your wrist inward.

During this era movements and cases did not have the same serial number, in all likelihood they were made in different locations.

I will never respect Rolex or purchase another one of their watches. Their past is shadier than a politician that has been in Washington DC for 40+ years. Hans Wilsdorf lied his A$$ off and claimed credit for several innovations that he didn't have a thing to do with. He was no gentleman, he was a plagiarist. Then Rolex built their entire platform on these lies which they still have to cover for today. If you honestly think that Wilsdorf is responsible for the world's first waterproof wristwatch, the first screw down on a wrist watch, the first automatic movement, the first to use a "key" to open and close watch cases you are sorely mistaken. I'll choose to spend my money elsewhere.

Yeah, that's not how history actually happened, not even a little bit.

Hans Wilsdorf lied.

In 1918 Charles Depollier released the Waltham Depollier "Field & Marine" Waterproof Watch.

And yes, it had a screw down crown.

It was successfully tested by the United States National Bureau of Standards and by the United States Army Engineering & Research Division.

Certified as waterproof after a 500 hour test submerged in water.

All of this happened 8 YEARS before the Rolex Oyster.

And Mercedes Gleitze did NOT successfully swim the English Channel with a Rolex around her neck in 1927. She in fact failed in this attempt and had to be pulled onto a boat after only being the water for 10 hours. Rolex conveniently leaves that part of the story out when they make reference to her.