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Forum: For Sale/Wanted/Free
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Topic: WTB: Pan Am with Pan American marking on the back
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| Re: WTB: Pan Am with Pan American marking on the back [message #20227 is a reply to message #20217] |
Tue, 24 February 2026 00:44 |
handworn
Messages: 3
Registered: February 2026
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Gruen Apprentice |
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Wow, how much did that one sell for? A Boeing 314 pilot's watch would be particularly of collector interest, I would think, so I would imagine it went for a good sum.
I would assume that the early ones you mention-- the wartime ones in the 86,000 serial number range-- would by definition have been sold to Pan Am personnel, as the wartime ads said that they were only for sale to them.
By the way, those ads show a Pan Am watch with a darker inner ring, as opposed to the lighter inner ring seen on many of the ones on eBay and for sale on the Net. Is that a solid clue? (Any other tips for dating them?)
Thanks again for all your help.
Matt
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| Re: WTB: Pan Am with Pan American marking on the back [message #20228 is a reply to message #20227] |
Tue, 24 February 2026 18:45 |
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JackW
Messages: 2144
Registered: May 2013
Location: Denver
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Gruen Authority
Head Janitor
Site Admin |
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Hello again Matt!
handworn wrote on Mon, 23 February 2026 17:44 would by definition have been sold to Pan Am personnel, as the wartime ads said that they were only for sale to them.
Well... there is a propensity for "truth-in-advertising" but here I think there is not much to this claim. I doubt that the 1/2 dozen watches I have in the 51k to 96k serial range with 24-hour dials were owned by Pan Am staff. Of the couple marked with names and dates, these were regular service members as far as I can tell. Like this one. That guy after the war sold insurance.
The watch that is in the 1943 advertisement? In 15 years of looking I've never seen that style case and dial combination. There is the gold fill Star case from 1946 that some collectors think is the design in the '43 ad, but I disagree with this.
I am not in the mood at present to buy another Pan Am. If there is one that catches your eye, feel free to PM and I'll give you an opinion on it.
Also, check out Bruce Shawkey's article in the NAWCC.
https://docs.nawcc.org/Bulletins/2010/articles/2013/401/401_ 69_76.pdf
I can email it to you if you would like.
All I know is based on hard work & writing by others. I can only aspire to augment this body of knowledge. If I am wrong it is because of my own failings. -me
"If I have seen farther it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." - Newton
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