Rare Antique WWI German Navy Officer Award Niello Silver Pocket Watch c1916

Offered for your consideration is a remarkable and exceedingly rare antique military award pocket watch, dating to the World War I era. This 50mm timepiece is an authentic German naval officer’s presentation watch, likely awarded for meritorious service or operational success in maritime campaigns.

Such timepieces were essential instruments for navigation and coordinated attacks. The heavy silver case, embellished with complex Niello and gold inlay, signifies that this was not standard-issue equipment, but a highly prestigious award presented to a distinguished officer.

Detailed Condition & Specifications Report

The Award Dial & Hands The dial is a pristine white enamel, designed for high legibility and rich with patriotic military symbolism.

• Military Motifs: The upper center of the dial proudly displays a highly detailed, crisp profile of a German battleship. Directly below the ship rests the famous patriotic motto “Gott mit uns” (God with us) curving over the subsidiary seconds dial.

• Subsidiary Dial: Located at the 6 o’clock position, the sub-seconds dial is striking in its design, featuring a prominent, hand-painted Iron Cross.

• Hands & Numerals: The hours are designated by elegant, elongated Arabic numerals, tracked by a delicate set of antique blued steel hands.

The Niello Silver & Gold Inlay Case The 50mm case is a true masterpiece of early 20th-century metallurgy, utilizing the complex and labor-intensive Niello technique combined with gold inlay.

• Front Bezel: The front silver bezel is beautifully decorated with a continuous, flowing floral or foliate Niello pattern.

• Case Back Design: The entire case back is finished in deep black Niello, acting as a dramatic canvas for a magnificent celestial and martial scene. It features a sweeping golden eagle in mid-flight, set against a night sky filled with a crescent moon, golden stars, and stylized shooting star trails or clouds.

• The Cuvette (Dust Cover): The polished inner dust cover is stamped with the serial number “149353” and bears a distinctive maker’s mark reading “NIEL HF” within a shield.

The Precision Movement

• Mechanics: Powering this naval instrument is a high-grade manual-wind mechanical movement. The movement is beautifully finished with frosted gilt plates and features an index regulator with an “A / R” (Avance / Retard) adjustment scale.

• Operating Condition: Despite its age and combat provenance, this exceptional officer’s watch remains in perfect working order, winding smoothly and maintaining time accurately.

Terms of Sale This antique military presentation timepiece is a functioning piece of world history and is sold exactly as photographed. Please review all high-resolution images carefully, as they form a definitive part of the description.