WWII Military Union Horlogere Silver Officer’s Award Pocket Watch DIGITAL Dial

Offered is an authentic World War II era military tank brigade officer’s award pocket watch, produced by Union Horlogère circa the 1940s. This is a striking and historically significant timepiece, clearly intended as a presentation or award piece rather than a civilian watch.

The watch features an unusual military-themed digital-style dial, bold iconography, and period markings consistent with wartime manufacture. The overall aesthetic and construction reflect mid-20th-century military horology.

Key Features

• Maker: Union Horlogère
• Era: Circa 1940s (WWII period)
• Case Diameter: Approx. 48 mm (excluding crown)
• Case Material: Silver (marked 0.800)
• Movement: Mechanical, 15 jewels
• Dial: Rare digital-style military dial with sub-seconds
• Hands: Original ornate hands
• Back: Decorative engraved cartouche, uninscribed
• Crown: Period-correct oversized crown

Condition

• Case shows honest age-related wear consistent with service and age
• Dial is original with visible patina and period wear
• Movement is intact; running condition not guaranteed due to age
• No modern replacements observed

Please review all photos carefully, as they form an important part of the description.

Why This Watch Is Special

• Authentic WWII-era military award watch
• Rare digital-style dial not commonly encountered
• Large 48 mm officer-size case
• Marked silver case with original military character
• Highly collectible for military, horological, and historical collectors
• It comes with an APPRAISAL CERTIFICATE FOR $2800

History of Union Horlogere

1883: The Union Horlogère (UH) or Vereinigte Uhrmacher Alpina (VUA) was founded by Gottlieb Hauser as association of leading manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to unify the purchase and distribution of watch and clock parts. Soon genuine calibres were designed, and manufactured by the Alpina Ebauche Factory of Duret & Colonnaz in Geneva.

1905: The U.S. companies Gruen and Hamilton joined the association. 1909: Alpina Union Horlogère founded the Präcisions-Uhrenfabrik Alpina in Glashütte. 1917: Due to political reasons near the end of WWI separation into the Union Horlogère SA in Biel/Switzerland and the Alpina Deutsche Uhrmacher-Genossenschaft GmbH (ADUG) in Berlin. 1929-1937: Alpina Gruen Gilde SA, a joint venture of both companies to coordinate production and distribution. Also Rolex was involved in this oganization, but it is unknown to which extent. A famous child of this cooperation was the Doctors Watch, made by the Rolex factory Aegler, and sold under the brands Alpina, Gruen, Alpina-Gruenand Rolex-Prince. 1946: The BERLIN branch was reorganized and restarted in Darmstadt as DUGENA, Deutsche Uhrmacher-Genossenschaft Alpina. 1949: Registration of Alpina as brand of the manufacturer Straub & Co, Bienne. The company Alpina Union Horlogère continued, and distributed the Straub watches. The kind of the cooperation of Straub with Alpina, and the beginning of Straub are fuzzy: Straub is known as member of UH, and definitely most movements of newer Alpina watches were made by Straub. But already the calibre shown in the trade mark from 1896 (cf. above) was made by Straub.