The Waltham A17 PILOT is the successor of the Waltham A17, the first watch made according to Milspec W-6433, which has rightfully earned its place in watchmaking history as the American Pilot Watch.
In 1948 United States Air Force sent out out a letter to the Waltham Watch Company, Elgin National Watch Company, the Hamilton Watch Company, the Bulova Watch Company, the Gruen Watch Company and the Longines-Wittnauer Watch Company asking for their comments on Specification №21277. This specification would later be known as MIL-W-6433. Subsequently, it organised a tender for the supply of a pilot watch made according to those specifications. Waltham won the tender and in 1950 the A17 was delivered to long range tactical bombers crews based in Europe and Asia and the F86 pilots during the Korean war. The American Pilot watch was born.
The Waltham A17 on duty with the North American F86 Sabre Pilots during the Korean war
Specified for purpose
The dial of the Waltham A17 PILOT with the distinctive 24h auxiliary markings
The A17 was intended as a navigation watch for pilots and this required a stop second function, a very legible graphic dial with radium coated numerals and hands, and 24 hours auxiliary markings because in the military world, a slight confusion about time interpretation can be fatal.
Letter by USAAF U Colonel J.C. Harvell, Chief of the Equipment Laboratory Engineering Division to Waltham asking for their comments on Specification N° 21277 (later to be known as MIL-W-6433)
Therefore, the US Army had to improvise a time system that reduced any chances of ambiguity. This brought the adoption of the military time system also known as the 24 hour clock system. The A17 PILOT complies with the original MIL-W-6433 specifications and therefore combines today's production and movement values with historical correctness .
Waltham A17 "Dragon Lady" the U2 pilot's watch
Particularities
The A17 PILOT has a certain number of design particularities in additon to the 24h auxiliary marking which make it an interesting and significant watch to own and to collect. Interestingly, this utilitarian professional pilot watch features a sophisticated symmetrical case construction where the signature Waltham knurled bezel is perfectly matched to a knurled case-back profile.
The symmetrical design of the A17 PILOT case
Another particularity of the A17 PILOT is the circular shape of the counterweight of the seconds hand which came to be called the "lollipop" hand. The original A17 was the first military watch to feature this particular seconds hand design.
The "Lollipop" seconds hand of the A17 PILOT
The case engraving of the A17 PILOT follows the same United States Airforce procurement marking format which was in use in the epoch and applied to the A17, whereby the watch is identified with the procurement order number and the watch type. The utilitarian case-back of the A17 PILOT is essentially an "order sheet" applied to a case-back.
The A17 PILOT case-back engraving
Finally, not a design feature but and interesting historical particularity, the A17 was the first watch to fly at over 3 times the speed of sound. In fact, the A17 has been worn by many pilots who made the history of modern aviation. Amongst them USAF Captain Milburn “Mel” Apt, who became the very first man to fly at over 3 times the speed of sound on September 27, 1956, by flying the UASF Bell X-2 to the incredible speed of Mach 3.196 which is 3,377 km or 2,098 miles per hour. Later, the A17 became the watch of the U2 spy aircraft pilots and therefore also supported a new era in the role of military aviation.
Captain Milburn “Mel” Apt, the first man to fly at over 3 times the speed of sound on September 27, 1956 in the UASF Bell X-2. On his wrist the Waltham A17
The A17 Collection
The A17 PILOT collection features 5 models, including the all black A17 "Dragon Lady" model inspired by the famous U2 spy plane.
The Waltham A17 PILOT Squadron
On the wrist
The A17 has a 40mm diameter and a slim case for this watch category, this has been achieved by using the only 3.70mm high Soprod M100 automatic movement.
The movement
The Waltham A17 encases a Swiss made Soprod M100 R4 regulated, corresponding to +4s/-4s per day and a maximum divergence in all positions of 15s/day. Such precision is required to comply with MILSPEC MIL-W-6433.
The Swiss made Soprod M100 caliber
Technical specs
40mm diameter
MIL-W-6433 compliant
Soprod M100 Automatic Mechanical Movement, R4 regulated
316L stainless steel case
Domed sapphire crystal with antireflective treatment
Screw-in crown and case-back
10ATM | 330ft | 100m water-resistant
X1 grade Superluminova® on hands and numerals
Military green synthetic tactical strap
Dial colors: Black with white numerals, Black with old radium numerals, NATO Blue, NATO Green
Engraved case back
Swiss made
MIL-W-6433 compliant
Soprod M100 Automatic Mechanical Movement, R4 regulated
316L stainless steel case
Domed sapphire crystal with antireflective treatment
Screw-in crown and case-back
10ATM | 330ft | 100m water-resistant
X1 grade Superluminova® on hands and numerals
Military green synthetic tactical strap
Dial colors: Black with white numerals, Black with old radium numerals, NATO Blue, NATO Green
Engraved case back
Swiss made
Prices
A17: CHF 1.350
A17 "Dragon Lady": CHF 1.450
A17 "Dragon Lady": CHF 1.450
The watches are exclusively available from the Waltham website
About Waltham
The Waltham Watch Company is the first American watch brand. produced about 40 million watches and other precision instruments between 1850 and 1957. It invented the American System of Watch Manufacturing which made mass quality watch production possible, inspired Henry Ford's Ford T assembly line, and was later adopted by the Swiss watch industry. Waltham timepieces have earned a significant place in watchmaking history, and, since 174 years, they are recognized all over the world for their manufacturing excellence, style and precision. waltham.ch
