Extremely Rare Military Watch Restoration - WW2 German Trench Watch 1938

This time I´m restoring an old military watch from the WW2-Era.
It´s a Thiel with the Thiel "start"-movement. Based on the movement it should be made between 1938 and 1942.

The watch is in a really bad condition. The chrome-plating of the case is severely damaged, the glass is scratched, the movement is rusty and doesn´t work at all.

I´m removing the old chrome with my new chrome-stripper (links attached below).

After sanding and polishing the case, it´s ready for a new chrome-plating. But I need to add a layer of nickel before.

The glass will be polished and the movement cleaned. The rusty movement-parts getting a manual polish by hand.

The hour-hand is broken at the arbor but luckily it still works fine and I am able to keep the original one. I´m polishing the hands and re-blue them with my new flame-bluing-kit (links attached below again).

There is not much I can do about the dial, a little cleaning of the radium contaminated surface has to be enough, because I don´t want to damage the original painting.

After everything is cleaned, polished, re-plated and re-blued, I can re-assemble the movement with some fresh oil. After that, this watch is in a good beat (+22 seconds per day) again.

I hope you liked this restoration, if so, like, comment and subscribe ;)

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Music:
"Golden Cage" by Jimena Contreras
Link to the Song:

Thanks to all my patrons and subscribers!
And especially to my gold-patron:
- Diego Macias
as well as my silver-patrons:
- Peter Oetterli
- Alessandro
- Martti Künnapas
- Glenn G Webb
- Zachary Forrest y Salazar
- John Parker

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Chrome-stripper, Degreaser and Electrolytes by @RolandBetzmannRealGold
Link to the shop:

Flame bluing kit by @DIYWatchClub
Link to the shop:

** Affiliate Links
Disclaimer: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This help support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support!

[SarcastSempervirens]

People like you, who care for things, are very important for this world.

[Corksy]

Most watchmakers would say restoring this watch is a waste of time given the quality of the movement and the state of the case. I really like that you take your time to restore in such detail and with such care a "hopeless" watch.

[bghoody]

Okay, that reflection in the watch crystal was kinda freaky lol. Great restoration - loved the chrome strip and renewal.

[winstonlanda]

Literally the best restoration video I've ever seen. The tools, the quality, the presentation, the professionalism, the silence. You are just one for the best channels for watch content in all of YouTube. Thanks for showing us your work and I wish you the best.

[violetraysgarage]

Danke! Für eine Arbeit, die der Uhr nicht ihre Geschichte nimmt, sondern sie ihr lässt. Diese Art von Arbeit ist eine Lebenseinstellung. Ein großes Bravo an Sie!

[moparkr]

loved how you left the dial pretty much alone and just polished up the crystal. the watch came out amazing!

[Archangeloftheandes]

I almost got emotional… you give these timepieces really another life. You are a true watch

[joe]

People only with passion to restore old master pieces can do such amazing work.

[dannydm]

that would be a really fun daily wear watch with a story to tell about it.

[walibough]

Your expertise in so many other fields (especially in metals' treatment mechanics) makes you just the perfect restorer.

[Felix-misc]

That before and after in the reveal, with the music... it's so inspiring, it makes you think that anything can be fixed; not just watches, but people, and maybe even the world.

[thelonemodder]

No words can describe the amazing work you've done to this old boy. Classy and Alive💖💖!!!!

[bicycle-oqeh]

outstanding skill & knowledge. I'm just wondering if polishing out the scratches etc, actually devalue the watch. I was asked to restore a victorian table, clean up all the knocks & scratches, then apply new french polish. I told the customer that it would seriously devalue it so he went off to think about it. Met him a few months later, said " I checked it out with 2 auctioneers, & told me that they agreed with me".. he said that he has the table with all the historical knocks & scratches & a conversational piece + valuable.... This chap has brilliant talent & skill with watches. You can only advise the customer. 👍👏

[MrHardhatharry]

I really liked the mask you wore! Plus your love for old watches is evident. Noticed this one had no jewels in the movement. If the watch could talk, the stories it could tell.

[TAZmannTAZ]

I especially love the fact that watch is still old after the restoration

[fredflintstone]

Thank you for giving this watch another life, comparing to Swiss watches of its era, I can simply say that the Swiss are the best.

[bicivelo]

I’m glad you didn’t change the face or the crystal. It looks amazing!!!! The metal work was really great as well. Oh and when you used the hand lathe remove the rust from the shaft. Wow!!!

[tibet]

I’m in awe at your skills. Thank you for twenty one minutes of satisfying relaxation. Well done

[Lush]

These older pin pallet non-jewelled movements can be a devil to work on but you made it look easy with your methodical approach and attention to detail. Especially liked the crystal and crown restoration as others would have discarded these and replaced with new but you went to the trouble or restoring them and thus keeping as much of the originality of the watch as possible which is so important. Really great work.👍

[roccopi]

Molte volte non si conoscono le competenze dell orologiaio. Grande lavoro. Complimenti.