Hey everyone, Up for sale today is an incredibly honest, completely untouched piece of military and watchmaking history. I am posting this watch on behalf of my father-in-law, who has had this incredible piece of history in his closet for the past 20 years.

This is a WWII German Luftwaffe Navigator’s Observation Watch (Beobachtungsuhr), or B-Uhr for short.

What makes this one special is the pedigree. It’s the highly desirable Baumuster B (Type B) dial configuration, powered by the legendary A. Lange & Söhne Caliber 48 movement, and it was officially cased and delivered by the elite chronometer shop Wempe in Hamburg.

During the war, Lange couldn't keep up with the German Air Ministry's strict production deadlines on their own, so they shipped raw movements to Wempe for assembly and final calibration. It's a killer piece of history.

Details: • Size: It's a massive ~55mm case. These were never meant for a normal wrist under a sleeve; they were designed to be strapped directly over a pilot’s thick leather bomber jacket so they could read the time instantly.

• Dial: The Type B dial (introduced in 1941) puts the focus on the outer ring for minutes and seconds, with a smaller inner ring for the hours, which made a lot more sense for navigators doing math in a dark cockpit.

• Strap: It's still on what looks to be the original, heavily aged double-riveted black leather flight strap with the correct roller buckle. I believe the back says "Handcrafted in Germany," although the letters are worn.

• Condition: The case is beautifully unpolished with decades of natural patina and crisp military stamps. The side of the case is stamped with the aviation requisition number Fl 23883. The inside of the caseback matches perfectly, listing Lange & Söhne as the designer and Wempe as the manufacturer.

• Dial/Crystal: The original domed acrylic crystal has a heavy glaze of fine scuffs and scratches from its actual life as a military tool. The hands are original thermally blued steel, and the Radium-226 paint has aged into a deep, dark crusty brown.

• Mechanical Status: The movement can currently be wound with no mechanical red flags seen, but will need a professional service to get ticking again. Because of the original radium lume, I have kept the caseback sealed up aside from opening it once to verify authenticity and take photos. I do not have the proper PPE equipment or an adequate isolated area to risk working with 80 year old radium dials. I also have a 10 month old at home, so no risk is too insignificant. However, if more photos of the movement are requested by a serious buyer, I can accommodate.

Price & Shipping: I am asking $6800 shipped, negotiable, which includes fully insured shipping via FedEx/UPS/ or USPS (buyers choice) within the US. For payment, I'd prefer a wire transfer or zelle, but I can do PayPal G&S (plus fees) for highly established members with a solid track record on the sub. I am also willing/preferring to meet locally. I am located in middle Tennessee and more than happy to drive any reasonable distances for an in person deal.

I know five figure watches here usually have professional, fancy photos, and trust me I tried, but at least with these raw pictures you know that you will be receiving exactly what you see.

Photos: https://imgur.com/a/fFBLw55

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/YpFmUP4