The Inconvenient Truth about the World's First Waterproof Watch

[LRF]

"The Inconvenient Truth about the World's First Waterproof Watch, the Story of Charles Depollier and his Waterproof Trench Watches of the Great War"



For years the writers in the watch industry, watch magazines, the most renowned auction houses in the world, major newspapers and online watch media outlets have been giving you incorrect information about the true origins of waterproof wrist watch technology. They could not have gotten this story more wrong by saying Rolex was the one who developed this technology in 1926 with the Oyster. Military records have always been considered the "holy grail" of documentation, the benchmark of evidence. There is simply no way to put a spin on the date stamped military documents I've discovered in the United States National Archives. How can Rolex possibly account for Depollier's watch being successfully independently tested for waterproof ability, approved by the 7 member U.S. Army Executive Board and purchased (10,000 units) by the U.S. government 8 YEARS before they released the 1926 Oyster? They can't. My allegiance is to horological history and giving credit to the individuals who actually changed the industry, not to perpetuating fairy tales and myths.



This book (341 pages) proves that Charles Leon Depollier truly created the world's first waterproof wrist watch with the 1918 Waltham Depollier "Field & Marine" Waterproof Watch that did in fact feature a SCREW DOWN CROWN waterproof crown followed closely by the 1919 Waltham Depollier "THERMO" Waterproof Watch. The 4 different waterproof crown designs developed in the house of Depollier during the Great War years will be covered in detail. Evidence included is the complete trial transcript of the 1919 lawsuit between Charles Depollier vs Mortimer Golden. This is Charles Depollier's fascinating first hand account of how he developed waterproof wrist watch technology 8 years before Rolex in cooperation with high ranking officers of the United States Army Signal Corps Engineering & Research Division. Depollier's waterproof wrist watch case was independently tested in Washington D.C. by the United States National Bureau of Standards for its waterproof ability, it passed their tests with flying colors. The Bureau of Standard was America's first physical science laboratory, the proving grounds. All paper lawsuit exhibits from both parties are included, every page. Two official United States War Department reports corroborate Depollier's sworn court testimony. In one of these reports Two Star Major General George Squier informs the United States Secretary of War, Mr. Newton Baker, that the "watch could actually run for several weeks under water". Mr. Baker reported directly to President Woodrow Wilson. You will also read the correspondence of high ranking. U.S. Army officers discussing Depollier's waterproof wrist watch technology and how it would solve many of their problems in 1918. Also included are the Waltham Depollier trench watch advertisements and the non-waterproof Waltham Depollier military watches produced during the Great War era.



Now that this book has been published Rolex should remove their claim of creating the "world's first waterproof watch" with the 1926 Oyster from their webpage and marketing materials. It simply did not happen the way they tell the story.