what band?

[Militarywatchdude]

Does anybody know what type of band an old Soviet WWII watch would have been issued with?

[Ray MacDonald]

Leather for sure. The other types of bands didn't even start to appear in large numbers until after the war.

[Militarywatchdude]

Leather for sure. The other types of bands didn't even start to appear in large numbers until after the war.

Thanks for the help! I'll go for leather.:-!

I have one more question. I have this all original Waltham A-17 hack watch that was issued to the Army Air Corps in WWII (mine in 1943). Were these issued with cloth band?

[Ray MacDonald]

Yes I think they had a cotton band either black or olive. I don't think leather would be out of place nowadays however.

[JohnF]

Hi -

As far as I can remember, the only issued band was canvas, in one piece. It was not popular, as any sort of heat and humidity led them to rot fairly quickly.

JohnF

[Militarywatchdude]

Hi -

As far as I can remember, the only issued band was canvas, in one piece. It was not popular, as any sort of heat and humidity led them to rot fairly quickly.

JohnF

Wait, do you mean for the Soviet watch or the A-17? :-)

[JohnF]

Hi -

A-17 and other American watches.
JohnF

[Marrick]

You might be interested in this strap (OK, band) which I posted last year and which John F identified for me as a solution to rotting developed by American soldiers in WW2. It was patented in December 1944 by one William McHale - perhaps a returning serviceman. See:

http://tinyurl.com/22oxht