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18Tornek-RayvilleRef. TR-900 An extremely rare, exceptional well-preserved, and historically important stainless steel anti-magnetic diver’s wristwatch with humidity indicatorCirca 1966 41mm Diameter Dial signed Tornek-Rayville U.S. Estimate $50,000 - 100,000 CHF45,000-90,000 €42,100-84,200 HK$388,000-775,000 Place Advance BidContact Specialist Paul Boutros Head of Watches, Americas & International Strategy Advisor Senior Vice President +1 212 940 1293 pboutros@phillips.com
Condition ReportRequest Condition ReportThank youfor your request. The Condition Report will be sent shortly.Contact Us* RequiredSend me the Report ViaEmailFaxContact SpecialistCancelDescriptionOur Buyer's Premium has been updated. View our Conditions of Sale.Manufacturer: Tornek-Rayville Year: Circa 1966 Reference No: TR-900 Case No: 0337 Material: Sandblasted steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. AS 1361, 17 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Nylon NATO Dimensions: 41mm Diameter Signed: Dial signed Tornek-Rayville U.S. Accessories: Accompanied by a Seabess patch. Catalogue EssayToday, the TR-900 is one of the rarest and most sought after military watches for collectors. Delivered in two batches, one in late 1964 and the other in mid-1966, a total of about 1,000 watches conforming to U.S. military specification MIL-W-22176A were provided by Blancpain through their American subsidiary, Tornek-Rayville. Due to the 1933 "Buy American Act", the U.S. Navy could not directly purchase Swiss Blancpain watches. Allen V. Tornek, of the Allen V. Tornek Co. based in New York City, was an importer of Blancpain and won a bid to be the American supplier of Blancpain for the U.S. Navy. Despite passing the technical tests, the model was considered too expensive and the project was abandoned. A few years later, Alan Tornek proposed a new offer and “Tornek Rayville”-branded batch of Blancpain-supplied watches to the US Navy. Cautiously, Tornek Rayville only delivered a very small amount, which proved to be a safe bet as the US Navy rejected the project due to its cost. The Navy Experimental Diving Unit used elements from three watches tested: the Rolex Submariner, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, and the Enicar Seapearl 600 to create the specifications for the TR-900. The official report of the Navy Experimental Diving Unit regarding these watches noted the need for a dull case like the Blancpain, rather than a shiny case such as the Enicar and the Rolex which “should not be used in tropical waters where biting fish abide.” The hacking mechanism, humidity indicator, luminous bezel and dial, and most importantly, an easily adjustable rotating bezel, made the Blancpain the ideal choice. The present TR-900 is exceptional. Remarkable not only for its incredible state of preservation, but also due to its impeccable provenance, coming directly from a descendant of the original owner. Consigned by his grandson, the original owner enlisted in the Navy shortly after graduating from high school in 1964, joining the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion – popularly known as the SeaBees. The first SeaBees arrived in Vietnam in 1963 and were a constant presence in Vietnam until U.S. involvement ceased in 1975. Of his grandfather, the consignor of the present lot writes regarding his grandfather’s military service, “He just considered it something that he needed to do as a young man. His passion was in the automotive industry and working on cars and drag racing.” Showing hardly any signs of wear and fitted on its original NATO strap, the present example is amongst the finest examples of a TR-900 to appear on the market, and a rare opportunity for the discerning collector. Consigned by the Family of the Original OwnerRead More