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Time Capsule
 Vintage Personalized Wristwatches & the Stories They Tell

"You never actually own a watch...You merely look after it for the next generation" **
Lackner - Latest Home Page.jpg
Cinfici - Home Page.jpg
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Click any Photo above to read their Time Capsule stories....

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Following their first campaign, the regiment was sent to Melbourne, Australia to recover. On Feb 10, 1943, Paul Thomer purchased a steel-cased wristwatch, engraved “Paul R. Thomer ~ U.S.M.C. ~ 343824 ~ Australia ~ 2-10-43”.

                         Click photo to read Pvt. Thomer's story

New Story: September 2023

 

Returning Marine Pvt. Paul Thomer’s WW2 Watch to His Family

Private Paul R. Thomer (1923–1992) was a WW2 Marine Corps hero who fought at Guadalcanal as a member of the famed 1st Marine Division. The battle would cost the division 650 killed in action, 1,278 wounded in action with a further 8,580 contracting malaria and 31 missing in action.

I personally presented Paul’s watch to his daughter Deborah in September. She and her four siblings will cherish their Dad’s watch – a courageous Marine who fought as part of “The Greatest Generation”.

(You can also find his story on the <WW2 / Cold War> menu above)

**  Thank you, Patek Philippe

WW1

WW1 Military Watches

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WW2

WW2/Cold War Military Watches

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Holux - WW2 Main Page.jpg
breese - Main Page.jpg
Case - WW2 Main Page.jpg
sigman - WW2 Home page.jpg
scott  - Main WW2 Page with Click.jpg
Cinfici - WW2 main page.jpg
masuda- WW2 Main Page.jpg
salvoni - ww2 main page.jpg
murphy - Home Page.jpg
Athletes

Athletes Watches

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Young - Main Photo.jpg
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gentry - main page.jpg
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Presentation

Presentation/Personal Watches

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Mac - Main Page.jpg
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allen -- Main Page.jpg
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lutro - New Main Menu.jpg
riley - Home Page View.jpg

The Time Capsule Collection of Vintage Watches

Bob Stokes 

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I have spent my entire life collecting something. 1950s baseball cards (yup, I had all the Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays cards...) -- and of course my Mom threw them all out when I went to college.  Over the next fifty years, that morphed into Victorian Furniture, Victor Talking Machines / Nipper collectibles, 19th Century Advertising; Opera memorabilia – and finally, vintage personalized wristwatches. 

Why? First, through the miracle of the Internet, the lives of the original owners have have been documented and preserved -- military heroes; athletes; community leaders. Second, each watch is unique -- it is the only one in the world. If you don't buy it, no amount of money can get it for you. And third, when I research the owner's family, I can return it to them for posterity. 

"You never actually own a watch....you merely look after it for the next generation"

About

CONTACT ME

I'm still building my Time Capsule website -- I have over 50 watches to document. Please let me know what you think about this initial group of vintage personal watches -- particularly if you have more information about any of them....

Thanks!  Bob 

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