Time Capsule

 Vintage Personalized Wristwatches & the Stories They Tell

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

New Stories -- April 2021: 

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Please click this photo to read the story of a decorated WW1 Marine Hero and his 1941 Hamilton Wilshire presentation watch. It was given to Col. Frank Whitehead as Commandant of the Army Industrial College.

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The watch was just returned to Col. Whitehead’s cousin, Gale Heslop. Gale – his family’s historian -- had recently completed a 500-page biography of Whitehead, and knew nothing about the Hamilton until I contacted him. 

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As you will read, Brigadier General Whitehead died in 1950; this watch was given to Russ McCaig, a fellow Marine who served as his medic at the Bethesda Naval Hospital. When Russ died in 2000, he passed it on to Jeff Stephan, his friend and Marine veteran. I purchased the watch from Jeff in January 2021. 

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Semper Fi.

* Thank you, Patek Philippe....

whitehead - ww2 main page.jpg
lutro - New Main Menu.jpg

Click this photo (or <Presentation / Personal> menu above) for the story of Alaska Gold Rush Pioneer Arthur Lutro and his 1947 Lord Elgin presentation watch.

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I just returned the watch to Arthur’s grandsons David & Mark Young.

WW1 Trench Watches

Hatch - Main Page.jpg
Buehler - Main Page 4.jpg
Bump - Main Page 2.jpg
Michael Keller Main Page 2.jpg
 
 

WW2/Cold War Military Watches

masuda- WW2 Main Page.jpg
Holux - WW2 Main Page.jpg
Case - WW2 Main Page.jpg
Cinfici - WW2 main page.jpg
whitehead - ww2 main page.jpg
salvoni - ww2 main page.jpg
 

Athletes Watches

regnier - revised main page.jpg
robinson - main page 2.jpg

Presentation/Personal Watches

Lackner - Main Page.jpg
pacini - main page.jpg
sizer - Home page click to view.jpg
Mac - Main Page.jpg
roisner - Main Page 4.jpg
allen -- Main Page.jpg
foster - new main page.jpg
lutro - New Main Menu.jpg
 

The Time Capsule Collection of Vintage Watches

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Bob Stokes 

I have spent my entire life collecting something.  It naturally started out with 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.

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I'm still building my Time Capsule website -- I will be continuing to add new stories from my 40+ watch collection....so please keep coming back!

 
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CONTACT ME

I'm still building my Time Capsule website -- I have over 40 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....
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Thanks!  Bob 
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