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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" 
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Click any Photo above to read their Time Capsule stories....

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New Stories –- February 2023

Time Capsule: Returning WW2 British Sapper David Breese’s 1947                          Orator watch to nephew Ivan Breese

Capt. David Alexander Breese (1920-2009) had an illustrious career as a WW2 British Royal Engineer– a “Sapper". Breese was part of the D-Day Operation, blowing up bridges behind German lines in Normandy.

​In 1947, prior to being deployed to Palestine, Capt. Breese purchased an Orator watch inscribed with his name & service number.  His watched was returned to his British nephew, RAF Corporal (Ret.) Ivan Breese in January 2023.

​“You never actually own a watch….You merely look after it for the next generation”

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

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WW1

WW1 Military Watches

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WW2

WW2/Cold War Military Watches

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Athletes

Athletes Watches

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Presentation/Personal Watches

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Presentation

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
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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 

Thanks for submitting!

Contact
Story List

TimeCapsule Index

Menu

Year

Owner (Click)

WW2 / Cold War

1942

WW2 / Cold War

1953

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