Jam Loken: Services Watch

Services watch came in for service, it is an old vintage watch probably from the 50's and requires complete overhaul.

Below is the history of the manufacturer.

The Services Watch Co. was founded in Leicester by Frank Liquorish sometime in 1926/27. It is believed it was dissolved on 26/11/2002 although it was gathered from Steve Burrage a former employee of the company that Services Watches actually stopped being produced in the late 1970’s.

The company never actually made watches themselves but instead they either had them made by other firms or bought parts in which were then assembled in the Services factory in Leicestershire, England.

The earliest Services watches that people have so far come across were made in circa 1927 using 15 jewel movements made by the Fleurier Watch co., Switzerland. These watches were fitted into an Edinburgh hallmarked silver watch case.

However during the early years and up to WWII one of Services main suppliers appears to have been Thiel Brothers of Thuringia, Germany, who made complete watches (pocket & wrist) for them. At first these Theil Bros., supplied watches appear to have been marked on the dial as “German Made” changing over to “Foreign” or “Foreign Made” probably by the end of the decade. So far the German Services watches of this period that people have come across seem to have simple but sturdy unjeweled pin-pallet movements.

In addition to Thiel Bros., sometime in the early to mid 1930’s it is believed that “Services” appear to have started sourcing watches from The Oris Watch Company, Switzerland, and this arrangement appears to have continued into the 1950’s. There may have been other suppliers and during this period some were marked as being “Swiss Made” and others were like those from Thiel Bros., marked “Foreign”.

Despite the company name we have so far not come across any indication that Services Watches were actually issued to any members of the Armed Forces, although it is again believed some “Transpost” models were used by the Air Raid Wardens during WWII.

Initially after the end of WWII the company continued to source from Switzerland (Oris Watch Company), these for some reason continued to be marked as “Foreign”, possibly due to restrictions on importing luxury goods during the early 1950’s. Services eventually switched to UK based suppliers such as Louis Newmark Ltd., Perfect Works, Stafford Road, Croydon, Surrey. These were then marked “Made in England”.

Later they are also believed to have been supplied by Anglo-Celtic Watch Co.Ltd., Gurnos Works, Ystradgynlais, Wales. During this period they are usually marked as being “Made In Great Britain”.

While most Services Watches from this period used unjeweled movements a few were made with 5 Jewels. From around the early to mid 1950s Services began again sourcing there parts from abroad and by this time their range included a chronograph using a 17 Jewel Venus movement (there had been at least two other Swiss made chronographs made in the 1930s).

From the 1950s until Services ceased production they produced watches sourced or using parts from Switzerland, Britain, France, East & West Germany, Russia & Hong Kong.

"Services"
Used up until possibly the late 1930s, these also had the model name printed on the dial eg `Despatch Rider`

Services
Used up until the late 1950s, as above they usually (but not always) had the model name on the dial.

SERVICES
below an S inside a shield, without model name used until the company ceased production.

Credit to;
mach 0.0013137
http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/

Following are preliminary photos of the watch and movement.