Description
You are bidding on a VERY RARE used example of a WW2 German Wehrmacht Reichsarbeitsministerium (RAM) Blind Veteran Pocket Watch! Associated with German veterans who had lost their sight as a result of WW1, this specialized tactile pocket watch was designed so that the wearer could determine the time entirely by touch.
The Reichsarbeitsministerium, or Reich Ministry of Labour, was responsible for numerous areas of German social welfare and veterans’ administration during the interwar and Third Reich periods. Surviving RAM-marked blind watches of this type are generally attributed to assistance provided to blinded veterans, particularly disabled veterans of the First World War. Rather than relying on a conventional crystal-covered dial, the watch was designed to be opened so the wearer could physically feel the position of the hands against raised hour markers. The tactile dial allowed the time to be read without sight, making these watches a fascinating example of period adaptive technology as well as an unusual piece of German veterans’ history. Comparable documented RAM examples date from approximately 1930–1935.
Made of a nickel-plated brass case, this unusual blind pocket watch is in VERY GOOD original used condition! The open dial shows visible darkening, fingerprints, and natural oils from repeated handling, strongly consistent with genuine period use of the tactile face rather than an unused presentation example. The case exhibits scratches, finish wear, and other normal signs of age and use throughout, while retaining its original nickel plating. Everything present is 100% ORIGINAL period manufacture. The dial bears the marking “DEPOSE,” indicating a registered design, while the internal Swiss movement itself is unmarked as to manufacturer. The watch utilizes a period pin-setting mechanism: the crown is used solely for winding, while a small recessed setting button beside the crown must be depressed with a fingernail before the crown can be turned to adjust the hands. The movement is 100% FUNCTIONAL, winds correctly, sets correctly, and presently runs as it should. All original hands remain intact, as do the raised tactile hour markers used by the blind wearer to determine the time by touch. The rear case is prominently engraved with the German Adler and RAM initials for the Reichsarbeitsministerium. A VERY RARE and deeply evocative surviving piece of German veterans’ welfare history and an exceptional addition to any collection of Third Reich social history, horology, or adaptive equipment!
