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Lot Essay
One of the Rarest Military-Issued Watches, The Tornek Rayville Reference TR-900
Extremely rare and highly sought after, Blancpain's Tornek- Rayville diver's wristwatch is a dream for any collector of military watches. Developed in the early 1960s by Allen V. Tornek of the Rayville factory, the representative of Blancpain in the US, less than 1,000 were made especially for the US Navy.
However, very few were actually sent to the US Navy after they had been manufactured, this watch is one of those few that was sent, making it an even rarer specimen. Upon arrival to the Military base, the watch was assigned a serial number to its case back, written by the US Navy. These watches are so rare that it is believed that less than 100 survive, including those few that went directly to the US Navy such as the present watch, the vast majority of TR-900s having been destroyed by the government due to the Navy's rules regarding atomic waste disposal. Most of the remaining watches are likely resting in the safety deposit boxes of private collectors, it is a good explanation then why these watches almost never come to market, especially in this outstanding condition.
Offered fresh to the market, this watch has an interesting history after its initial assignment. In 1990 it was found with its original strap in an estate sale in New Jersey. The buyer, being a ex-military officer himself was instantly drawn to it. Amazingly the price paid then was only $25. Ever since it has remained in the owner's possession, never worn but frequently admired.
The design of the Tornek-Rayville was based on Blancpain's "Fifty Fathoms" model already in production; it was fitted with the same caliber AS1361 and Promethium 147 (half life 2.5 years) for the luminous material. By changing its color from pink/blue to entirely pink, the humidity indicator to the lower half of the dial would show if water moisture had penetrated the watch.
Produced under US Military Specifications "MIL-W-22176 (SHIPS) WATCH, WRIST, SUBMERSIBLE (400-FOOT), NON-MAGNETIC". As requested by the US Government, the watches had to be legibly marked on the outside of the case back with the specification number ("MIL-W-22176"), serial number, the word "NONMAGNETIC" with the nonmagnetic symbol as well as the radiation symbol.
Extremely rare and highly sought after, Blancpain's Tornek- Rayville diver's wristwatch is a dream for any collector of military watches. Developed in the early 1960s by Allen V. Tornek of the Rayville factory, the representative of Blancpain in the US, less than 1,000 were made especially for the US Navy.
However, very few were actually sent to the US Navy after they had been manufactured, this watch is one of those few that was sent, making it an even rarer specimen. Upon arrival to the Military base, the watch was assigned a serial number to its case back, written by the US Navy. These watches are so rare that it is believed that less than 100 survive, including those few that went directly to the US Navy such as the present watch, the vast majority of TR-900s having been destroyed by the government due to the Navy's rules regarding atomic waste disposal. Most of the remaining watches are likely resting in the safety deposit boxes of private collectors, it is a good explanation then why these watches almost never come to market, especially in this outstanding condition.
Offered fresh to the market, this watch has an interesting history after its initial assignment. In 1990 it was found with its original strap in an estate sale in New Jersey. The buyer, being a ex-military officer himself was instantly drawn to it. Amazingly the price paid then was only $25. Ever since it has remained in the owner's possession, never worn but frequently admired.
The design of the Tornek-Rayville was based on Blancpain's "Fifty Fathoms" model already in production; it was fitted with the same caliber AS1361 and Promethium 147 (half life 2.5 years) for the luminous material. By changing its color from pink/blue to entirely pink, the humidity indicator to the lower half of the dial would show if water moisture had penetrated the watch.
Produced under US Military Specifications "MIL-W-22176 (SHIPS) WATCH, WRIST, SUBMERSIBLE (400-FOOT), NON-MAGNETIC". As requested by the US Government, the watches had to be legibly marked on the outside of the case back with the specification number ("MIL-W-22176"), serial number, the word "NONMAGNETIC" with the nonmagnetic symbol as well as the radiation symbol.