Cyma Braille pocket watch.
Discussion
I wonder if any of you watch experts can put a date on this watch, 
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It was presented to my father by St Dunstan`s (now called Blind Veterans UK) after he was blinded in WW2.
|https://thumbsnap.com/zgWjWqpr[/url][url]
My local watch repairer thinks its around 1920`s
|https://thumbsnap.com/khnwiQfD[/url]
That fits as I understand St Dunstan`s started supplying them to blinded veterans after WW1.
Any information would be appreciated.
[url]It was presented to my father by St Dunstan`s (now called Blind Veterans UK) after he was blinded in WW2.
|https://thumbsnap.com/zgWjWqpr[/url][url]My local watch repairer thinks its around 1920`s
|https://thumbsnap.com/khnwiQfD[/url]That fits as I understand St Dunstan`s started supplying them to blinded veterans after WW1.
Any information would be appreciated.
Cant really add much to be honest apart from show an interest. I have a couple of hand wound wristwatches from Cyma.
From what I’ve found out they are kind of a middling brand but are still up for sale mainly in Asia.
Sorry i cant actually help with you question but consider my ramblings to be a free bump!
From what I’ve found out they are kind of a middling brand but are still up for sale mainly in Asia.
Sorry i cant actually help with you question but consider my ramblings to be a free bump!
Hi Highlander. Thanks for your interest in my father’s watch.If your watch is exactly the same model does that mean the original owner was a blind WW2 veteran? A member of your family maybe?
I’ve shown mine to a few watch experts who are pretty sure it was made in the 20’s. They were all made for St Dunstans ( my father would have been livid over the name change to Blind Veterans UK ) who distributed them to all the men blinded in WW1. Many found their way back and were then given to WW2 St Dunstaners.
I found mine when I was clearing my mother’s house. It did not work, luckily I found an old school watch repairer who made a small component and got the watch working perfectly. It’s been keeping perfect time ever since.
They are not valuable, but of course to me and my family this one is priceless. My Grandson is under orders to keep this one ticking and pass it on to his children.
https://www.blindveterans.org.uk/about/our-history...
I’ve shown mine to a few watch experts who are pretty sure it was made in the 20’s. They were all made for St Dunstans ( my father would have been livid over the name change to Blind Veterans UK ) who distributed them to all the men blinded in WW1. Many found their way back and were then given to WW2 St Dunstaners.
I found mine when I was clearing my mother’s house. It did not work, luckily I found an old school watch repairer who made a small component and got the watch working perfectly. It’s been keeping perfect time ever since.
They are not valuable, but of course to me and my family this one is priceless. My Grandson is under orders to keep this one ticking and pass it on to his children.
https://www.blindveterans.org.uk/about/our-history...
Edited by Old Merc on Sunday 17th January 15:20
NDA said:
A lovely family heirloom.
I've often wondered with these watches.... what stops the user moving the hands when they feel their position? Do you have to be very gentle with it?
They are very tough and strong, as its all clockwork the hands would bend before moving. Naturally my father took great care with his, he could open it with his thumb and then feel it one handed . As well as being blind he only had one hand, as he lost the other hand when the land mine he was working on exploded.I've often wondered with these watches.... what stops the user moving the hands when they feel their position? Do you have to be very gentle with it?
Old Merc said:
They are very tough and strong, as its all clockwork the hands would bend before moving. Naturally my father took great care with his, he could open it with his thumb and then feel it one handed . As well as being blind he only had one hand, as he lost the other hand when the land mine he was working on exploded.
Interesting... thanks.Your father was clearly made of different stuff to the rest of us. He went through a lot for king and country. Someone to be incredibly proud of I should think.
NDA said:
Old Merc said:
They are very tough and strong, as its all clockwork the hands would bend before moving. Naturally my father took great care with his, he could open it with his thumb and then feel it one handed . As well as being blind he only had one hand, as he lost the other hand when the land mine he was working on exploded.
Interesting... thanks.Your father was clearly made of different stuff to the rest of us. He went through a lot for king and country. Someone to be incredibly proud of I should think.
Old Merc said:
Your dead right NDA, He had no intention of sitting back and playing the war hero. He had a full time job, caught a bus every day and never missed a days work in his life. Two evenings a week he would give lectures to RAF cadets ( using Braille ) on aircraft engineering.
Not funny but at first I read that as he drove a bus as a full time job 
Indeed made of different stuff.
The watch is great.
Hint: Something often missing from these threads is that you put all the writing you can find on the watch in text in the OP, that way someone has a similar one he can find this thread just by entering the text on Google. This might help you (and other owners) find out more about it.
Hi Old Merc, what a great story, your father sounds like a real hero
My mother sadly passed a couple of weeks ago, I found the watch as part of her possessions which I didn’t realise she had.
The watch was her Uncle John’s, he went blind when he was around 7 years old from an accident I believe. He lived with my Nan (his sister) and my mum and her sister in South East London. He used to work sitting on a cold floor making wicker baskets all day, they were very poor as my Granada’s died when my mum was young.
Maybe St Dunstan’s donated the watch to him? Hard to say but when I found it I wound it up and it works perfectly! Lasts for about 2 days when wound up fully, amazing thing
My mother sadly passed a couple of weeks ago, I found the watch as part of her possessions which I didn’t realise she had.
The watch was her Uncle John’s, he went blind when he was around 7 years old from an accident I believe. He lived with my Nan (his sister) and my mum and her sister in South East London. He used to work sitting on a cold floor making wicker baskets all day, they were very poor as my Granada’s died when my mum was young.
Maybe St Dunstan’s donated the watch to him? Hard to say but when I found it I wound it up and it works perfectly! Lasts for about 2 days when wound up fully, amazing thing
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