GDR NVA Pocket Watch – Extremely rare GUB Glashütte observation watch with black dial, in case

GDR NVA Pocket Watch – Extremely rare GUB Glashütte observation watch with black dial, in case.
Diameter 57.5 mm, approx. 144 g, silver case, matching serial number with movement 217551, Caliber 48 (A. Lange & Söhne design) featuring fine adjustment and center seconds, black dial with center seconds, luminous hands; excellent original condition, comes in original case; early example from the 1950s, bearing only the GUB signature and predating the "VEB" quality seal.
These very rare observation watches were manufactured by GUB Glashütte from 1951 through the 1960s; the military version with a black dial was produced primarily for the *Volksmarine* (East German Navy). During World War II, the Glashütte-based firm A. Lange & Söhne produced the Caliber 48 wristwatch movement—originally developed in 1940—for use in aviator observation watches. The volume of raw movements produced far exceeded the company's own finishing capacity. Consequently, after a period of interim storage at the *Deutsche Seewarte* (German Naval Observatory) depot in Gesundbrunnen, Hamburg, the majority of these movements were finished by watch factories across Germany and the occupied territories. A significant number of raw movements remained in storage there after the war ended. Starting in 1948, this stock served as the foundation for resuming production at the now-nationalized company *Mechanik A. Lange VEB*—though now as a pocket watch, as there was no longer a demand for aviator watches. Following the company's integration into *VEB Mechanik Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe* (founded in 1951), the remaining stock of Caliber 48 raw movements was transferred to the new entity. During the finishing process, the original Lange signature on the movement plate was milled out and replaced with the signature of the new company, VEB.

The watch is running but is sold "as-is" (untested); therefore, there is NO 2-year warranty on functionality.