Berlin Military SS RATONAL Pocket Stop Watch WW 2 1930's

[conciv5]

Here is a WW 2 Berlin Germany RATONAL SS stop watch. Running-working! An 18 size watch, out of a home near Hamburg. Inscription on reverse case. I know there is a lot of fake SS stuff out there, but this really looks good, and the SS looks the same style, depth, and age as the other wording. Also, discoloring from age is consistent thruout. What do you experts think?? Inside is a complex D.R.P. movement, marked "Hier Unten Ersatzstucks". Has its serial number. Functional German WW 2 stop watch. Questions welcome.

[Anderson]

I don't read German so I can't comment on whether without the SS runes the inscription would work. What I do know is jewelers who engrave inscriptions are very good at lining up the words. The second line starting with the "runes" is too far to the left. It looks like the runes have been added later. If you remove the runes, all the lines of inscription are in balance. My feeling is they are a later addition by someone else.

[BrodieBartfast]

I don't read German so I can't comment on whether without the SS runes the inscription would work. What I do know is jewelers who engrave inscriptions are very good at lining up the words. The second line starting with the "runes" is too far to the left. It looks like the runes have been added later. If you remove the runes, all the lines of inscription are in balance. My feeling is they are a later addition by someone else.

Seems to refer to the SS Führungshauptamt; the operational HQ of the SS.

So the runes appear to have the right context. But to me, that only throws the whole of the description into question. You see so many items with fake engraving these days. They must outnumber genuine engraved pieces a hundred to one at least.

Anything related to the SS should always be regarded with the highest suspicion. Especially 'non-official' items like this one.

B.B.