Rolex ref. 3525, Prisoner of War - History of this Watch

[DaMan1990]

Good evening, first of all I wanted to thank Stefano Mazzariol for his endless wisdom and knowledge (source: mazzariolstefanoblog).

World War II, German Prisoner of War Camps.

During World War II, in German prisoner of war camps, all prisoners were rigorously stripped of any and all personal effects, including their watches, all in order to make the life of a prisoner of war even harsher and more uncomfortable.

Hans Wildorf, at the time the owner and undisputed head of Rolex, was known for his philanthropic inclinations. It is worth noting that upon his death in the early 1960s, all of the profits of the Maison, which were already considerable at the time, were to be donated to charitable purposes by his precise testamentary disposition.

Driven by such a rare spirit of human solidarity, upon learning of the wretched condition of prisoners of war, he decided to send, through the International Red Cross, on loan to British officers who formally requested it, a steel chronograph with ref. 3525 with a black dial and gold graphics, which has gone down in history with the name POW, Prison Of War.

Courtesy J. Dowling (TZ).