Life, 1918-05-09 · page 5 of 40
Life — May 9, 1918 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **World War I-era advertisement** (not satire), likely from 1917-1918, promoting Waltham watches as precision instruments for military use. The ad claims Waltham chronometers were supplied to the U.S. and British governments for wartime operations—equipping naval vessels, destroyers, and other military applications requiring precise timekeeping. The globe illustration shows ships and military activity across continents. The rhetoric emphasizes reliability and patriotism: Waltham watches supposedly helped "the Allies go 'over the top' to victory." The ad positions the company as essential to Allied military success, contrasting Waltham favorably against Swiss, English, and French competitors. This represents **wartime corporate marketing**, leveraging national pride and military contracts to boost consumer confidence in the brand.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘Waltham Chronometer Times the War Ships of Uncle Sam and Britairu Dreadnoughts of war guarding the gateways of nations; destroyers vigilantly roaming the seas in quest of their hidden prey; ocean leviathans that carry their passengers safely from shore to shore when peace reigns—these are guided in their activities by Waltham Chronometers. No greater faith was ever shown in the precision of a time- piece than when the war governments of the United States, England and Canada placed their orders at Waltham. Faith based on tests which proved the reliability and precision of the Waltham Chronometer. Waltham, the only watch factory in the world equipped to make Chronometers, is also supplying other timepieces for war work. Deck clocks, comparing watches, airplane clocks, wrist watches, all made at Waltham, are doing their bit in helping the Allies go “ over the top” to victory. WALTHAM THE WORLD’S WATCH Visit the jeweler whose reputation stands highest for quality. Ask him to show you some of the Waltham models—for example, the Riverside. three for men and two for women. The Riverside symbolizes that lofty ideal of fine watchmaking which has led the horological experts of the greatest nations | to choose Waltham in preference to any other watch made | in America—in preference also to the finest timepieces of Switzerland, England or France. OVER TIME Here is a watch you will be proud to | give or to own. Moderate in price and made in five sizes— | comicbooks.com