Atatürk's Watches
Berk OztoprakAuthor
I'll be bringing you two stories specifically for Victory Day, August 30th. And these stories will also contain inaccuracies reported by other sources. I've written about this before. Because there are no reliable sources on Atatürk's clock, it's difficult to find anything. I wanted to provide a summary. I've included the sources in the next tweet in case you'd like to read and research further.
The first story: The Omega watch that saved Atatürk
You've probably seen this story in many places. It's the story that our Atatürk survived being hit by a bullet thanks to the Omega pocket watch on his chest during the war . To get straight to the point, the fate of this watch is unknown. It hasn't been seen anywhere. However, according to sources, it's said to have been gifted to German General Liman von Sanders, with whom he served in Çanakkale. Its current status is unknown. It's said that Omega launched a campaign in 1939 to find this watch, but it was unsuccessful. The watch was never found. The story goes like this: Mustafa Kemal Pasha was recounting his memories of the Çanakkale battles to Ruşen Eşref Ünaydın. One thing that stands out in these memories is the watch. Cevat Bey, who was with him, saw that the Pasha had been shot. "Pasha, you've been shot!" he said. When the Pasha looked towards his chest, he saw a watch in his pocket. Cevat Bey, while recounting these memories, said... “Our Pasha was shot. But thanks to the watch in his pocket, he escaped with only minor injuries, without suffering a serious chest wound.” Eşref Ünaydın wanted to see the watch while having this conversation with Atatürk. Atatürk replied, “After the battle, His Excellency Liman Pasha took it as a souvenir. He also gave me his watch, which bore his family's coat of arms.” There is only one photograph of the watch, and it is being shared everywhere. I have included that in the first photo. You can find the original source and story in the next tweet. There is no definitive information about who this watch was sold to or where it is located.
Second story: Atatürk's Patek Philippe wristwatch
This story is even more sinister. Many sources claim that Atatürk wore a Patek Philippe wristwatch. It was sold by the renowned auction house Sotheby's. However, some forum members' research hasn't revealed any definitive information about the watch's whereabouts or who purchased it. The alleged sale price is around $850. Sources describe a wristwatch like the one in the appendix. The watch is Patek Philippe and has a good movement for its time. Unfortunately, the fate of this watch, like the other, is unknown. Several books mention the watch's story, but it's said to be unclear. You can find more detailed information from sources. It's said that during that time, ministers would have exchanged watches as gifts. Even if Atatürk didn't buy this watch, it may have been gifted by someone else. However, considering Atatürk's taste and elegance, I believe he could have purchased it as well.
Sources: I would also like to add Erk Abi's video on this subject here, I definitely recommend you watch it. https://youtube.com/watch?v=TNxNzoCh0i0
This is not sponsored content. It is news content.
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