Our Gallery: Pocket Modernism

These days, many good Dieselpunks think about purchasing a pocket watch. Stylish accessory as it is, such watch gives some reasons for a doubt: isn’t it too old-fashioned? Too steampunk-y? Too far away from the Interbellum aesthetics?

OK, the Diesel Era legacy is very diverse. Most pocket watches offered today are loosely based on the so-called “classic” examples, Victorian or Edwardian or even 18th century timepieces. But a closer look at the actual watches made between the two world wars reveals that this useful device can be ultra-thin, ultra-modern and ultra-sophisticated. It can be digital, you know – in a Dieselpunk sense of the word. Here is a small gallery to help you believe in the watchmakers’ genius. Probably it will also help you to make your choice.

Ulysse Nardin Watch with 10 Complications. 1936

Old-fashioned, you say? Just old-fashioned enough to match your pinstripe suit or military-style outfit.

 

Our Gallery: Alternative Military Style

Looks can kill. They can also ignite a discussion.

Last year, one Anarchist lady accused our fellow dieselpunks (those who sport military style outfits) of pro-Nazi aspirations and proposed to adopt the Spanish Republicans / WWII Resistance as a source of inspiration. Indeed, the irregulars’ looks have a lot in common with the “punk” component of the movement but we cannot ignore the desire to reflect the “orderly” aspect of the Diesel Era.

Speaking for this Encyclopedia’s staff, we must say that no one of us sees WWII German uniform as “cool” or “sexy”. It will be always associated with the crimes against humanity and any attempt to revive it inside dieselpunk crowd should be condemned (WWII reenactment is another story). On the other hand, it is simply stupid to label a guy who modeled his outfit on the New Jersey State Police uniform as a “Nazi sympathizer”.

It is true that some elements of the German militaria are widely imitated and commercialized, especially in the Far East. One of the reasons for this is the lack of information on other uniforms. The common knowledge is limited to the looks of the US, British, German and post-1943 Soviet servicemen. This limits our imagination. To broaden the horizons, we decided to publish a few examples of late 1930s – early 1940s uniforms.

1941 Mar., Syria, Private, 7th Division
1941 May, Tobruk, Private, 9th Division