Case #716 — Ball Fireman Ref. NM2188C-S1-WH

Case #716 — Ball Fireman
Ref. NM2188C-S1-WH

Status: Available
Condition: Very Good Pre-Owned
Scope: Box, Papers, Undated Ball Card, and Jomashop Card

Case Notes

The Ball Fireman is built around a straightforward idea: make a clean everyday automatic watch, then engineer more durability and nighttime legibility into it than the restrained design initially suggests.

This reference pairs a 40 mm stainless-steel case with a crisp white dial, applied baton markers, silver-tone hands, and a date aperture positioned between 4 and 5 o’clock.

The dial looks simple in daylight. In darkness, Ball’s self-powered micro gas tubes become the defining feature, providing continuous illumination without requiring the watch to be charged under an external light source.

Inside is Ball’s automatic Calibre RR1103, housed beneath sapphire crystal and protected by a screw-down crown.

At only about 11.3 mm thick, the Fireman remains relatively slim for an automatic sports watch and sits comfortably between casual and dress-sport territory.

This example presents in Very Good Pre-Owned condition. It includes its Box, Papers, an undated Ball card, and a Jomashop card.

The stainless-steel bracelet is currently sized for approximately a 7¾-inch wrist.

Production date is unknown. Because the Ball card is undated, no active manufacturer warranty is represented.

The Evidence

Reference: NM2188C-S1-WH
Model: Fireman
Year: Unknown
Case: Stainless Steel
Case Diameter: 40 mm
Case Thickness: Approximately 11.3 mm
Lug Width: 22 mm
Dial: White
Hour Markers: Applied Baton Markers
Illumination: Self-Powered Micro Gas Tubes
Crystal: Sapphire
Bezel: Fixed Stainless Steel
Crown: Screw-Down
Movement: Ball Calibre RR1103
Movement Type: Automatic
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Central Seconds, Date
Date Position: Between 4 and 5 o’clock
Water Resistance: 100 meters / 330 feet
Bracelet: Stainless Steel
Clasp: Folding Clasp
Bracelet Fit: Approximately 7¾-inch Wrist
Condition: Very Good Pre-Owned
Included: Box, Papers, Undated Ball Card, and Jomashop Card
Factory Warranty: Not Represented Due to Undated Card

Collector Provenance

Ball’s modern identity remains closely tied to practical engineering.

The brand built its reputation around accuracy and reliability in demanding working environments, and its contemporary watches continue that approach through shock resistance, strong nighttime visibility, and straightforward mechanical construction.

The Fireman represents the cleaner side of that philosophy.

It does not look like an overtly technical tool watch. The case is restrained, the bezel is fixed, and the white dial is unusually uncluttered.

The engineering reveals itself in the details rather than the styling.

Design Provenance

The white dial gives this reference a particularly crisp appearance.

Applied silver-tone markers and hands keep the palette almost entirely monochromatic, while the date between 4 and 5 avoids interrupting the primary hour markers.

The 40 mm case is also unusually versatile.

It has enough presence to work as a casual sports watch, but the relatively slim profile and polished steel details allow it to move comfortably into more formal settings.

Technical Provenance

Ball’s RR1103 is an automatic Swiss movement used throughout a number of the brand’s practical everyday models.

The watch adds a sapphire crystal, screw-down crown, and 100-meter water-resistance rating to create a package designed for regular use rather than occasional wear.

The defining functional feature is Ball’s micro gas-tube illumination.

Unlike conventional luminous paint, the tubes do not need to be exposed to light first. They provide their own illumination continuously, giving the Fireman strong low-light visibility without changing the otherwise restrained dial design.

From the Case File

Case 716 is an easy watch to understand once it is on the wrist.

The 40 mm case is neither oversized nor particularly small, the bracelet gives it everyday versatility, and the white dial makes it significantly brighter than many conventional sports watches.

This example presents in Very Good Pre-Owned condition and is currently sized for approximately a 7¾-inch wrist.

It includes Box, Papers, an undated Ball card, and a Jomashop card.

Because the Ball card is undated, no active factory warranty is represented.

Buy with Confidence

BST guarantees the authenticity of every watch we sell and provides a 30-day mechanical performance guarantee under normal use.

Accuracy may vary with age and service history, and water resistance is not guaranteed unless specifically stated and pressure-tested.

BST Verdict

A clean everyday automatic with more engineering underneath than the dial initially gives away.

The white dial, 40 mm steel case, sapphire crystal, RR1103 automatic movement, 100-meter capability, and self-powered illumination make the NM2188C-S1-WH a practical alternative to more conventional Swiss three-hand sports watches.

Case 716 adds Very Good condition, a strong accessory package, and comfortable bracelet sizing to a particularly versatile Ball reference.

Every case deserves a closer look.