Trench watches, the precursors to modern wristwatches, emerged during World War I as practical adaptations of pocket watches for military use. Soldiers needed timepieces that were easily accessible and reliable in the harsh conditions of the trenches. Initially, they would attach pocket watches to their wrists using makeshift leather straps. Recognizing the need, manufacturers, such as Omega and Longines, began producing purpose-built wristwatches, often encased in metal to offer extra protection against the elements.
    
These early wristwatches featured large, luminous dials for visibility in low light, and rugged designs to withstand the rigours of combat. Radium was widely used to make the hands and numerals glow. The convenience and functionality of the trench watch quickly gained popularity beyond the military. Post-war, they catalyzed the widespread adoption of wristwatches in civilian fashion, marking the transition from pocket watches and establishing the wristwatch as a ubiquitous accessory.

What's on Offer

This beautiful trench watch has been incredibly well preserved and is in superb vintage condition. Just look at the brilliant white dial, it is blemish-free to the naked eye and under the loup, there are very few minuscule specks. The Arabic numerals are synonymous with the styling we would expect to see on a trench watch and the cathedral hands are another beautiful design detail. The watch really is jumbo in size at a whopping 38mm! The plated case is in nice shape as is the small onion crown. The dial and movement are unsigned so we are unsure of the manufacturer but many of the big brands produced trench watches. 

The watch wears beautiful as you will note from our photographs. This really is a beautiful piece and will certainly pique the interest of any vintage or military collector.