Antique WW1 Trench Watch Transitional Radium Numeral 24h Dial Shrapnel Guard
Item History & Price
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RARE Antique Nickel Silver Cased "Jumbo" Oversized 35mm Case WW1 Era "OFFICERS" Trench Watch Rare RADIUM Arabic Numerals 12h & 24h Dial
Super Rare and All Original Detachable Shrapnel Guard case front "telephone dial"
"Trench" transitional Wire Lug Watch 15 JewelsGeneve Steel Cathedral Hands
Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Fontainemelon15 Jewel Movement ...
A very Early very very eary purpose made "Wristwatch" indeed not a simple "Conversion" watch at all. Should hold some real value to anyone with a historic interest in watch collecting.
Transitional Watches Between the time of the pocket watch and the general use of what we have come to know now as the modern wristwatch came a style of watches known as "transitional" watches and often commonly referred to as "Trench" watches
The very first watch that somebody adapted to wear on a wrist is unknown. The first series of purpose-made wrist watches were produced by Girard-Perregaux in 1880 for the German Navy. During World War I numerous companies, including Omega, Longines, Henri Moser and others produced wrist watches for the military. These watches were of virtually identical style with an enamel dial, wide white numerals, and a luminescent radium hour hand. The movements originally designed in the 1890s for ladies’ pendant watches.
From pocket watches those trench watches inherited hinged front and back covers. The lugs for a strap looked like a thick wire attachment to the classic round shape of pocket watches rather than an integrated part of the body of the later and modern wristwatches. (thus watches of the era also commonly known as "wire lug watches")
The name "wristlet" was used until the early 1930s and was eventually replaced by the modern name "wristwatch".
The CaseA Nickel Silver Silver (800), A rare very early example of a purpose manufactured "Wristlet" Hinged Case Back & Snap on Bezel & Shrapnel Guard Case is 35mm in diameter excluding crown 37.5mm inclusive 45mm lug to lug and 12mm lug spacing. Large "JUMBO" / "Oversized" for a watch of its era.
The case is in good condition for a watch of over 100 years old.Most Amazingly of all this case retains its original Shrapnel Guard These shrapnels guards often lead these early military watches to sometimes be referred to as telephone dials due to their old style dial phone look.
GENUINE Shrapnels guarded watches are very rare, many being lost or destroyed, almost all of the offered shrapnel guard watches available today are retrofitted (usually modern) made guards. However there were retrofit shrapnel guards available at the time.
Finding these purpose built "Trench" Military watches is increasingly rare, though many watches are listed as "Trench" or "Officers" Watches Few are purpose built military apparel.
This watch of course quite clearly is what many other are simply "In the style of"
The DialA Superb porcelain white enamel dial minutes track to the very perimeter and those handsome Large Deco RADIUM All Arabic numerals, Additionally and again a really unusual and very collectable look, we have an inner 24 hour dial read in red.
Original Geneve Steel "Cathedral" RADIUM hands
Subsidiary Seconds sweep dial at 6
Completely ALL original dial unrestored and unmolested.
StrapGood quality Deep tobacco brown coloration watch strap
The movementThis movement was made by Fabrique d'Horlogerie de Fontainemelon (FHF), a Swiss ébauche manufacturer that was set up in 1793 to supply the Swiss watch industry with ébauches (bare movements)
Its a 15 Jewel Manual Wind Mechanical MoventBlued Steel Balance Spring Nickel plated movement
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