| carat balance, non-contact optical measuring device, and ancillary instruments necessary at the time of Exam |
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1918
TRENCH WATCH
ILLUMINATED DIAL
24HR
MANUAL WIND
32 X 38
W/O
CROWN
BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN
UTILIZED
IN
WWI AND WWII
SERVICE MARKS INCLUDE
1918 1930 1940 1950
WITH
15 JEWEL
SWISS MOVEMENT
WITH
CRYSTAL SHRAPNEL
GUARD
AND
VINTAGE
LEATHER
FIELD STRAP
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ABOVE IS A GENUINE WWI ERA PICTURE OF A STORE OFFERING $4 MILITARY TRENCH WATCHES
AND 10 CENT KITCHNER LEATHER STRAPS
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WWI
Ist ID – HARLEM HELL FIGHTERS
Though the English and French allies thumbed their noses at US Military proficiency, in the spring of 1917 an overwhelming German offensive, combined with a large French mutiny, provided the incentive to urge the US send troops as replenishment’s to their own divisions .
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THE ADDITION IN THE 1940′ OF THIS
BRASS MEDAL OR AWARD
IS AWESOME.
THIS WATCH SAT FOR 4 YEARS
WAITING FOR ROCK TO BRING HER
BACK TO LIFE.
IT WAS THE ABOVE MEDALLION
THAT PROVOKED HIM TO INVEST
200.00 ON THIS WATCH NOT RUNNING
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Though Gen. John “Blackjack” Pershing nixed the request that US troops integrate into the trenches with English and French troops, he did authorize the integration of the Harlem NY based African American 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Black Rattlers, with French Divisions.
(a Note: the Black Rattlers would famously serve and attain a name that can be recalled with pride: the “Harlem Hellfighters 🙂
Thus, Gen. John “Blackjack” Pershing would then form another historic name, the 1st modern era US division titled simply 1st Infantry Division [1st ID].
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WWI
From 1914 through 1917,much of the WWI fighting involved a defensive posture with Machine guns and artillery ruling the field inflicting devastating casualties.
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CASE BACK SERVICE MARKED
1918 THROUGH 1950
THE ONE IN 1945 DURING WWII
WAS MORE THAN LIKELY
WHEN THE MEDALLION WAS ADDED
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CIVIL WAR
The last time American Forces had been in a war that rivaled WWI and its weapons of destruction had been 62 year previous; The Civil War. While the Civil War could never compare with WW1’s massiveness of weapons, casualties, chemical warfare and numbers, in it’s time, it also had new weapons and tactics, including rifled barrels, new canon, canon shells, and the horror of a mid 19c war wound.
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NOTE THE OFF-SET “12”
ALSO THE LONG STEM TUBE
BRASS 1944-1945
HOSPITAL CENTER
MEDALLION CASE BACK
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1st ID
The first U.S.InfantryTroops ( 25,000 1st ID Troops would serve) to set foot in France during the summer of 1917 were from the 1st ID. They faced a battle field that surpassed those of the Civil War. While defendant upon French and British artillery and tanks, the performance of the 1st Infantry Division would thrust the them into their future of legendary glory as the “BIG RED ONE”!
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THE CRYSTAL/SHRAPNEL GUARD
ABOVE WAS IS NOT ORIGINAL TO THIS
PARTICULAR TRENCH WATCH. NOTE DIAL
# 12 IS ON AN ANGLE
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THE TRENCH WATCH
As pocket watches were not practical in combat, the Trench watch or wristlet came into use by the military during World War I. The trench watch had to be rugged. The first Trench Watches were actually pocket watches converted to wrist be adding wire lugs. As such, they had either a snap or hinged case back and bezel, or a combination of the two. To protect the glass crystals shrapnel or crystal guards were invented. These were primarily to protect the crystal against accidental damage due to life in a trench and not from artillery. The first series of military wrist watches were produced in 1880 by Girard-Perregaux. By WWI, Numerous companies produced wrist watches for the military and for direct sale to soldiers.
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THIS WATCH DATES TO 1918 AND SHOWS WATCHMAKER SERVICE, REPAIR AND OVERHAUL MARKS INCLUDING 1918, 1930, 1944, 1950
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SHRAPNEL GUARDS CAME IN 100’S OF DESIGNS AND MAKERS
ALSO MATERIALS VARIED MOST WERE NICKEL OR BRASS
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ROCK CUSTOMIZED AN ORIGINAL GUARD
FOR THIS TRENCH WATCH
HERE IS WATCH BEFORE
CASE WAS POLISHED
MOVEMENT OVER HAULED
DIAL RE-ILLUMINATED
AND
CRYSTAL FOUND
YOU MAY WEAR IT WITH
GUARD OR WITHOUT GUARD
WHAT IS AWESOME IS THAT WE
ARE SURE SHE SERVED IN WWI AND WWII
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
WHO MAY HAVE OWNED IT
DIAL HAS SOME FAINT MINOR SCRATCHING
HANDS ARE NEW.
ROCK MATCHED THE ORIGINALS
THEY WERE THE SAME BUT HAD WORN
THROUGH FROM THE RADIUM
RE-ILLUMINATED WITH
AF-LUMINOVA
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORESCENT PIGMENT
ROCK CHOSE THIS SOFT REFURBISHED
BASIC BLACK LEATHER FIELD STRAP
WIDER THEN THE WIRE LUGS
IT FITS DUE TO ITS SOFT TEXTURE
NICE TO WEAR AND LOOK AT
FITS UP TO REGULAR SIZE
7.5 INCHES
THE STRAP IS AWESOME
WATCH LOOKS GREAT
WITH OR WITHOUT
THE GUARD
THE STRAP IS AWESOME
NEW ACRYLIC CRYSTAL
CASE FINISH IS AS PERFECT AS CAN BE
LARGE DIAL IS FIRST WE HAVE SEEN.
OF 35000 PHOTOS OF OUR WORKS ONLINE
TRENCH WATCHES ARE A FAVORITE
THIS STYLE DIAL MORE LIKE WWII
CATHEDRAL HANDS UTILIZED IN BOTH WARS
WE KNOW IT WAS
SERVICED 4 TIMES
OVERHAULED IN 1940
AND
REPAIRED I TIME
I LIKE THE OFFSET DIAL
ROCK DID NOT ILLUMINATE
THE NUMBERS BECAUSE THEY
WERE NOT ORIGINALLY ILLUMINATED
ONLY THE HANDS AND SQUARES
RE-ILLUMINATED
WITH
AF-LUMINOVA
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
PHOSPHORESCENT PIGMENT
EVEN IN LIGHT THE
ILLUMINATION LOOKS GREAT
CLASSIC SWISS POCKET
AND
WRIST TRENCH CONVERSION
MOVEMENT
WHILE UNSIGNED BY MANUFACTURER
IT IS SERIAL NUMBERED AND SIGNED
“SWISS MADE”
LOOK AT AL THE SERVICE MARKS
ABOVE MID LEFT [19]43 WITH LINE THEN R
NEXT LEFT MID [19] 45 LINE O
NEXT TO RIGHT ABOVE THUMB
[19] 18 LINE R
THERE ARE MORE
BUT HARD TO PHOTO
UNLESS WE TURN CASE
BACK FOCUS AND SHOOT EACH AREA
NOTE THE LINES ?
PLATE HAD CORROSION TOP SIDE UNDER DIAL
ROCK DISSEMBLED MOVEMENT
REMOVED CORROSION CHEMICALLY
LIGHTLY REFINISHED PLATE BY HAND
AFTER OVERHAUL
NEW MAIN
15 JEWELS
Swiss Made
manual wind
Power Reserve 38h
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CONDITION
-EXCELLENT CONDITION-
WATCH WINDS, SETS & KEEPS TIME
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Vietnam Military WATCH Issue 
OUT RIGHT FRAUD 
