Men’s 1918 Flip Top Trench Wristwatch w/ Strap

As many of our clients know, we particularly enjoy rare and unusual military timepieces. We pride ourselves on offering historic examples from around the globe; watches that were created by famed watch houses for the purpose of keeping the war running on time.

Few people realize the effort put into military timepieces. Often, they were manufactured out of a sense of duty for a particular cause: sometimes they were produced reluctantly, an effort that took away from day-to-day business and the bottom line. They were, however, the product of a great effort, often representing the most advanced engineering of the day.

Officers tended to wear timepieces from better watch houses, while enlisted men wore standard military issue produced wholesale by strong, but lesser regarded manufacturers. Both genres are highly collectible today.

This example, in a solid nickel hunter case, would have been the pride of some wealthy World War I officer who could afford to purchase a fine timepiece for himself. Wristwatches were in their infancy and not issued until World War II: if you were soldier and wanted to a watch, you bought one for yourself or did without. Measuring 40mm by 35mm, with what appears to be a new old stock, double hinged hunter case, this example is so impressive, it appears to be factory fresh. There are absolutely no dings or dents in the case and hinge is as tight as the day was made. I do not believe this watch was carried to any great extent.

Open its hunter case and you'll find a magnificent and completely original porcelain dial with glorious oversized numerals, subseconds register, and stained-glass hands. Open its hinged back and you'll find a completely and professionally serviced, 15 ruby jewel movement that is as remarkable today as it was what was manufactured.

Rare, crisp and remarkable, this hunter cased masterpiece is truly "as good as it gets!"