WW1 Trench watch with compass / Military vintage watch, museum piece

This is a rare compass watch patented and manufactured throughout the WW 1 era. Well preserved 100+ years timepiece.

Specs are as below and it keeps pretty well time within the 20 seconds gain per day. Back then luminous effect was obtained with radium, the dial of the watch is clean but the compass cardinal markers look like they still have radium.

WW 1 was also the period where wristwatches gained popularity for men, until then it was perceived as a ladies accessory. The term, trench watch was coined by the servicemen in trenches during the war, seeing the time on your wrist was really useful vs the whole progress of reaching out to your pockets and looking somewhere else to read time was really distracting in crucial situations. With this practicality wristwatches were accepted finally by men and took their rightful place in the big war.

This is not just a wristwatch, it's a real navigators tool for directions plus the time, pretty advanced thinking for its time. Case : Hinged sandwich case patented and manufactured by Huguenin Freres. The compass part of the watch sits properly on the watch case and is functional with a hing, but it can not be locked. Case material : It's a kind of allow I believe which has brass (this is my guesstimate looking at the patina on the case), however the patina isn't that heavy like WW 2 brass cased watches, so I believe it's an alloy.

Case diameter : 37mm without crown. Movement : Fleurier 13 lignes (FEF 30series caliber). Dial : Enamel dial with a small hairline scratches as visible on the photos, no cracks. Red 12 o'clock mark. I believe that the hour markers would have been with radium as lume but obviously has been cleaned at some point of time- which is better not to have radium dust spreading around.

Same for the original cathedral style hands, no lume. I have also added a vintage ad from Jan 1916 showing this watch, it retailed for 3,3 sterlings back then. Any questions, let me know. My username is my website, check it so you know with whom you deal.

The item "WW1 Trench watch with compass / Military vintage watch, museum piece" is in sale since Tuesday, September 15, 2020. This item is in the category "Jewelry & Watches\Watches, Parts & Accessories\Watches\Wristwatches". The seller is "glycintennial" and is located in Varna. This item can be shipped worldwide.

Brand: Antique
Type: Wristwatch
Style: Military
Features: Compass
Year Manufactured: Pre-1920
Display: Analog
Country/Region of Manufacture: Switzerland
Dial Style: 12-Hour Dial
Movement: Mechanical (Manual)
Vintage: Yes
Dial Color: Beige
Water Resistance: Not Water Resistant
Case Color: Gold
Watch Shape: Round
Department: Men