trench watch
Illustration — Gold trench watch, 1916 • Illustration — Trench watch with shrapnel guard (“mesh guard” or “watch protector”). These were used before the introduction of the more hard wearing plexiglass introduced in the 1930s The trench watch (wristlet) is a type of watch that came into use by the military during World War I, as pocket watches were not practical in combat. It was a transitional design between pocket watches and wristwatches, incorporating features of both.
Also recorded as wristlet
trench watch
Sergei Gutnikov · Photo by Sergei Gutnikov, the item from personal collection · Public domain
- Field
- pocket watch · wristwatch
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Gold trench watch, 1916 • Illustration — Trench watch with shrapnel guard (“mesh guard” or “watch protector”). These were used before the introduction of the more hard wearing plexiglass introduced in the 1930s The trench watch (wristlet) is a type of watch that came into use by the military during World War I, as pocket watches were not practical in combat. It was a transitional design between pocket watches and wristwatches, incorporating features of both.
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wikidata · Q4462168 · wikipedia · Trench watch
In this article
Background
Background
The first watch adapted to be worn on the wrist was made in 1810 by Abraham-Louis Breguet, commissioned by Caroline Bonaparte, Queen of Naples. The first series of purpose-made men’s wristwatches was produced by Girard-Perregaux in 1880 for the German Navy. During World War I numerous companies, including Omega, Longines, Elgin and others produced wristwatches for the military. Rolex also produced trench watches. These watches were of virtually identical style with an enamel dial, wide white numerals and a luminescent radium hour hand. Often they did not bear the name of the manufacturer, though the movement, originally designed in the 1890s for ladies’ pendant watches, was marked "Swiss". 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 classical round shape of pocket watches rather than an integrated part of the body of the later and modern wristwatches. The name "wristlet" was used until the early 1930s and was eventually replaced by the modern name "wristwatch".
Gallery
Gallery
• Illustration — Advertisement, 1918 • Illustration — Waltham USA trench watch with shrapnel guard, 1914
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Trench watch”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q4462168: trench watch
Unverified · Wikidata
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Broader subject
2- pocket watchTerminology
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
- wristwatchTerminology
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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