Trench Watch Treasure

[Wimm]

I may have mentioned somewhere in the vastness of this forum that I only ever remember my Father wearing mainly digital Casios and, as he never threw anything away, I was expecting to find a box full of these battered Casios after he had died. Happily this has yet to transpire and, as my Mum makes her way through the various drawers, chests and boxes which contain the accumulated chaff of a lengthy lifetime the odd treasure is appearing. This is the first watch related treasure and I believe that this can certainly be classed as treasure. I very much doubt it was my Father's in a sense that he didn't buy it and, to mine and my Mother's memory, he never wore it. I have to assume that it came down his side of the family as Mum would know exactly to whom it belonged if it had come through her side. There the speculation ends and (as I know you are crying out for photos) I will add the photos.











What I have managed to discern about the watch is as follows:

Movement looks like an Omega 13 SB and dates to between 1910 and 1915

Case is signed Omega and the number indicates it was made in 1916.

The English hall marks note that the case was assayed in London between 1914 and 1915 and is Sterling Silver. The sponsor (responsible for the importing and assaying) was Selling Agency who were the agents for Omega at the time.

Now on to the mystery. The link with the trenches is tenuous and currently stretches only as far as the style and age of the watch. My paternal Grandfather spent the First World War bimbling about the Med on boats and I already have a similarly aged watch with his initials on (although I suppose it isn't unheard of for a gentleman to have more than one watch). So I don't know how the watch relates to me. Sadly both my Father and Uncle are dead so a there are no primary sources. So I think I will be reduced to perusing old photographs. I expect I shall enjoy the investigation.

If any of you knowledgeable gents can add further information about the watch (or correct what I think I know) then please do so as I would love to know more.

Just wanted to add a massive thank you you to that invaluable website vintagewatchstraps which is a proper mine of information on this type of watches.

[Sinnlover]

I can’t help you with the watch other than say it’s lovely
My father has is grandfathers from WW1 (worn in the trenches) it’s never worn but sits pride of place in his watch box.

[Carlton-Browne]

That is a wonderful find. In a similar ilk I have this:



From memory it's a small Omega pocket watch and I think from 1916. I'll take a movement and inside-caseback photo over the weekend as I'd be interested to compare the logos and movements.

What are your plans in terms of getting it serviced - on the plus side I don't see any need to touch it cosmetically? If you have trouble I can recommend someone who sorted this out (a recommendation from .olli.). https://omegaforums.net/threads/earl...hander.106947/

David Boettcher's site is wonderful and he is a mine of information if you get the chance to interact with him. I know he's had some issues with his workshop recently and it'll be a huge pity if he ceases all efforts in that department. What's the lug size on yours - I might have a spare (not particularly exotic) strap?

[Wimm]

Thank you C-B. It isn't functional at the moment but I would like to get it up and running again as the movement looks pretty unmolested (there are some service marks on the caseback but nothing recent). There is some damage to the dial between 3 and 4 so that would need attention although I wouldn't need a full repair. So details of the person who got yours up and running would be gratefully received. Assuming the lime is Radium I wouldn't mind having that removed but I suppose that is easier said than done.

I don't have it with me bur the lugs were small. Thinking imperially perhaps 1/2 inch. I'll have it in September so will have a proper look.

[Carlton-Browne]

Apologies as it took me a while to find the emails. I used J E Allnutt & Sons which was a recommendation from Olivier Chambert (.olli.) in 2020 for a service on this. I seem to remember the cost being just over £300 and these were the instructions

1. Mechanical service including some attention to winding stem.

2. New crystal

3. Hands re-lumed to match existing.

4. Nothing to dial but would appreciate an opinion on whether something more needs to be done to stabilise chip at 1.

5. Very light polish to case with rouge clothe – no refinishing.

I didn't ask them to remove the lume and they didn't seem to be overly fussed about the presence of what I assume is radium. I've been in contact with James Hyman recently about another project and he didn't want to do it without the lume removed first - with yours I'd be inclined to leave it alone as much as possible.

I also had another look at my Omega and took some photos. I should begin by saying that I put the watch into the wristlet so no assumption about it being a trench watch should be made - it's a small lady's pocket watch.




Movement number 4528566 which puts it between 1912 and 1916.
Case number 5291038 which puts it between 1915 and 1923.

We can probably assume the case hallmarks give us more information. Stamped in London and bearing the t of 1914/15. Imported by Selling Agency, a subsidiary of Dimier Brothers and the Omega agents at the time

Do you think it's the same movement or rather a variation of the same?

[bobbee]

Apologies as it took me a while to find the emails. I used J E Allnutt & Sons which was a recommendation from Olivier Chambert (.olli.) in 2020 for a service on this. I seem to remember the cost being just over £300 and these were the instructions

1. Mechanical service including some attention to winding stem.

2. New crystal

3. Hands re-lumed to match existing.

4. Nothing to dial but would appreciate an opinion on whether something more needs to be done to stabilise chip at 1.

5. Very light polish to case with rouge clothe – no refinishing.

I didn't ask them to remove the lume and they didn't seem to be overly fussed about the presence of what I assume is radium. I've been in contact with James Hyman recently about another project and he didn't want to do it without the lume removed first - with yours I'd be inclined to leave it alone as much as possible.

I also had another look at my Omega and took some photos. I should begin by saying that I put the watch into the wristlet so no assumption about it being a trench watch should be made - it's a small lady's pocket watch.




Movement number 4528566 which puts it between 1912 and 1916.
Case number 5291038 which puts it between 1915 and 1923.

We can probably assume the case hallmarks give us more information. Stamped in London and bearing the t of 1914/15. Imported by Selling Agency, a subsidiary of Dimier Brothers and the Omega agents at the time

Do you think it's the same movement or rather a variation of the same?

Your watch could have originally been worn in a leather holder, as these early catalogue excerpts from Canada show.







As an aside, the Omega Safety Wrist Watch has been touted as "the first men's real wrist watch" on various sites and even in watch books, as below. (The Brunner book this excerpt comes from is doubtless the original source of the above claims.) The testimonial of an officer in the Boer war uncannily matches the ones in the above catalogue adverts, proving the earliest wrist watch claims are actually for a pocket watch in a straplet.





P.S. I have searched through the back catalogue of the Leipziger Urmacherzeitung mentioned above from 1901 to 1910, and cannot find the aforementioned Omega advertisement anywhere...

[Wimm]

Thank you for the additional information C-B. I will look into getting it running when the time is right.

He movements do look similar but the keyless works are in different locations, I expect that isn't a huge challenge to re-shuffle those and the spring barrel .

[River Rat]

Nice find. Here is one I added to the collection last year. Came with photos and his pay records from WW1 even his putties the legging for the boots and bottom part of the pants for the uniform. the photos have Mr. Cooper wearing the watch. So, finding a photo of your grandfather wearing the watch is possible. My Grandfather was also Navy in WW1 I do have his pocket watch he got on his 21st birthday. That vintage watch strap site you got info from it's to bad David not making straps anymore every trench watch I have has one of his straps.

[A.Pottinger]

An especially fine trench watch, imho, Wimm. Congratulations.
As you state, it would not be uncommon for a gentleman to have more than one (wrist-)watch.
The black dial, lumed numerals, and hands point, imho, to it most likely having been intended for military use.
This does not necessarily mean use exclusively in the trenches.
Finding a strap for it should be fun. As you state, looking at old photographs for inspiration can be helpful.
Br, AP.
PS If you are still looking for a watch strap the other side of Christmas, I might be able to help: I should have my old leather tools, etc., on hand then. In the distant past, I made some custom-made straps for military watches for some forum members in the distant past.

[Balance wheel]

Something very special about these watches but at the same time incredibly sad at the thought of such a great loss of young human life