A 2026 Guide by Sellingantiques
Officers originally bought these privately before the military issued them as standard kit. Synchronising attacks made a quick glance at the wrist essential.
Early models were literally small pocket watches with wire lugs attached. You'll often hear dealers call them wristlets.
Civilian popularity grew rapidly once soldiers returned home. Men previously thought wearing a watch on the wrist was strictly a ladies' fashion.
Look out for shrapnel guards covering the dial. Men bought these pierced metal covers from jewellers to protect the fragile glass in the field.
Swiss makers supplied most of the movements during the conflict. British firms often stamped and assembled the silver cases locally.
Rolex produced early models under the Wilsdorf & Davis name. They supplied numerous officers with reliable Swiss movements in English silver cases.
Borgel cases turn up frequently on better examples. François Borgel patented a screw-in case design that offered superior protection against mud and damp.
Longines manufactured high-grade calibres during this period. Their movements often sit inside cases hallmarked by London or Birmingham assay offices.
The 2026 retail price guide for Antique Trench Watches is drawn from a proprietary archive of over 1.1 million retail prices indexed by Sellingantiques since 2003. This guide relies exclusively on their own internal data; no external sources or auction records are used.
Analysing nearly 25 years of UK antique market history alongside current retail values, the data indicates that typical UK retail prices for Antique Trench Watches range between £200 and £600. Entry-level prices generally fall under £200 and premium examples upwards of £600.
Distinctive fixed wire lugs define the profile. They stick out sharply from the round case and don't take modern spring bars.
Large painted numerals dominate the dial. Skeletonised hands held thick luminous paint to help soldiers read the time in pitch-black dugouts.
A prominent winding crown sits at the three o'clock position. Pocket watches usually had the crown at twelve o'clock, making this a deliberate shift.
Early trench watches show their pocket watch roots with hinges on the case back. Turn it over to spot the small joints.
Case construction quickly shifted towards screw-down backs. Makers realised hinged covers didn't keep out the moisture of the trenches.
Radium paint application started out quite thick and messy. Later dials show neater printing as manufacturers refined the painting process.
"Many officers engraved their names and regiments onto the case back. This gives modern collectors a direct link to trace military service records."
"Straps were originally extra long. Soldiers often buckled them over the sleeve of a thick woollen greatcoat rather than against bare skin."
"Some dials feature a red twelve o'clock marker. It provided a quick visual anchor so men could read the time instantly in a rush."
Based on almost 25 years of Sellingantiques UK antique market data, Antique Trench Watches appeared 230 times (out of 1,100,000 antiques) which gives it a rarity score of 96/100.
This score measures scarcity within the Sellingantiques archive only and is not a survey of the entire antiques market, so these statistics may not be indicative of the general availability of Antique Trench Watches elsewhere.
You turn the crown at the three o'clock position clockwise. Stop as soon as you feel firm resistance to avoid snapping the mainspring inside the barrel.
Some early models feature a small pin near the crown. You push this pin in with your fingernail while turning the crown to set the hands to the correct hour.
You need a specific type of strap. Modern spring bars won't fit those solid wire lugs.
Look for a single-piece leather strap. You slide the long end over the top lug, behind the case back, and up through the bottom lug.
The radium on these dials remains radioactive. The metal case and front crystal block most of the radiation while the watch is worn.
The main risk comes from inhaling or ingesting the dust. Never open the front bezel or try to clean a flaking luminous dial yourself, and leave any dial work to a specialist.
Those are shrapnel guards. Officers bought them from military outfitters to protect the glass.
Most were fitted during the conflict and just snap over the case.
Please note: This Antique Trench Watches guide and its associated pricing data are provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute formal financial, investment, or appraisal advice and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any commercial activity, purchasing, or sales decisions. Sellingantiques.co.uk accepts no liability for any actions taken in reliance on this information. Always consult with a qualified professional or independent appraiser.
