Watches from each decade - Share your watches Part 1: The 10s

As much as I love vintage watches, I don't own any made before 1941. There are a couple of reasons for this: there are fewer of them relative to later times; those that exist are more fragile and in worse repair; parts are much harder to acquire so watch makers often will not touch them; they are more expensive to buy and maintain.  The biggest reason though is aesthetic:  I like the styling of the 1940's through the 1970's much more.  Before 1940 watches seem more Belle Epoque than Art Nouveau.  They are fussy. In that respect the Vario 1918 Trench is a more beautiful watch than those that it imitates.

I can only think of two Crunchers that could answer the call for this decade: @SimplyVintageWatches  and @ChronoGuy  (otherwise known as Rockin' Mel Slirrup)

Vario Trench watch is a popular reissue.

I agree but I thought it could be a good idea to try to drag out the potential ones out there. I was inspired of Hodinkees beautiful picture. I might be over optimistic about the outcome.

And a very good looking one as well.

Brilliant idea, hope to see some horological gems from yesteryear. Unfortunately can't contribute till later in the party.

Stand by.

wow those are some really cool watches!

Very unique watches 🤩 But they kinda reminded me of something like this:

Wow! Thank you for sharing! What delicate hands and what an effort put in to the case👍

Waltham from about 1918 

Beautiful. Interesting case shape. Reminds me of a slender version of some cushion cases from the 70s.

Thanks! The movement is from 1918 and is a hunter style pocket watch similar to this. The case appears to be from around 1920s from the Star watch case company. It belonged to my father in law. He passed away and I had the watched fully serviced and it still keeps good time. 

“Bring out the gimp”

Love the idea of going by decades... doesn't Dan Henry have a site as such. 

1910s I imagine will be very thin.

More importantly now I want a Vario. Damn you WC

Since you so kindly asked @WatchYourIntruder and I wouldn't want to disappoint @Aurelian , here goes:

Elgin Trench Watch 1917 - 1911 Elgin 17 jewels Size 0s movement

IWC "Marriage" Watch - 1911 Pocket Watch Movement / Original Porcelain Dial

Rolex 1912 Trench Watch

NB: I'm a little bit iffy on this one - hallmarks appear correct, movement looks right, but not so sure the dial hasn't been improved. I put it on a replica WWI bund strap to give it more wrist presence.

Waltham Trench Watch 1916 -  1911 Waltham 15 jewels Size 0s Grade 165 movement with vintage Glagovsky “Daisy” crystal guard

Waltham Trench Watch 1918 -  1918 Waltham 15 jewels Size 3/0s movement with vintage and original to this watch silver “Trench” crystal guard  

Waltham Trench Watch 1917 - 1915 Waltham 15 jewels Size 3/0s Grade 315 movement

Here's the rest:

Waltham Trench Watch 1918 - 1902 Waltham 17 jewels Size 0s Riverside Grade movement with vintage nickel “Trench” crystal guard

Waltham Trench Watch 1915 - 1907 Waltham 17 jewels Size 0s Riverside Grade movement

I should also probably show a variety of the Vario WWI Trench Watch reissues together with the Vario WWI Medic

Notice that the "Trench" style crystal guard bears a strong similarity to the original shown above on my Waltham 1918 - this is because I sent Ivan high definition images of the "Trench" crystal guard so that he could create reasonably close replicas. It took a few rounds of me begging him to produce them, but in the end he acceded to my request and did a magnificent job.

Impressed as always over the amount and variaty of your collection. Amazing how 100+ year old watches can have such prestine dials. Really like the cushion case Waltham that you and @Speedy77 shared. See you in the 20s!

Must be a nice feeling inside to be part of the development process of the reissue line up.

Stan Czubernat restores these WWI Trench watches and has written two excellent books on the Waltham and Elgin references. He has some fascinating write-ups explaining and showing how he restores them keeping them true to the original watch as much as possible and seeking to restore watches that retain all original components.

Here is the link to his web site:

"Waltham Trench Watches of the Great War" by Stan Czubernat (lrfantiquewatches.com)

Yes - I felt pretty chuffed that Ivan agreed to make the crystal guard. I purchased enough of them for all the Varios in my collection.

He really did a spectactular job on it too. He was very clever in putting inside the crystal guard a soft rubber protector to prevent the crystal guard from scratching the watch case/bezel. That was really ingenious.

I think this is from 1919. Family legend says my grandfather found it on a golf course. 

Wow, that was a special story. Congrats! Thank you for sharing.

Ok, having just posted this pocket watch in the 1920s thread - I should've posted here...  I'll be on track from the 30s onward.

BTW- all my moldy oldies are from family.  I'm not a 'vintage guy' per se, but being the only watch guy in our family all the old ones get passed on to me.  🙂

From 1916, Brook & Son Submarine, a "waterproof" watch a full decade before Rolex launched the Oyater

Wow, looks stunning!

Thank you, 

Took nearly 10 years to find one, not a well known watch but historically very interesting