Here we have a pleasing antique full hunter wristwatch from the WW1 period. Its hallmarking dates it to 1915 and it has the well sized 35mm silver case with the front cover which releases via the pusher at 6. The cover is engraved with a beautiful, stylised monogram with the initials ‘WGF’. The dial is the silver satin powdered finish with the railroad minute track to the exterior. It has the aged luminous Arabic numerals with the red 12 and inset sub-seconds at 6 o’clock. The hands are of the Cathedral style with the bright thermally blued finish. To the right is the classic onion style crown. The case back originally screwed in place, but suffered historic thread damage which means it now snaps in place. It has the British hallmarking from London assay office to the inside and serial number, both matching the front cover. The movement is a 15 jewel manually wound Marvin calibre which has been recently serviced and is keeping accurate time.

It’s no secret that we love early trench watches, but this example deserves some extra attention. The case is a lovely size at 35mm with the front cover having the most beautifully engraved monogram of the initials ‘WGF’. Done by hand; this is a technique lost with the passage of time and advent of laser etching. The level of this engraving is truly a work of art, elevating the front cover from a functional piece of design. It also reflects a highly personal symbol of the original owner’s essence with their initials.

A functional and tactile element, the pusher between the bottom lugs is enjoyable, springing open with purpose to reveal the time. This is an aspect we never tire of on a full hunter, adding a level of romance with the mystery of time kept underneath.

The dial has a satin shine to the silver tone powdered finish. It is a clear layout with the railroad minute track to the exterior. The Arabic numeral hour markers are infilled with the aged luminous paint. The 12 o’clock marker is differentiated with the red tone. The sub-second dial is inset at 6 o’clock with the same railroad track to the exterior. The hands are of the Cathedral style with the bright thermally blued tone. They have the luminous in-filled with has aged and matches the tone of the hour markers. The sub-second hand has the lollipop counterbalance and is a simple and clear design.

The case measures 35mm x 35mm which makes this a well-sized watch. The crown adds presence with a total width to 37.5mm. The lugs also add further presence, extending from the case and taking the total length to 42mm. The fixed bar lugs have a 12mm width which is classic for the period.

The case is marked ‘Brevet + D.P’. ‘Brevet’ is the French for patent with ‘DP’ standing for depose, meaning registered. This indicates that a specific design feature of the watch case was patented in Switzerland, which in this case is the front cover. This was an innovative design feature which was born out of necessity during the first world war to protect the watches dial from blasts/shrapnel.

The case is formed of silver and has the sprung front cover with the solid central section having the fixed wire lugs to either end. The wire lugs are strong and free of any historic repairs. The case back originally screwed in place but due to damage to the thread, has been historically altered to push fit. The pusher at 6 O’clock releases the front cover which has a powerful spring and stands firmly at a 45-degree angle. To the right-hand side is the original onion crown which catches the eye with its lovely finishing.

The inside of the front cover is marked with the ‘Brevet + D.P’ mark, with the London assay office import mark and silver hallmarking. It is signed with the serial and batch number ‘1007 393’. The inside of the case back has the same hallmarking and serial number, with the addition of the date letter which dates it to 1915. It has the ‘GS’ makers mark for George Stockwell who was a well-known importer of Swiss watches into the U.K.

The movement is a 15 jewel Swiss lever calibre by Marvin which is manually wound. It has been recently serviced and is keeping very accurate time to within +20 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 210 degrees.

The watch is modelled on a 7” wrist circumference.
Please see the images as these compliment and aid the description provided below.
A further condition report is below.

Dial:
The dial is in good antique condition with clear signing. The luminous to the numerals has aged to a pumpkin tone.

Hands:
The hands are original, of cathedral style with the bright thermally blued finish. They have the aged luminous in-fill which has aged to a pumpkin tone.

Glass:
The acrylic crystal is a modern replacement in perfect condition.

Crown:
The crown is an original onion style crown formed of silver. It is in good antique condition with some marking to the face.

Case:
The silver case is in strong antique condition with some light marking an dints. The front cover is good with a strong hinge and spring. The case back has historic damage to the thread. It has been altered from a screwback to a push on back. This leaves a slight gap between the case and case back. The fixed bar lugs are good and strong.

Strap:
The watch comes on a new genuine leather strap which is in good condition.

Movement:
The movement is a 15 jewel Swiss lever calibre by Marvin which is manually wound.

It has been recently serviced and is keeping very accurate time to within +20 seconds a day, with an amplitude of 210 degrees.

Case dimensions
Case width: 35mm
Case width with crown: 37.5mm
Case length: 35mm
Case length lug to lug: 41mm
Case depth: 10mm
Lug width: 12mm