1917 Waltham "Cadet" case, 7 Jewel Fixed Lug / WW1 / Trench watch.

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$917.00

• Details
  My shop was recently selected to supply vintage American watches for a premier movie starring some major actors and a world famous director. They were looking for authentic watches that would represent the time period from 1915-1926. It is a true story of events that took place during the 1920’s.
  
  
  I have been an avid vintage watch collector for years. My soft spot is 1900-1935 American watches.
  
  
  I have an active collection of about 60 pieces. I am constantly refining my collection as time ticks by.
  
  
  The ones that I do not wear very much get sold for other watches that may be hard to find. All my watches for sale are in above average condition, some are pristine.
  
  I pride myself in offering the best quality and reasonable prices. Remember, "Price is what you pay, value is what you get".
  
  This is what I have completed on the watch:
  
  
  Complete tear down overhaul and service of the movement
  
  
  New stem, crown and sleeve
  
  
  NOS crystal
  
  
  The dial was professionally cleaned
  
  
  The case has hand polished
  
  
  NOS hands
  
  
  14MM open ended “Black Oily Leather” band with a stainless steel buckle
  
  
  
  1917 The US was still in the middle of WW1 ! This is a marvelous example of a Trench Watch or what is also known as a WW1 watch worn by the Doughboys of WW1. This is a 7 jewel.
  
  
  Look at the inside case back, see how it has ¼ 14 k Gold ¾ Nickel stamped on it, this identifies this as a genuine model. This is a solid nickel case with 14 karat gold over the case back. The engine tuned patter is sublime and show NO wear! Very hard to find a case like this in the condition that it is
  
  
  The case measures approximately 32MM wide
  
  
  The 3/0 movement has been serviced. The size of this movement is getting harder to find. The more common 0 size are much easier to find, just another feature about this watch that makes it special
  
  
  
  This model is referred as the “Cadet” Rumor has it that this case was designed by Ezra Fitch himself, then head of the Waltham Watch Co. Fitch was an avid wristwatch proponent and probably as responsible as anyone for bringing the man's wristwatch out of the novelty realm and into the mainstream. He held several case patents and worked closely with Charles Depollier in manufacturing the Waltham/Depollier Waterproof Watch, arguably the finest and today most sought after trench watch model of the Great War.
  
  
  Anyway, Fitch had some rather eccentric ideas about the case back of a watch, notably that a back made of gold (or at least the application of a gold layer) would better disperse the body heat of the wearer and thus protect the watch's movement from excessive heat. Experience has shown us that this concept is rather silly, but Fitch believed it fervently, and thus designed this case. I have to say you have a compelling reason to get a WW1 watch, AKA trench watch.
  
  
  Let me share what I know about Trench watches and how they came about. Trench watches were a result of a need in ingenuity in watch making.
  
  
  You see, trench watches were ladies pocket movements repackaged into watch cases that had fixed wire lugs that leather band / strap threaded through the back
  
  
  The usual watch movement sizes that were used were 3/0 and 0 sizes. Then within those movement sizes were the jewel counts. The 7 jeweled movements was the most prolific WW1 movement manufactured in numbers. The movements had serial numbers that would enable the consumer to track its production date, production quantity and specification. This watch dates to 1917 through its movement serial number.
  
  
  Movement manufacturers: the American manufactures were Waltham, Elgin, Illinois and Hamilton. Waltham and Elgin being the two manufactures who produced the most quantity. Illinois had a short lived history that was distinguished in the watch world.
  
  
  Here is where the creative thought comes into play. In the early 1910’s the independent jeweler would place an order for a movement, that movement order would be dependent upon social position of the potential buyer. If he was middle class they might order a 7 jewel movement and have it installed in a white or yellow gold filled. If they came from money, they might of order a 17 or 19 jeweled movement and install it in a solid gold case. This approach was the genesis of the wrist watch today.
  
  
  It is not uncommon to see the same watch movement in a gold filled case, sterling silver case or solid gold case. The case manufactures were Dennison, Philadelphia, Keystone, Wadsworth, BB Royal to name a few. This was the beginning of wrist watches.
  
  Grade: No. 361
  
  
  Manufacturer: Waltham
  
  
  Manufacturer Location: Waltham, Massachusetts
  
  
  Movement Serial Number: 21558395
  
  
  Grade: No. 361
  
  
  Estimated Production Year: 1927
  
  
  Run Quantity: 4,000
  
  
  Size: 3/0s
  
  
  Jewels: 7 Jewel
  
  
  Movement Configuration: Hunting
  
  
  Movement Setting: Pendant
  
  
  Hairspring: Breguet
  
  
  Adjusted: No
  
  
  Railroad Grade: No
  
  
  Data Research: 1954 Waltham "Gray Book" List
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  Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery

  Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery

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