Early wire-lugged wrist watches were often made with sterling (0.925 fine) or coin (0.800 fine) cases. For watches produced for and during WWI, I would expect that they would have gone black, and this actually makes sense, because the black would be less reflective. I would guess that the watches made after the war were most often kept polished? Curious if anyone has any evidence of the common practice. My sterling-cased watch was polished when I received it, so I mostly keep it that way.
I'm no expert at this and others may correct me if I'm wrong, but my take is that 1) military issued watches were not sterling silver though people in the military may have had their own watches (some of which in silver). 2) Military issued watches had a black case. This doesn't answer your query though... OTOH, this post war advertisement might. The cases sure look dark to me!
I would say that darkened equipment probably wasn't a great concern during that era. Look at how brass buttons, insignia, etc. were kept shiny during wartime. I would fully expect that the soldiers had the polish of their gear scrutinised regularly.
Maybe so but watches during WWI for American servicemen had a requirement for the case to be dull black. Note section "e".
I have one of those in the "Foch" case, but most of the paint is worn off. You can still see it in the case-back and between the lugs. It came to me with remnants of lume in the hands and the numerals, so I had that replaced during service.
Sterling or coin silver cases did tarnish when not worn, but the tarnish wore off if the watch was worn. Chance exposure to fabrics acted as a polishing medium. So I wouldn’t think a silver cased watch was a particularly great advantage to someone who was trying to remain hidden. I think a gun metal case which is black and remains black, would be better.
That's a fantastic document! I wonder what rank/function you'd need to have before being issued a watch by the military at that time.
Signal Corps issued them. The Elgin "Foch" was still in the ordnance system at the start of WWII and they were listed in TM 9-575, Auxiliary Fire-Control Instruments (Field Glasses, Eyeglasses, Telescopes, and Watches). They were issued in WWI and many stayed in the ordnance system. There was a similar watch, 15 jewels, also supplied by Elgin, which I am not sure were WWI issued but at least were part of the ordnance system in early WWII. So at least one answer to your question seems to be "field artillery".
Something else to notice about that standard, it evolved. You do see watches that had white dials, lume plots added, and hands with traces of lume on them. By the end of the war, the star dial Elgin (sometimes referred to as "Pershing", but that was a post-war reference to a specific style of case) came with a black dial, luminous numerals, and luminous hands.
I’m following this thread with great interest. WWII+ are all pretty common knowledge but WWI is really vague it seems. I picked up a “Kitchener” sterling watch that was sold by Birks (made by Longines I believe) in Canada for which I have seen advertising as a “luxury” item to purchase- typically assumed to be officers watches as they weren’t cheap. I always assumed watches were purchased by the serviceman during WWI but the above shows it as equipment for certain work.
My Omega circa 1916 with Sterling Silver case, 15j movement adjusted 2 positions. it blackened within a few weeks, so I leave it as is.
That strap on the seven-jewel Elgin I believe to be the same as came on wrist compasses of WWII and have been trying to find one. Mine lives on a nylon strap for now.
I have been looking at those wrist compasses for years and wanted to buy one for the strap...but just can’t justify spending that for a fabric strap. May have to bite the bullet