
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
JW Benson Trench Watch Silver, Roman Numeral Enamel Dial, circa 1915
- Maker / attribution
- Unrecorded in source
- Date
- c. 1915
- Historical period
- Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
- Country of origin
- Unrecorded in source
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- silver
- Dimensions
- Case 34 mm
- Stock no.
- vws3617cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws3617cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- JW Benson Trench Watch Silver - c.1915 - Roman Numeral Enamel Dial (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws3617cs), this is a wristwatch, dated c. 1915. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: silver. Recorded dimensions: Case 34 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Beautiful JW Benson Trench Watch in Silver with an Ornate Monogram on the Caseback, c.1915 Founded in London in 1847, J.W. Benson quickly became one of Britain’s most esteemed watchmakers, supplying timepieces to royalty and the military. Known for their blend of English craftsmanship and Swiss precision, Benson watches were often powered by high-quality movements and housed in elegant, understated cases. From classic dress styles to military-issue models, J.W. Benson earned a reputation for reliability, refinement, and timeless British style that remains appreciated by collectors today. What's on Offer This handsome J.W. Benson trench watch, dating to circa 1915, is a fine example of early British wristwatches produced during the World War I era. It features a classic white enamel dial with bold black Roman numerals, an outer minute track, and a functional seconds dial at 6 o’clock. The beautifully ornate blued steel hands add character and remain in excellent condition, pairing perfectly with the timeless dial design. Housed in a solid sterling silver case, the watch measures approximately 34mm in diameter a fairly small watch by todays standards but it wears surprisingly larger on the wrist. It retains its original fixed wire lugs, which are fitted with a high-quality leather strap in keeping with the period style. You will note a monogram on the case back - this is a beautiful addition and these ornate, Victorian/Edwardian-style monograms were commonly engraved on watches in the early 20th century, especially when given as personal gifts or commemorative items. A true collector’s piece, this J.W. Benson trench watch offers historical significance, clean design, and enduring charm. It wears beautifully and would be a superb addition to any collection.
Historical context
Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)
The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.
The wristwatch overtook the pocket watch. Military use in the First World War, aviation, water-resistant cases (1926), automatic winding (1923–31), rectangular Art Deco designs and early chronographs and calendars defined the period.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution
Atlas type guide
Military, pilot and travel watches
The wristwatch owes much of its adoption by men to warfare and aviation. Wristlets — small pocket watches soldered with lugs and worn on a strap — were used in colonial campaigns and became standard equipment in the First World War, with protective grilles over the crystal ('shrapnel guards'). Louis Cartier's Santos (1904), designed for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, is often cited as an early purpose-made pilot's watch.
In the Second World War governments specified watches in detail: the German B-Uhr observation watches, the American A-11, and the British 'W.W.W.' (the 'Dirty Dozen' set of 1945). After the war, jet travel brought GMT and world-time watches, which show two or more time zones at once — Louis Cottier's world-time mechanism and the Rolex GMT-Master (1955) are examples.
What to look for
- Military markings on the case back: broad arrow, issue numbers, 'W.W.W.', 'A.T.P.'
- High-legibility black dials with luminous Arabic numerals; oversized crowns for gloved hands.
- 24-hour hands and rotating 24-hour bezels or city rings on GMT/world-time watches.
- Wire lugs on early wristlets converted from pocket watches.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug wristlets: c. 1900–1925.
- Military specifications of the Second World War: 1939–1945.
- GMT and world-time wristwatches: mainly after 1950.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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