Waltham 1926 Trench Watch, AKA WW1 Watch, Solid 9 Karat Yellow Gold with a Rare Black Enamel Shadow Box Military Dial.

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$1,152.00

• Details
  1926 Waltham Trench Watch – Solid 9K Gold Dennison Case – Rare Black Enamel Shadow Box Dial
  
  When collectors speak of trench watches, we are speaking of the birth of the modern wristwatch. These timepieces bridged the gap between the pocket watches of the 19th century and the wristwatches of the 20th. Few examples survive in solid gold, and fewer still with black enamel shadow box dials as crisp as this one.
  
  This 1926 Waltham trench watch brings together three rare elements in a single case:
  
  • A solid 9K Dennison case (hallmarked Birmingham, 1926)
  
  • A Waltham USA movement (Grade 361, Model 1907)
  
  • A black enamel military dial with luminous hands and numerals—one of the most coveted dial types among trench watch collectors
  
  It is not only wearable history, it is an extraordinary survivor from a period when most gold cases were melted down in the economic struggles of the 20th century.
  
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  ✦ The Case: Dennison of Birmingham
  
  Inside the back are the hallmarks that tell its story:
  
  • Anchor – Birmingham assay office
  
  • Uppercase “B” – 1926 production year
  
  • ALD – Aaron Lufkin Dennison, American-born pioneer and founder of Dennison Watch Case Co.
  
  • 375 – solid 9K gold
  
  Case dimensions: 32.1mm across, 37mm lug-to-lug. Compact by today’s standards, but perfectly in line with the trench watch form. Its hinged back and fixed wire lugs remain intact, a testament to quality craftsmanship.
  
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  ✦ The Dial: Rare Black Enamel Shadow Box
  
  Collectors know the rarity of enamel dials, but black enamel military dials are in a league of their own. Designed for maximum contrast, the bold “shadow box” numerals and luminous hands made these watches legible under dim light conditions—a necessity in an age of candlelight, gas lamps, and war trenches.
  
  Most dials of this type cracked, discolored, or were replaced over the decades. To find one this original and this well-preserved nearly 100 years later is extraordinary.
  
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  ✦ The Movement
  
  • Waltham Grade 361
  
  • 7 jewels
  
  • Serial number 25289732
  
  • Model 1907, produced 1926
  
  • Freshly serviced (September 2025) with a new crystal and a custom leather open-ended strap
  
  Though simple compared to Waltham’s higher-jeweled grades, the Grade 361 was a robust and reliable choice, well-suited for wristwear at a time when wristwatches were still proving themselves against the pocket watch tradition.
  
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  ✦ Horological Significance
  
  Trench watches were not mass-market fashion—they were necessities. During WWI, officers discovered the efficiency of strapping a watch to the wrist instead of fumbling for a pocket watch. By the 1920s, the design had evolved: smaller movements, fixed lugs, luminous dials, hinged cases. This Waltham embodies that pivotal shift.
  
  For the horologist or serious collector, its significance lies in:
  
  • A rare Dennison 9K solid gold case that escaped the melting pot
  
  • A coveted black enamel shadow box dial in remarkable condition
  
  • A Waltham USA movement housed in a British-made case—a reflection of transatlantic watchmaking collaboration
  
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  ✦ Why It Matters Today
  
  This is more than jewelry, more than a timekeeper. It is a survivor of the interwar years, a symbol of how horology adapted to a new century, and a testament to craftsmanship that endures. Few watches tell such a complete story of transition—from war to modern wristwear—in such a rare configuration.
  
  The case shows light surface impressions on the back, completely natural for solid gold approaching its centenary. These marks are not flaws but history—part of a story that began long before us and will continue long after.
  
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  ✦ What You Receive
  
  • The 1926 Waltham trench watch, freshly serviced and ready to wear
  
  • Secure, insured shipping with careful packaging
  
  • My continued support as both seller and fellow collector
  
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  For the collector, this is a chance to secure one of the rarest forms of the trench watch—a solid gold, Dennison-cased, black enamel shadow box Waltham. Watches like this do not surface often, and when they do, they tend to vanish into long-term collections.
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