1915 Ingersoll Military Watch

Appraised on: July 11, 2009

Appraised in: Madison, Wisconsin

Appraised by: Charles Tearle

Category: Clocks & Watches

Episode Info: Madison, Hour 1 (#1407)

Originally Aired: February 15, 2010

IMAGE: 1 of 3  

Appraisal Video: (3:21)

GUEST: It was originally my grandfather's. He got it during World War I, and being first-generation German descent, they wouldn't give him any firearms, and he bought this as a memento piece, since he couldn't keep, like, a firearm or anything.

APPRAISER: Now, did he buy it before the war, or did he buy it after the war?

GUEST: It's my understanding that he bought it at the PX of one of... of his bootcamp, in Fort Dixon in Iowa.

APPRAISER: Okay, and when would that have been?

GUEST: I believe it was 1915. He was a medical corpsman, ambulance driver. He never talked about it. He put all his stuff in a box, basically, and it pretty much stayed there until the grandkids started rummaging through things, and then we found out that this had a radium face on it and my grandmother wouldn't let us play with it anymore. So I haven't seen it for probably 30 years.

APPRAISER: This watch would have been made in 1915. Prior to the First World War, it was very unusual for gentlemen to wear wristwatches. They would always wear pocket watches. And the idea of a man wearing a piece of jewelry was very much frowned upon. It was only really when the war started that they found in the trenches and in combat, particularly driving tanks, again, ambulances, et cetera, the practicalities of having a pocket watch... it was very difficult. So the men actually designed a way to strap their pocket watches onto their wrists.

GUEST: All right.

APPRAISER: Now, here we have a very classic example, where a manufacturer has basically adapted that idea. This watch is effectively a pocket watch that's been modified to be strapped onto a piece of leather with a protective guard over the dial. Another aspect taken from the First World War was this type of black enamel dial. Most enamel dials were made in white. The black, obviously, anti-reflective and much better for nighttime, far less chance of being seen from that point of view. It's actually advertised on the box as having radium. The radium has now gone brown. It has a certain half-life that it will die over a period of time. But it was originally a very bright glow that allowed them to glow in the dark. And it really wasn't harmful to individuals. The harmful part was to the poor people that were painting the dials. They were actually painted by hand. And you'd have these young ladies that would use a paintbrush, if you imagine, and lick the end of the paintbrush, dip it into the radium...

GUEST: I've heard that story.

APPRAISER: Write the numerals and then, at the end of each one, lick again, back into the radium. Very, very dangerous. Now, this particular example remained in very good condition. If you can imagine, most military examples that were made simply were destroyed or brought back, given to the kids. Its main interest is, historically, the fact that it was one of the very first-ever wristwatches. Also, the condition and that it still has the original box with it. Valuewise, if it were to sell at auction today, you'd be looking at a number around a thousand dollars.

GUEST: Okay. I'm pleasantly surprised, considering that the price on the box is $4.50. Some increase in the value over the years.

APPRAISER: Yes, it was.