Fixed wire lug military trench officers WW1 watches

What is meant by fixed lug, wire lug, trench, or officers watch?Although wrist watches had been made before the First World War (WW1 - 1914 to 1918) they were mainly worn by ladies: they were not fashionable items for men, who mostly wore pocket watches. But the benefits of a wrist watch were well known in military circles. The German Emperor Wilhelm I had ordered a large quantity of wrist watches for the German navy in 1879, and during the Boer war in South Africa (1899 - 1902) British army officers achieved success against the Boers by using precision timing to coordinate simultaneous troop movements, and synchronize flanking attacks against the Boer's formations. Strapping a watch to ones wrist so that it could regularly be checked quickly and easily, rather than having to fumble in a pocket to extract a watch, was essential under fast moving battlefield conditions. Leather straps with cups, such as the one shown below, were made so that pocket watches could be strapped to the wrist. But such applications were restricted to the battlefield, and to small numbers of professional soldiers operating far from home.What really changed public acceptance of men wearing wrist watches was the First World War - WW1. During WW1 military tactics such as the coordinated attack along a long front, synchronised with artillery barrages, demanded precision timing; and unlike any previous conflict, there were millions of men involved. There was a hugeupsurge in demand for wrist watches from military men, who found the still standard issue pocket watch cumbersome to wear in the trenches, under a great coat, or in the cockpit of an aircraft. The easiest way for manufacturers to satisfy this sudden demand for wristwatches was to solder small loops of wire, called lugs, to the case of an existing model of pocket watch, and pass a strap or band of leather through these to secure the watch to the wrist. Because the wire loops were fixed to the case, these watches are often referred to as "fixed lug" or "wire lug" watches. You can see an example of a watch with fixed wire lugs soldered to the case in the picture below. As these watches were often purchased by officers for use in the trenches, they are also often referred to as "officers" or "trench" watches. As the war progressed, the public became used to seeing battle hardened military veterans returning from active service still wearing their wristwatches. This soon changed the public perception that wearing a wristwatch was not manly, and sales of wrist watches to the man-in-the-street started to take off. By 1930 sales of wristwatches had overtaken those of pocket watches.For some reason now lost in the mists of time, the width used for the lugs on these earliest wristwatches was about 10mm, allowing a narrow strap or band of flexible leather to be looped through and across the back of the case. This design persisted after the war and into the 1920's, with the lugs gradually increasing in width to 12mm, 14mm, etc. over the years until they were superceded with the fixed horns and spring bars seen on modern watches.The nature and size of these fixed lugs presents a problem to the collector of these interesting early wristwatches. After cleaning and servicing, watches that are now around a hundred years old go just as well now as when they were new, and they cry out to be worn. However, modern wristwatch straps and bands either just do not fit the narrow fixed wire lugs,or a narrow strap meant for a ladies watch has to be used, which usually looks completely wrong. A 35mm diameter mans wristwatch on a 10mm wide ladies strap just looks ridiculous!I had exactly this problem when I wanted to wear my grandfather's 1918 silver Rolex and after much searching I realised that there was nothing suitable available on the market, and that I would have to get a strap made to my own design and specification. I now make these straps available in several different designs and leather colours so that fellow enthusiasts can enjoy wearing their own vintage watches. It gives me great pleasure to know that a vintage watch, one that perhaps saw service during the first World War, or belonged to somebody's grandfather like mine, can be worn and enjoyed today, looking good on a properly designed and made strap. One of the most touchingcomments I have received was from a customer who was visiting the First World War battlefieldsin France, and he remarked that with the strap I had supplied "I will be able to wear mygrandfather's watch at the very spot where he went 'over the top' on the Somme in 1916." The picture below shows my grandfather's watch on one of my straps.I hope you have found this guide helpful. If you have then I would be grateful if you would register a vote for it. Ifyou haven't found it helpful for some reason, or if you think that there is something wrong or that could beimproved, then please let me know. Thanks! Regards - David

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