1916 Cyma "Signal Corps. USA" Military Trench Watch

Before World War I, most watches came in the form of the pocket variety, with wristwatches being far less popular due to them widely being considered to be exclusively for women. But during the War, when the soldiers in the trenches needed a timepiece that could be read quickly and easily, especially while running or holding a rifle, those pocket watches got modified into wristwatches—or wristlets, as they were often referred to back then—to make them much more usable. Fittingly, those watches came to be known as trench watches. This Cyma trench watch from 1916 is especially interesting, not only because of the aforementioned history but also because of a few extra words on the dial—"Signal Corps USA." The Signal Corps was a specialized military group whose primary charge was to handle communications, which included operating switchboards, taking photographs, managing aviation, and even training the Army's first combat pilots. At the time, the US Army's Chief Signal Officer put out the