FRANCOIS BORGEL A RARE MILITARY  18K YELLOW GOLD TRENCH WRISTWATCH. Date: Circa 1900's Movement: Manual Swiss  Dial: White, black Roman numerals, black outer minute division, subsidiary dial at the 6 o'clock position, blued hands Case: Signed, polished 18K yellow gold, "trench watch case" No.719161 Size: 32.2mm Weight: Approx. 35g During the First World War the soldiers had the need for the first time of a waterproof watch and one of the pioneer in the design and manufacturing of those watch cases was "Francois Borgel". The design became popular between officers in the trenches during the Great War. Different brands adopted the design like Longines and IWC for example in the beginning.