Man's watch with narrow, brown leather wristband. The face of the watch is covered by a protective metal grate. Lewis W. Arnold owned this watch and used it while serving in World War I. Born in Nebraska in 1885, Arnold spent most of his adult life in Lawrence, Kansas. He enlisted in the army in 1916 and served with Battery B, 130th Field Artillery, a unit that became part of the 35th Division during the war. They were stationed in the Alsace region of France. Arnold was honorably discharged in 1919.
Men did not commonly wear wristwatches before the war, as most men regarded them as women's jewelry. During World War I, new and improved weapons created new fighting methods that required precise timing among troops. Wristwatches allowed soldiers to easily check the time without removing their hands from their weapons. Because chips, scratches, and breaks were inevitable, the metal guard was added to help prevent against such damage.