The speaker at May’s meeting will be Bruce Shawkey. Bruce has been collecting vintage watches since 1986, and has been a dedicated dealer in vintage watches since 1991. He has written many articles for the Bulletin and will be giving a talk titled The Wristwatch Turns 100!

The modern man’s wristwatch came of age in the crucible of World War I, which marks its 100th anniversary next year. In two short years — from 1917 to 1919 — the man’s wristwatch turned from a novelty into a rugged, masculine accessory that would go on to replace the pocket watch as the preferred timepiece for men. Learn how that all happened, and get a few tips on buying these early timepieces for your collection.