G10
Created Saturday 08 June 2024
The G10.
Over the years there’s been a couple of different G10 manufacturers. The most famous being CWC - 200,000 of their model were issued to the British Army between 1980 and 2006.
The term G10 is used to describe a specific style of British Army watch.
They were issued from the 1960s onwards. The original mechanical version - produced by Smiths, CWC and Hamilton - was later replaced by a more reliable quartz model.
This newer watch is usually what we mean by a G10.
CWC was the big name in G10 watch manufacturing. The company was founded by Ray Mellor who had been Managing Director of Hamilton’s UK arm.
As an ex-serviceman involved in the British watch industry, he knew that Smith’s had folded. US brand Hamilton was no longer trying to win MOD contracts. He decided to create a watch company to fill that gap.
The G10 story is quite interesting, many people are surprised that most serving military personal (referred to in the UK as squaddies) never get issued with a watch contrary to what many people think hence they often buy watches from manufacturers such as CWC, MWC, Nite or Marathon although Casio is also quite popular due to the fact it's virtually indestructible. The reason many serving military buy a watch even if they qualify to have one issued is that whilst they can sometimes draw a watch on a temporary issue and receipt voucher Form G1033 many of them prefer to own their own watch.
The origin of the term G10 is because in the UK when military watches were provided both in the past, an currently to military personnel in order to get their hands on one, they have to fill out a form called an G1033 as mentioned above , an ex UK quartermaster explained the procedure to us which is that every army unit has a scale of the equipment it should be issued with. That scale of equipment is called the G1098 scale. To be issued with a watch a soldier signs form G. 1033 hence anybody who is either serving UK military or ex-military will usually know exactly what type of watch is being referred to when they hear the term sG10 and G1098. Regardless of brand they all have certain similar characteristics.
If you have a comment or suggestion, please use the form on the contact page.