Military

Created Tuesday 23 July 2024

A Civilian’s Guide to Military Watches

Part One: The West

It’s hard to get into a discussion about the history of timepieces without eventually happening upon military history. Since the mid-1800s, militaries around the world have relied heavily on timepieces to coordinate tactical maneuvers, navigation, diving, and range estimates. Though the watches vary between their respective countries of issue, you can be sure each watch is purpose-built with the intent to survive tough climates, shock, water submersion, dirt and grime — you know, a thorough beating.

As it goes for just about anything “military”, issued timepieces are some of the most collectible in the watch world. Between enthusiasts looking for a rugged watch to go on adventures with, fashionable folks pulling off military-inspired looks, and history buffs bolstering their military regalia collection, the military watch market faces the perfect storm of demand. Couple that demand with a fixed number of issued timepieces, and you start to see the whole picture. The rabbit hole of military watches and their history delves very deeply, very quickly, so we’ve broken our overview into two parts: those countries from the West with influential and interesting military timekeeping history, and those from the East. This week, the West — America, Britain, Germany, France, and the unlikely Brazil, Argentina and Peru — flexes its stuff.

United States

The A-11, Rolex, Tudor, Blancpain, DOXA and the modern battery set

The U.S. military isn’t exactly the senior member on our list, but it’s certainly old enough to have a rich history of pocket watches and wristwatches. Prior to WWII, specification standards were nearly non-existent, which allowed for a wide range of watches to be found on the battlefield. Eventually, pocketwatches and makeshift wristlets gave way to Mil-Spec wristwatches.

Specification designations like the A-11 — which led myriad companies such as Bulova, Waltham and Elgin to produce watches with increased shock- and water-proofing, center sweep hands and added hacking seconds capabilities — truly drove the evolution of American military watches from mere timekeepers to useful battle hardware. While WWII A-11 watches and others are highly collectible, they’re a bit antiquated and small for modern wear. It’s the watches from the 1960s and ’70s that really draw the big bucks. Rolex, Tudor, Doxa and Blancpain could all be found throughout U.S. military units as the mid-1900s wore on.

Since the military must be (ahem) responsible with its budget, the days of issued mechanical watches are mostly gone. Today, American soldiers typically wear highly functional battery-powered watches from Casio, Marathon, and Luminox — and they actually have to purchase their own, as standards do not dictate a specific watch be issued.

United Kingdom

The Mark XI, Rolex MilSub, Omega SM300 and W10 Mil-Spec (Hamilton, CWC)

Pulsar Gen 1 Military issue V657 - X072

RAF Pilots Chronograph
Pulsar V657-X063 (gen 1) civilian
Pulsar V657 - X072 (gen 1) military
Pulsar YM92-X170 (gen 2) military
Pulsar PM3175X1-p (gen 2) civilian (Homage)
Seiko 7A28 (gen 1) military
Seiko 7T27-7A20 (gen 2) military
Seiko 7A28-702A & 728 civilian

British watchmaking was going strong in the late 1800s, and early examples of battlefield timepieces would likely have been domestically sourced. But moving into the early 1900s, Swiss movements began replacing British ones — a foreshadowing of what was to come for MOD-issued watches.

Like the U.S. military, the MOD began issuing watches according to recognized specifications during WWII. The Mark VIIB and VIII were two of the early variants, followed by the Mark XI just after the war, which has become one of the most collectible of that era. Produced by IWC and Jaeger LeCoultre, the Mark XI navigator watch was so ahead of its time that it was issued for over 30 years. It’s a must-have for any serious military watch collection, in addition, of course, to a Rolex MilSub and Omega SM300.

Companies like Seiko, Pulsar, Citizen, and Precista have been able to reap benefits of the shift in power from mainsprings to batteries, all having earned contracts at various times with the MOD over the last 30 years. However, the classic W10 Mil-Spec watch — a reliable relic of the Cold War, and favorite of military watch collectors — is still being made by CWC and MWC.

Germany

The first wristwatches, and Fliegers from Stowa, A. Lange & Söhne, IWC and more

While the history isn’t exactly crystal clear, the German Imperial Navy had some influence in the adoption of the wristwatch for military use somewhere around 1880. Prior to that time, only women dared fashion a wristwatch. These early wristlets proved the utility hands-free timekeeping could provide, eventually pushing the new look into the mainstream.

Where the Germans had an even bigger influence on the watch world was the pilot watch, or Flieger, first commissioned by the Luftwaffe in 1936. The original brands contracted to produce Fliegers are household names today: Stowa, Laco, A. Lange & Söhne, Wempe, and IWC. The Type A and Type B Fliegers, differentiated only by their dial designs, remain immensely popular, likely on account of their clean yet sporty looks and rich history (for better or worse).

The rest of the German military’s watch history is littered with extremely functional and robust watches from brands like Heuer, Sinn, and Tutima. Compared to the über expensive MilSubs and original fliegers, later issued models like the Heuer Bundeswehr are relative bargains.

France

Longines, Stowa, Hanhart, Doxa, Blancpain — and the Tudor Submariner

French military watch history is much like the other European countries — moving from pocket watches to wristlets and then on to simple three-hand watches. Along the way, a mixture of some excellent watchmakers have provided watches for the French, including Longines, Stowa, Hanhart, Doxa, and Blancpain. However, the star of the show is the Tudor Submariner, which was issued to the French Navy, or Militare Nationale.

It’s not exactly known how many Tudor Subs received the “M.N.” designation over the watch’s 30 year run (from the ’50s to the ’80s). What is known is that the current market for them is intense, no doubt in part because of Tudor’s recent resurgence. Verifiable issued Tudor Sub prices and availability are very much in favor of the seller — textbook supply and demand here, folks. While they aren’t quite in the MilSub price range, expect to sleep on the couch for a month or so if you decide to jump on one.

Brazil, Argentina and Peru

The Cartier Santos, the Valjoux 72, Rolex and Heuer

Though he wasn’t quite a military member, it would be a disservice to not recognize Alberto Santos-Dumont’s influence on both wristwatches and military aviation. An aeronautical pioneer, Santos-Dumont is known as the Father of Aviation in his home country of Brazil. During his flying days, Santos-Dumont wasn’t a fan of fumbling with his pocket watch, so like any average world-renowned aviator, he went to his friend Louis Cartier and asked him for help. What resulted is one of the most iconic wristwatches in history: the Cartier Santos. It’s good to have friends, no?

In nearby Argentina and Peru, military aviators received iconic chronographs powered by the Valjoux 72 calibre. From roughly the early ’60s and into the ’70s, Rolex provided timepieces for the Peruvian military, most notably, the Daytona. Since vintage Daytonas are already quite pricey, adding the rare military provenance likely doubles the value. Too rich for you? Keep an eye out for a Heuer Autavia issued to the Argentinian Air Force in the 1970s. What you lose in the (overpriced) name, you gain in the knowledge that you scored an uncannily similar piece at a great value.

Part Two: The East

Those necessities doesn’t change based on place of origin. Other things do. In Part One of our guide to military watches, we covered more or less the low-hanging fruit — even casual watch enthusiasts know Germany’s Heuer Bundeswehr or the French Navy’s Tudor Sub. Stopping there would have done you a disservice, as there’s a lot more to be seen as one travels east beyond Europe. In fact, the vastly different cultures found in the Eastern world (except maybe Australia, which is basically the UK with nicer weather and deadlier animals) often make for richer stories, horologically, especially to us Westerners. Part of that interest stems from mystery and general murk when it comes to history and provenance, which is a two-way street for buyers. With reliable sources few and far between, it takes tremendous amounts of research to be confident when purchasing rare military watches.

Not to scare you away. The timepieces of Japan, China, Russia, Australia and India are just as packed with history, passion, beauty and hawkish intent as their western counterparts. Pique your interest, do your research, and maybe you’ll end up with something on your wrist from a different half of the world.

Japan

The Seikosha Big Pilot and the framework of modern-day Seiko

Details on early Japanese military issued watches are hard to come by. In the WWII timeframe, however, Japanese military watches become a bit more recognizable and documented. The most desirable wristwatch from the WWII era was produced by Seikosha, the watchmaking arm of K. Hattori and precursor to Seiko. The Seikosha Big Pilot, an oversized flier’s watch, featured a 15-jewel pocket watch movement and an inner rotating bezel. In anything near good condition, one can field around $10,000. It’s not hard to imagine why such a watch would be rare and desirable; between two atomic bombs, the near wholescale destruction of the Japanese air force during the war, and foreign military occupation, it’s a wonder any are left at all. Fortunately, Seikosha survived the war and evolved into the Seiko we know and love today.

China

The Tianjin Watch Factory pilot chronograph and the Shanghai Watch Company model 114

The market for Chinese military watches is stronger than the uninitiated would guess. Between Mao’s revolution, smaller-scale skirmishes, and roles in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, China’s military has been busy over the last 70 years. Armies need watches, and Chinese companies have issued scores of different timepieces over the years. While the majority of them appear to be simple, unassuming dress watches, a couple have really caught the eyes of collectors.

Tianjin Watch Factory’s pilot chronograph, which saw a fairly short production run starting in 1963, is an interesting piece with a movement that’s the direct sucessor to the famous Swiss-made Venus 175. (Tianjin Watch Factory acquired all of the necessary tooling from Venus to duplicate the 175 after the Swiss company decided to scale back their manufacturing.) Though the original chronograph is incredibly rare, Tianjin, which is now known as Sea-Gull, recently released an accurate and desirable homage. The re-issue utilizes a modified version of the original movement, dubbed the ST19 — and it’s worth the few hundred dollars for those who can’t get their hands on (or wrap their wallet around) an original.

Military dive watches are often the most sought after in the collector world, and the Shanghai Watch Company’s model 114, produced in the beginning of the ’70s, is no exception. The 114 has looks that could pass for the lovechild of a 1970s Seiko diver and an Omega SM300 — not a bad set of parents to take after. At the time of its production, the 114 was not actually issued as standard equipment; rather, it was up to the individual to purchase them with his own money. Still, many of these watches experienced combat action and carry the stories watch collectors love to tell.

Russia

Various Vostok timepieces, including the Komandirski, and the behemoth Zlatoust 191-ChS diver

Russian watches have somewhat of a cult following; collectors love the interesting markings on the dial, the Russian lettering, and in many cases, the overall unique designs. Due to Russia’s interesting history over the last 100 years, adding in the military connection just makes the cult stronger.

You needn’t be an expert in Russian watchmakers to know the name Vostok. Since its inception, Vostok has produced some very well known examples, including the Komandirski, which became a standard issue USSR Ministry of Defense timepiece in 1965. But the more unique, nay, bizarre example of Russian military watches is the Zlatoust 191-ChS. As one of the largest and most bombproof divers ever conceived, the 191-ChS is truly the work of the Cold War arms race. And by “largest”, we mean 60 millimeters in diameter – eat your heart out, Stallone and Schwarzenegger. Original examples are out there – beware of the abundant fakes – and they command a fair price, often around the $1,500 mark. If you’re looking for a military-issued diver that can double as a dinner plate, you’ve found your watch.

India

West End Watch Co. WWI trench and pocket watches, the HMT Jawan and HMT military pilot watch

If anything is clear after researching Indian military-issued watches, it’s that their history is quite unclear. What can be determined, however, is that the Indian military did issue watches in limited capacities. As with many other militaries, personnel were often expected to procure their own timepieces.

Two watchmakers, HMT and West End Watch Company, were the main suppliers of the Indian military in modern times. HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools) is known for their cost-conscious, reliable watches, and their issued timepieces fall into the same spectrum. Despite a high percentage of fakes, genuine articles used by the Indian military can be found en masse. A truly issued 1960s/70s HMT Jawan (Hindu for “warrior”) usually goes for less than $100. If you’re lucky enough, you’ll come across a rare HMT watch issued to Indian pilots around the same time frame — but don’t hold your breath.

West End Watch Co. is a Swiss-owned company who focused distribution in the Indian market. With their perceived Swiss quality, West End Watch Co. pocket watches and trench watches were popular amongst colonial troops and Indian military officers. Issued watches likely came before WWII, as HMT took over the majority of the contracts post-war.

So yes, collecting Indian military timepieces is a bit of a crapshoot, but needles in the needle stack are out there, and make for an interesting hunt.

Australia

Pilot watches from IWC and JLC, field watches from Hamilton and Benrus, and rare divers from Droz

It’s no surprise that the list of watches issued by the Australian military over the years looks similar to that of the UK MoD. You’ll find JLC and IWC Mark XIs from the 1950s, Lemania single pusher chronographs from the 1960s, and Hamilton field watches from the 1980s. Adding to the international watch sharing, the Aussies often found themselves wearing the infamous Benrus plastic watch in the jungles of Vietnam. Referring to them as “Mickey Mouse watches”, the Aussies weren’t exactly fond of the Benrus’ disposable nature.

Putting the more common issued watches aside, one of the interesting pieces Royal Australian Navy (RAN) clearance divers were issued was the Droz Super Compressor. Utilizing a case whose seal only tightens as water pressure increases, super compressors are unique and highly sought after by fans of vintage dive watches. Droz Super Compressors were issued in the 1960s and ’70s and would be a great score for someone getting into military watch collecting.

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