GUIDE TO MILITARY WATCHES

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Citizen "500" MM , a normal Citizen NY0040, with the dial and caseback modified by the Navy. These watches should have been used during the 1997-2007 (circa) period:



As you can see the dial is marked Marina Militare and the water resistance inscription changed from 200 to 500mt. If you check the dial with a magnifying glass you can still see the original Citizen inscription.

Here is the backside:

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DPW was an italian company founded in 1979 and based in Genova. Before going into Chapter 11 DPW produced sport and diver watches. It bought cases from Candino, Breitling and Eberhard and sold watches with customized dials (very often in military PXs). The movement of this sample is a non-hacking, gold finished ETA 2824 (sometimes hacking ETA were mounted) and the case is the same of the Beuchat 1000, famous for being assigned to plngeur of the french Marine Nationale (Ushuaia and Abyss models had this case too) and the Candino 1000. These watches should have been used in the 1985-1995 period. Here is the backside:

[WhiteLionR]

Εντυπωσιακές πληροφορίες, Γιώργο. Δεν ειχα ιδέα ότι το NY0040 φορέθηκε από τα Ιταλικά Βατράχια.
Ευχαριστούμε!   

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US BENRUS TYPE I Class A MiL-W-50717 6645-477-4210 Watch 1972.

The Benrus military watch is a precision timer and a utilitarian piece of equipment coming from Benrus.  This company is a known watch maker and was very active in the watch market in the 1920s and the 1930s. The watches of the company are sold for the civilians, but most of its efforts have been focused on the needs of the military sector; this was especially true during the WWII years. This was the time of great growth for the company as Benrus was tasked to produce items that can be used by the military. The watch company maintained top secret government assignments and the company produced timing devices that can be used in bombs and other weapon applications.


The Benrus military watches came in different types as well.

One good type of the Benrus military watch was the Benrus Type I Class A dive watch. This specific watch was used by the members of the UDT-Seal Green Berets and the Special Forces during the latter part of the Vietnam War. This watch was known as the ultimate in military dive watches. This Type I watch from Benrus was a Class A model meaning that this belongs to the top class of military watches. The appearance of the watch’ dial and some of its designs are borrowed from Rolex and the watch did away with any writings and logos thus making the watch more legible. The reliability of the Benrus military watch Type- II Class- A has led to the development of other types of watches. Examples of these watches include the Type II Class A and the Type II Class B. The latter type is different since it featured the 12/24 hour dial; this was also used by the members of the Armed Forces who didn’t participate in special operations.
"The only easy day was yesterday"

Officially commissioned on Jan. 1, 1962, U.S. Navy
SEALs saw their first combat action in Vietnam. They
operated in the area of the Mekong Delta, conducting
search-and-destroy, recon  and rescue missions.

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Glycine Airman in Vietnam

Glycine had set out to design a special watch for pilots – and with its many unique features the Airman had reached that goal with great success.   During the Vietnam War many U.S. pilots started to purchase and use the Airman instead of using what they were issued by the Military.
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Blancpain Fifty Fathoms – Bundeswehr Issue

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In 1975 the West German Bundeswehr Kampfschwimmers (German Navy Combat divers) began to be issued a new dive watch – the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms “3H” model – and continued to use this model into the early 1980s.  This particular Blancpain model was for military contract only, and never available for civilian purchase.  Though it bears a striking similarity to the Squale branded models from the same era there are many differences to note, making the Blancpain “Bund” unique.
The Blancpain stainless steel case measures 48mm X 42mm X 15mm, a 20mm lug width, and features the crown at the 4 o’clock position – conceivably for comfort during rigorous activities. The dial bears a 3H symbol – indicating the use of Tritium, the radioactive isotope of  Hydrogen, on the dial, hands and bezel indice.  With the screwdown crown, screw caseback, heavy stainless steel case, and thick mineral glass crystal, the watch is water resistant to 200 meters.
Beneath the caseback is the Caliber 2873 Rayville signed 25 jewel, non-hacking, automatic movement.  The Caliber 2873 features a quickset date and sweep center seconds ; perhaps unimpressive, but very sturdy to meet the rigorous requirements of a military dive watch.

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IDF KonTiki Super

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During the 1970s the Israeli Defence Force’s (IDF) elite Naval Commando unit, Shayetet 13, were issued the Etena-Matic KonTiki Super dive watch.  Designated and trained to conduct naval raids and underwater special warfare missions,  Shayetet 13 also is an elite Counter-Terror unit which specializes in covert ops deep within enemy territory.    S-13 distinguished themselves during the 1973 Yom Kippur War by finding and destroying several Egyptian torpedo boats with limpet mines, clearing the way for an Israeli armored force landing in Egypt the next day.

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In the late 1990s the Marine Nationale / French Navy began to issue the Casio G-Shock, model DW-9000, to members of the five Commando groups under the command of COFUSCO (Commandement des Fusiliers Marins Commandos).  These are the French Navy Commando groups:

Commando de Pefentenyo – responsible for reconnaissance (and resembling the US Marine Force Reconnaissance).

Commando Jaubert and Commando Trepel – responsible for attacks at sea (such as drilling platforms), exfiltration, and close quarters combat at sea.

Commando de Montfort – specializes in  remote neutralizatoin (snipers / marksmen) and support ; within this framework is heavy materials (mortars, anti-tank, etc) and as well as means of designation and lighting for control of support airfire or terrestrial artillery.

Commando Hubert – are those commandos responsible for the role of combat swimmers / underwater actions.

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Marathon “SAR” Dive Watch

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The Canadian Government approached Marathon Watch Company to manufacture a more robust watch for their Search and Rescue Technicians. They requested a watch which could withstand the rigors of work in the most hostile of environments, including Artic conditions. Marathon subsequently contacted the owner of County Comm, Nick, with the required specifications. The goal was to produce a watch which could meet these specs with as low a failure rate as possible and which could provide legibility and ease of use. Nick contacted Bob, a SAR diver and owner of the Military Watch Resource (MWR), and Jim M., a government machinist, to help with the development of these watches. Several prototypes (built by Jim M.) were created and tested in a number of severe conditions, which included SAR diving, rappelling, shooting, and climbing. Members of MWR were invited to submit input and refinements, and consequently, the term “Marathon SAR” was coined on the MWR Forum. Marathon has continued to refer to the watch simply as: “Watch, Wrist, Diver, 30ATM“. The first of these watches were delivered to the Canadian Ministry of Defense on 11/16/01.

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The IWC Ocean Bund Diver’s Watch
In 1980 the German Navy (BUND), made an order to VDO
(Vereinigte Deuta OTA) to develop and deliver new divers
watches. VDO, a German company founded by Adolf
Schindling, produced tachometers and measuring instruments
for the automobile and aviation industry. In that era, the
International Watch Company (IWC) in Schaffhausen, was
owned by VDO. Later on, the multinational company
Mannesmann had VDO in its portfolio.
VDO passed the order to IWC, although, at that time two other
famous watch brands Jaeger LeCoultre and Lange, were also
owned by VDO. However, these two companies were not
famous for producing divers watches. Around 1970, few watch
companies had produced reliable divers watches on a large
scale. Among the producers were a few who discovered a
potential role of scuba diving and commercial diving for the oil
industry. These companies were Blancpain, Rolex, Doxa and
Omega.

http://milspectime.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/IWC-Bund-Watches_HJ_Adrian1.pdf

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The legendary Mark 11 is the original pilot’s watch made to the strict 6B/346 specification by the British Military of Defense (MoD) and issued to navigators in the RAF and later in the Australian RAAF.  Produced by both Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) and International Watch Company (IWC) only, both watches appear very similar with slight differences as can be seen in two great RAF examples below:
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Air Ministry and the RAF:
“The Air Ministry was created in January 1918 to oversee the birth in April 1918 of the Royal Air Force from the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.  The organization was broadly similar to that of the Admiralty and the War Office, with a Secretary of State chairing the Air Council and the senior RAF member holding the post of Chief of the Air Staff.  In 1919 the Air Ministry moved to Adastral House, then in Kingsway.  In 1952 the central part of the Air Ministry moved to the new building in Whitehall Gardens that was later to become the Main Building of the Ministry of Defence.”1

The British MOD:
“That the MOD can seem complex and confusing is partly attributable to the variety of tasks we undertake, but another reason lies in the Department’s origins. Today’s MOD is a fusion of old ministries: from 1946 to 1964 there were five Departments of State doing what the unified MOD does now: the Admiralty, the War Office, the Air Ministry, the Ministry of Aviation and the Ministry of Defence itself.  In 1964 the first three and the MOD were amalgamated, and the defence functions of the Ministry of Aviation Supply (as it had by then become) were absorbed in 1971, when the MOD took over responsibility for supplying military aircraft and guided weapons.”1