You can certainly get some legitimate military pieces for less money, all of which I really love.
While the Bremont is technically an official military piece it does feel more like a story than something which is commonly used, but to be honest I bought it more for the overall quality and finishing of the piece than it's military relevance. I'm not really bothered by stories or heritage associated with pieces.
The new and old Vertex's are really stunning pieces. Christopher Ward also makes some nice military watches to my knowledge but I can't speak for the authenticity behind that.
It seems to depend entirely on the alloy used. Some patina faster than other and vice versa. My Bremont patina's very slowly due to the alloy used. As far as I know, bronze does react with the oils in your skin. the metal is not plated, at least on mine. It is solid bronze.
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