Watch brands & models with military heritage.
A dead wise man once said “If a watch could survive a war, it could survive your next marriage..”
Before the flexboi culture, Rolex MilSub and Tudor submariners were supplied to the military because of their durability and reliability relative to the tech of the time. Some were known military issues and some are.. well.. let say abit more classified.
And some were well known and some were not.
Share what brands or models you know that were used by military forces around the world.
I’ll start!
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Naz
Addicted to the the hunt.
Singapore
Member since
Last active: 15 hrs ago
16.51 cm
Panerai Radiomir (Italian & German Military)
Vietnam war era (US military)
From Top left
Glycine Airman Special
Tornado Rayville TR900
Seiko 6105
Bulova MIL-W-3818A
Benrus DTU-2A/P
Seiko 7005-8030
WW2 - Dirty Dozen (British military)
Brands not in order - Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor and Vertex
Tudor 9401 (French Military)
Invicta Grand Diver
Casio CA-53
Rolex 5517 (British military)
The original Seiko H558 on which this SNJ025 is based was popular with special forces like the Navy Seals.
CWC G10 (British military)
Citizen Promaster Aqualand
From Watches of Espionage on Instagram
Marathon - still being used in NATO.
Seiko 6309 and the famous Raider Rolex
I'd also add CWC, especially their G10, RN Diver, and the appropriately titled SBS.
Oddly enough the Elliot Brown Holton Pro is SBS issued. And the shocking thing is it's terribly affordable compared to other "unit" watches.
The dial says "US Government".
That's one fine military watch.
CWC Royal Navy Diver
This Lemania Series 3 Monopusher Chronograph is a classic British military watch. Issued to the Royal Navy, it’s ‘6BB’ caseback marking denotes that specifically, it was issued to the Royal Air Force.
Citizen NY0040 Marina Militare, issued to the Italian Navy
Hanhart chronographs
No discussion of military watches would be complete without mentioning Zodiac. From Vietnam on, they were always available in PXs and Exchanges and were quite popular. It is one of the few I see outside of various Casios that are still being worn.
This is completely unrelated. But who strangles someone like that? Perhaps it’s from a martial art I’m unaware of.
However, in mine that’s a massive no-no.
Rambo must’ve been doing well for himself in the Burmese jungle to be able to afford a Panerai. 🤣
Rambo must’ve been doing well for himself in the Burmese jungle to be able to afford a Panerai. 🤣
He found some junta gold perhaps 😂
Seagull 1963
Here's some from South Africa:
Tudor Submariner issued to elite divers in the Navy
Lemania chronograph issued the the SAAF
This one is an honourable mention, a Roamer Anfibio issued to Rhodesian troops.