Military watches have never been more popular. What’s the enduring appeal?

Authentic reissues of classic creations are among our favourite military watches

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military watches from the archive of Ollech & Wajs
Watches from the Ollech & Wajs archive. The company revisited its classics to reissue the Vietnam War-era MK-102, originally created for the US Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, and the MV-82, designed for its airborne troops
(Image credit: Courtesy of watch brand)

The affordable field watch is, in many ways, the definition of the form: simple, graphic, durable, created to meet the needs of soldiers during the First World War and, in doing so, driving the shift from pocket to wristwatches. 'And they’ve been critical in combat zones ever since,' says Andy Lockley, marketing director for Ollech & Wajs. 'So many brands have at some stage made watches for the military, not least because the battlefield environment proved such a tough testing ground, a proof point for the consumer market.'

But, he adds, while several continue to offer a modern field watch, a number of historic suppliers are now aiming at period-correct models too, with reissues of field watches from the 1940s to the 1970s, in particular. Ollech & Wajs, which three years ago relaunched its Department 0000 to develop watches specifically for government contracts, has recently raided its archives to bring back the Vietnam War-era MK-102, originally created for the US Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, and the MV-82, designed for its airborne troops.

Ollech & Wajs military watch MV-82

Ollech & Wajs’ OW MV-82 (Numbered Edition)

(Image credit: Ollech & Wajs)

Heritage adds to the legitimacy of such pieces, with period accuracy also important to customers, argues Lockley – at least, up to point. Some collectors are frustrated that these are no ‘straight re-enactment’ watches, but have been updated in terms of functionality, as with water-resistance, for example. 'But otherwise these are faithful copies of the case silhouette, the graphics and so on,' he says. 'Of course, there’s the appeal to anyone interested in military history, but we’ve found a lot of people come to the brand because their father or grandfather wore the original version, people with some connection to the services.'

archival watch advert for a military watch

A 1966 advert from the Ollech & Wajs archive

(Image credit: Courtesy of watch brand)

Ollech & Wajs is not alone in recently launching period-correct, ‘mil-spec’ military watches; brands such as Benrus, Timor and Vertex all have histories in supplying the military and are taking the exactitude of their reissues to varying degrees. For Timor, for example, with its Heritage Field WWW and Heritage Field ATP watches 'the goal has been to make something very, very close to the original military-spec watch [manufactured under the UK’s Army Trade Pattern specifications set for watches issued in 1939], right down to the [relatively small] 36.5mm case dimensions,' says the brand’s owner, Benjamin Briggs. 'There’s always the temptation to take more liberties with the design to make it more commercial, which we’ve avoided as much as possible.'

Likewise, Benrus’ DTU-2A/P comes with a crystal glass rather than acrylic one – as the original had – but without any branding, because that’s what the original US military specification required of much equipment issued for service in Vietnam.

'That gives the watch a certain cool,' argues Darius Solomon, vice-president of operations for Benrus, 'but it also speaks to the watch’s authenticity. People pay a lot of money for a reproduction [air force] bomber jacket for the same reasons: because it’s accurate to the original. Not having a brand on the dial doesn’t make it hard to sell, not to those people who get it. And if we did [add the brand], some aficionado would point out that it’s wrong.'

Don Cochrane, the man behind the relaunch of Vertex watches – along with Timor, one of the 12 so-called ‘Dirty Dozen’ of military-watch manufacturing brands commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence for use during the Second World War – reckons that the demand for such 'honest interpretation' watches is on the up as a consequence of a growing interest in military history, because finding originals still in excellent condition is challenging, but also because they still speak to 'a purity of purpose', as he puts it.

'People recognise that field watches are very useful in normal life, but [with reissues] they also appreciate that there’s a powerful story behind them too,’ he says. 'There’s something to talk about.'

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Josh Sims

Josh Sims is a journalist contributing to the likes of The Times, Esquire and the BBC. He's the author of many books on style, including Retro Watches (Thames & Hudson).