I can't get enough of vintage military watches. I love the fact that these watches were built strictly as tools. They were made to work. They were created without pretence or marketing. Of course this has changed and a military history is whored to the max nowadays, but for a period of almost 100 years these pieces were simply reliable, robust, honest, brutally elegant and just plain fun timepieces. Also, how cool is it to fantasize about the battles they may have been in.

Let's see em!

Here are some of mine:

 

I love to wear my 1986 IWC Ocean 2000 Bund issued to German Navy attack divers. Super comfortable on the wrist! Great design, titanium build, and Velcro strap

 

This is the only actual military issue I have.

I do have this one, that is not military issue, or even purchased, but it did accompany my uncle though the D-Day landing. Unfortunately he and the watch only lasted a little longer than 2 months after that. The watch came home in the condition seen. My uncle is still in France.

 

Well, it doesn't get much cooler than that.

I was in the USMC and have been living in Europe for the past 13 years. I have become a pretty big history buff and love visiting all of these monumental locations in modern military history. Especially of the first and second world war. D-Day was one of the most intense for me. Bastogne and Passchendaele following close behind.

Do you know what unit your uncle was in?

Nice Hamilton also! The movement is very beautiful if you ever want to crack it open. I even mulled over making a open cb wristwatch out of one, because I liked it so much. But that would be a real shame for one of the coolest pocket watches ever.

 

Speaking of CBs, I love the engraving! Is Olga your Aunt?

 

I love the battered black patina! Didn't Sinn help design these? Making it a trifecta of watch coolness.

 

Waiting for someone to post Rolex MilSub....

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division

Yes, Although I never met her. My mother does not even remember much about her as she was only around 10 yrs.old when her brother was killed.

Please don't, enough of these have already been ruined by doing that. If you really want one as a wrist watch they are regularly available, pre-destroyed on e-bay from the Ukraine. And yes the movements are nice. Even if mine does have an incorrect screw in the crown wheel.

 

Here is my Breitling MIL Spec for the RCAF.



I'm actually wearing it today on Nato.

 

Have many, but here are a few:


RCAF 6w/12, ASchild movement from WWII, redialed in the 60s


Benrus MIL W-3818B, Vietnam era


Omega 2292, RAF spec (unissued by the MoD), aluminum alloy case


Bulova Navigator A-17A MIL-W-6433A, 1959 issue

Not meaning to insult you if you are already signed up, but the Military Watch Resource is a great site to share and discuss all watches (and other things...) military.

 

Nice pieces. I have been checking out those bulovas for a while, and I still miss the Benruses that I have sold.

Not insulted at all. I know of mwr, but I don't want to pidgeonhole myself. I have a lot of other watches in my "collection" than just milspecs.

 

I know that there are a couple of MilSubs floating around here (although not in my collection). Here is one of my "Milspecs".

 

Great thread...I really groove on mil spec watches!

I have no mil spec watches to share...because I have no mil spec watches...BUT I do have a nice blank space on the issued mil equip page of my U.S. NAVY NATOPS folder...no issued mil spec watch for me!

 

Ooof. I would love more pics of this. Love me a ff!

 

Really nice mil spec, @calalum

Here are mine.
Waltham A17 (US Air Force 1956)


1942 LeCoultre Weems A11.


Air Ministry 1942


There are several serious military watch collectors here...

 

Issued pilots.

 

I am definitely a fan!

For me they are the ultimate tool watch, purpose spec'd and made - and potentially life or death. Always on the hunt for more, and in fact a new one arrived to me just this morning from a fellow OF & MWR member...

Omega 6b/542 '53 "Thin Arrow" Bienne dial. (@MSNWatch has quite a clutch of these)



And several of the others...
Bulova A17A

Longines 6b/159 '56

Vixa Type 20

Heuer Bundeswehr

Smiths W10 (if it bothers you that this photo is not oriented the same as the others seek help)


Perhaps @LarryG & @DirtyDozen12 will show some of theirs here.

 

Two UK Milsubs. The Omega is 1967, the Rolex 1975. 1962 RCAF Omega HA-62.

Cheers,
Buster

 

Go for the retro-issue.