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Military Watches

mil·i·tar·y
adjective

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of members of the armed forces: a military bearing; military attire.

2. Performed or supported by the armed forces: military service.

3. Of or relating to war: military operations.

4. Of or relating to land forces.

The correlation between time and war goes back to man's earliest organized battles.  Before the concept of "time" (as we now know it), conflicts and battles were scheduled in accordance to the sunrise, mid-day, sunset and occasionally at full moon.

In 1504, the first portable (but not very accurate) timepiece was invented in Nuremberg, Germany, by Peter Henlein.  The first reported person to actually wear a watch, on the wrist, was the French mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).  He attached his pocket watch to his wrist using a piece of string.

These were the humble beginnings, of future timepieces, that would lead man into battle, organize strategic attacks and time distances for navigational purposes.

Below, you will find a timeline depicting memorable events in military horology and the companies associated with each event.  To some, this timeline will seem incomplete.  Please feel free to Contact Us if you have any additional information or corrections, regarding the timepieces, timepiece companies and the corresponding dates that they were introduced into military history.  Also, please provide the source of your data.
Thank You and Enjoy!!!

1908
The Victorinox Swiss Army Company decides to split their cutlery and timepiece contracts, with half the orders going to Victorinox (in the German-speaking part of Switzerland) and the other half to a firm run by rival cutlery-maker Theodore Wenger (headquartered in Delémont, in French-speaking Jura).  They claimed to have done this in the interest of national harmony, but an ulterior motive might have been that the anticipated competition would keep the prices down.  By mutual agreement, Wenger advertised the "Genuine Swiss Army Knife" and Victorinox used the phrase "Original Swiss Army Knife".

1910
The original Hamilton "Khaki" was born when the Hamilton Watch Company was called into special service by the U.S. Government, as the official provider of timepieces to the U.S. Armed Forces.

1917 - 1918
As the American Expeditionary Force joins the fighting, in World War I, Wittnauer watches and other navigational instruments become essential equipment for many early aviation units.  During the War, servicemen in the field recognized wristwatches as a far more practical alternative to bulkier pocket watches.  The Swiss watch industry moves quickly to take advantage of this new trend, giving the Swiss made Wittnauer an immediate edge in the U.S. market.

1918
The A. Wittnauer Company's "All-Proof" (the world’s first waterproof, shock-proof, anti-magnetic watch) makes its retail debut.  In the years to come, it would prove its mettle by being dropped from airplanes, thrown from the Empire State Building, taken to steaming Amazon jungles, and brought to the highest elevations of the Himalayas, Alps and Andes Mountains.  Later, during World War II, it would be used by countless service personnel.  Continuing its important role in the history of aviation,  Wittnauer creates an aircraft clock for the U.S. Army Air Corps.  This is the first clock designed exclusively for military aircraft.  A Wittnauer advertisement in Flying magazine, cited the company’s expertise in “aviation chronographs, chronometers, timers, torpedo boat and deck watches".

1919
Bulova introduces the first full line of men's jeweled wristwatches.  During World War I, the convenience of wristwatches, (as opposed to pocket watches) is discovered and popularized.

1930
A new parent company, SSIH (Société Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogère SA) merges with Tissot and Geneva Watch Inc. was created.  SSIH eventually grew to over 50 companies, including Lanco, Lémania and Hamilton.  Eventually, SSIH became the third largest producer of finished timepieces and timepiece movements in the world.

During this period, Omega produced some of the most collectible wrist watches, for which they are famous today, such as the Omega Constellation , the Omega Speedmaster chronograph, the Omega Seamaster waterproof sports watch and Seamaster diver's watches.  Omega also made a name for itself by providing military watches and pilots' watches during World War II.

1940
The war calls... and, at the request of the U.S. Government, The Hamilton Watch Co. stops production of watches for civilian consumers and creates new timepieces, exclusively for the military.  Hamilton supplied watches for the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Army Air Force (as it was then called).  Hamilton also supplied timepieces for allies in WW I, specifically for Russia, and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).  There were a total of 168,560 watches made by Hamilton, during WW II.  This number did not include pre-1940 production timepieces.

One of these war-time era designs, included the "Hack" complication.  This feature enabled the wearer to stop the seconds hand, for synchronization with other watches.  All those wishing to synchronize their timepieces would stop their watches and set them according to the leader's watch.  At a given time, the wearer of the lead watch would say "hack" and the others would depress their hack button again, thereby re-starting the seconds hand and synchronizing all of the timepieces in the group, to the exact second.  This complication remains a major influence on today's Hamilton Khaki Collection.

Other American watch companies (such as Waltham, Elgin and Hamilton) were pressed into government service and required to make watches for the U.S. Military.  Benrus had top secret government assignments to manufacture timing devices for use in bombs and weapons. 

Some of these companies also had to re-equip their factories in order to make other goods, required for the war effort.  Since Benrus had neither a watch movement factory, nor the machinery needed for it here in the United States, they were not required to re-equip.  Benrus continued to bring Swiss watch movements into the U.S. during the war and were able to continue selling their own timepieces.  The extremely limited supply of affordable timepieces meant big profits for Benrus, as consumers rapidly purchased whatever watches they could make.  Thus, when the war ended, they had gained a positive civilian and military reputation and this gave them a great advantage.

1941
The officer’s Victorinox knife became hugely popular, with G.I.’s, during World War II.  Because they had difficulty pronouncing “offiziersmesser” (officer knife) they coined it “The Swiss Army Knife”.  Identically, a timepiece with the Victorinox insignia was know as a “Swiss Army Watch”.

Continuing its' tradition of advertising firsts, Bulova airs the first television commercial: a simple picture of a clock and a map of the United States, with a voice-over proclaiming, "America runs on Bulova time."  The 20-second spot cost $9.  1941 also marks the year that the Bulova Board of Directors, chaired by Joseph’s son, Ardé Bulova, adopts a resolution to sell products for national defense at actual cost.  Throughout World War II, having perfected the skill of creating precision timepieces, Bulova works with the U.S. government to produce military watches, specialized timepieces, aircraft instruments, critical torpedo mechanisms and fuses.

During World War II, the Tutima Watch Company supplied military chronographs to the German government, most notably the Fliegerchronograph Caliber 59.

As America enters World War II, Wittnauer, with its long relationship with the U.S. military, receives contracts to produce compasses, laboratory timers, aircraft clocks and military watches. The company’s topnotch workshops also offer employment to many skilled watchmakers forced to flee Europe. With domestic watch production diverted, Swiss watches flourish on the consumer market. While all assembly and repair facilities are devoted to the war effort, Wittnauer craftsmen work overtime to produce watches for the domestic market with movements imported from neutral Switzerland.

1942
The Hamilton Watch Co. distributes it’s United States Navy Navigational Master Watch GCT (Greenwich Civil Time) complete with steel vibration isolating carrying case, in original cardboard box, with instructions and Hack setting button.

1944
25% of all radio advertising was used to promote the sale of War Bonds and broadcast the following tag-line: “B-U-L-O-V-A… Bulova Watch Time…Time to Buy United States War Bonds and Stamps”.

1945
At the war’s end, Wittnauer offers many veterans, some with disabilities, positions as apprentices and watchmakers.

With returning service personnel favoring the company’s durable water-resistant, shock-resistant and anti-magnetic offerings, Wittnauer concentrates on meeting the demand for such useful, war-tested innovations as day, date and month indicators and seconds hands. The company sends lecturers, as well as visual aids and manuals describing these developments, to Horology schools throughout the country.

1954
Bulova introduces the Bulova 23, a self-winding, waterproof, 23-jewel watch with an unbreakable mainspring, made entirely in the United States. Omar Bradley, World War II general and retired chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joins Bulova as Chairman of the Board of the Bulova Research and Development Laboratories.

1956
Ollech & Wajs started business in the 1950’s when Albert Wajs began making and supplying stainless steel bracelets for wristwatches. In 1956, a partnership was formed with Mr. Ollech, and they soon began manufacturing wristwatches. From the outset, the design philosophy was to create durable and good looking sports watches at affordable prices. Business was done from their retail premises in Zurich. They soon began to expand into world wide markets, more notably the US and UK markets. This was achieved through a low cost approach so as to keep the watch prices low. They began to advertise in magazines that were popular with aviators, soldiers, divers and sportsmen. They were selling direct to the end user by mail order from Switzerland. They cut out all of the middlemen, and there was no need to invest heavily in overseas infrastructures, so the cost of quality watches was kept to a minimum.  Sales were increasing so the O&W company were able to produce more models and focus on production methods so that the quality became better. In the 1960’s they were selling a high quality professional divers wristwatches for US $12. These watches became very popular with US soldiers who bought them privately, as they were the best quality watch and value for money they could find, and they were a vast improvement on their inferior quality government issued disposable watches.  All our watches were equipped with mechanical movements with at least 17 jewels. When the first quartz watches made their appearance, in the early 80ties, mechanical watches came temporarily out of fashion. We stopped production. Today, Swiss mechanical watches of good workmanship are very much sought after again Quite frequently I was approached by former customers in need of a solid, sturdy timepiece. That's why I decided to resume manufacturing mechanical watches under my new company, A. I. Wajs. The models shown here are 100% Swiss, of very good quality, and prices are affordable because of selling direct.

1958
Omar N. Bradley becomes chairman of the Bulova Watch Company, a position he remains in until 1973, when he retires at the age of 80.

1959
After WWII, Dr. Kurtz left what became East Germany, settled in Northern Germany, and set up both a movement manufacture (Norddeutsche Uhren-Rohweke-Fabrik or NUROFA) as well as Tutima Uhren. Unfortunately, the movement maker did not survive and ceased production in 1959. Tutima was also reorganized, and was sold to Dieter Delecate.

1960
NASA asks Bulova to incorporate Accutron into its computers for the space program. Bulova timing mechanisms eventually become an integral part of 46 missions of the U.S. Space Program. Also in 1960, Bulova reintroduces its redeveloped Phototimer clock for track and field, improved with updated photographic and electronic technologies. It features an infrared sensing element patterned after those used on heat-seeking missiles. Mounted on the starter's pistol, the Phototimer senses the flash of the gun and starts a timer clock at the same instant that the runners leave their marks.

1961 - 1975
In the 1960's through the late 70's, Benrus made military issue watches used by the Army and Navy.  These were issued to servicemen fighting in the Vietnam War.

1967
Accutron clocks are the only clocks aboard Air Force One.

1971
Precista Navigators wristwatch. Precista had military contracts for the MOD in the 1970’s 1980’s and early 90’s and supplied the RAF, land forces and the Royal Navy with high quality, durable and accurate wristwatches.

1972
Suppliers of genuine British military timepieces to all branches of the armed services. Founded in 1972, Cabot Watch Company (CWC) have been contractors to H.M. forces for over 30 years. There are only two ways to obtain a new genuine CWC: either join the Forces or buy from Silvermans ltd., who are the sole retail outlet for new CWC watches.  Today CWC are still one of the main suppliers of genuine British military watches and are awarded many contracts based on quality, reliability and durability.  CWC are ISO 9000:2001 registered, a quality assurance required by H.M. government to all suppliers.  CWC offer a 3 year warranty on all watches.

1985
During the quartz revolution, Tutima survived by providing instrument watches with Swiss movements, including the development of a NATO-approved chronograph in 1985.

1986 - 1988
In the late eighties, both the USAF and Canadian Armed Force had issued these tough looking Adanac watches to their service members. The one pictured in this review was issued by USAF in 1988. It's an interesting watch because it has "Adanac" written on the dial but the case is signed "Gallet". Not only that, the watch was actually produced under government contract by Marathon Watch Co. based in Ontario, Canada.  The styling of the watch is very similar, if not identical, to USAF issue Marathon Military Pilot's Watch that I had reviewed earlier. Adanac is the predecessor to that model, albeit without the tritium vials. A careful reader might have noticed that "Adanac" is Canada spelled backwards. I've been told that it's an old Canadian joke. And these Adanac's were quite popular such that they have made its way into the European scene, with some of the English troops who got these watches issued to them.

1990
Hamilton redesigns and re-releases a wartime hero, the Khaki.  The Khaki Action is a hit around the world.

1994
As an unknown brand attempting to penetrate a heavily brand driven market, sales were initially slow until Luminox was contacted by a procurement officer for the U.S. Navy SEAL teams to build a dive watch for their use on night missions. With the help of their Swiss associates, RBMG spent 9 months developing the initial Navy SEAL dive watch.

1999
Similar good fortune occurred in 1999 when Luminox received a call from Edwards Air Force base, telling us that they love our watches and wear them on bombing missions. However, the one thing they didn’t care for was that these were watches made for the Navy. They asked if we might be able to create watches specifically for them. Of course, our answer was an enthusiastic affirmative. We began the process of developing a model for the U.S. Air Force to be worn by F-117 Nighthawk Stealth pilots.  This watch incorporates the same quality features as the upper end SEAL watches and has also been very well received in the marketplace. Rather than simply make a single model for the Air Force, Luminox entered into negotiations with the Lockheed Martin Corporation to acquire a license from them to develop watches related to some of their most unique and compelling aviation properties.

1999
After successfully selling hundreds of thousands of the original plastic model, Luminox launched its first steel version (with carbon fiber bezel) of the SEAL dive watch.

2000
Luminox continued to expand the SEAL dive  watch story with the addition of an all steel series and an all titanium series.

2003
The new Hamilton Khaki line is inspired by the original "Hack" watch worn by the American soldiers in World War II.

2004
Hamilton introduces the Khaki Navy GMT diver's watch.  In addition to being water resistant to 200 meters (660 feet), the Khaki Navy GMT is capable of measuring time in two different time zones on dry land.  A total of 24 different cities, on or near the ocean, are available for selection of a second time zone.

2005
Wenger has been owned by Victorinox since April 26th, 2005.

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