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Educate a watch noob: What makes a military watch just that?

So I'm a little late to the party, but being a noob on the forums and seeing a thread that I could actually contribute to, I had to jump at the opportunity ;)... I've been a Combat Controller in the Air Force for almost 6 years now, and have had a few good "military" watches. My favorite and current is a Luminox, which is also a favorite of all those Squiddies in the Navy. I used a Casio forever and liked it just fine (I'll still even wear it most days when in civvies or training), but switched over to the Luminox after hearing great things about them, including how easy they are to read under water. They use small gas capsules rather than standard glow in the dark material, so they don't need light to charge, and are nice and bright without being too bright. The watch is accurate and durable, pretty resistant to scratching - great watch! Not familiar with their current lineup, but you could probably find a decent price online for a slightly older model.

I'm assuming those capsules contain tritium. What do you do when they go dim? Can they be replaced? The reason I ask is that I have some nite-sites on firearms and the tritium does decay over time.
 
There is no standard characteristic which signifies a military watch. Further, there are many brands which have played to the interest of various militaries as well as individual units, but they are quite various is make, type and price range. Further, some units with deep pockets can go out and contract with certain brands for unique characteristics or military logos embedded upon the dial, bracelet etc.
 
My personal favorite. Not necessarily military, but the most functional I have ever used.
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The word 'military' used when talking about a watch is often a marketing ploy. I was issued several watches when I served in the army and all of them were no-name winders or automatics, with a nylon band. sweep second hand and some lume on the numbers. Before the mid '80s they were steel and not coloured, after that they ran from black to khaki to green. We didn't even call the straps a 'NATO' strap. Truth be told most of the people I knew wore something that they liked a lot more than the cheapies that were issued. There was always a good deal to be had at the base exchange and that's where soldiers got the watches that they preferred. When Timex started the 'indiglo' technology, their Ironman line was a big hit with soldiers.
 
I've been in the AF for 6 years now, although not a combat controller like Treeski, awesome by the way, the only military watch was the one they made us buy in BMT.

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This bad boy is not only still in my drawer from then, but it still works like a champ. If you want an indestructible watch this is it. I know several other people that still have theirs and say the same thing, we can't believe that they still work!
 
Not to be flippant, but a military watch is one chosen or issued and worn by a member of the military while in service.
I wore a Zodiac purchased in 1968 at the Ft. Bragg PX while in Viet Nam. Watches were not an issue item in my MOS as they may be for pilots or divers.
 
"Military watch" is more a matter of styling. You will find very few service people wearing Rolex or IWC "military" watches. They're just not practical or even reliable. A Casio G-shock is the perfect military watch today.

So a "military" watch refers to a watch someone in the military might have worn 50 years ago.
 
I've been in the AF for 6 years now, although not a combat controller like Treeski, awesome by the way, the only military watch was the one they made us buy in BMT.

View attachment 545104

This bad boy is not only still in my drawer from then, but it still works like a champ. If you want an indestructible watch this is it. I know several other people that still have theirs and say the same thing, we can't believe that they still work!

I too got one of these watches in Army basic training, but it gave up the ghost in jump school. We weren't allowed to wear watches in jump school (probably so we couldn't prove that they were pushing the morning runs to increase the dropuout rate), but I wore mine anyway. Due to crappy winter weather, jump week was cut short, and I had to do three jumps on the final day. At some moment during those three jumps, I hit something hard enough to turn the display inside the watch. The watch still kept time, but the buttons no longer worked.

Afterwards, I bought s Rolex, and still have it, though my favorite watch now is an Omega Seamaster.
 
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Both of those Marathon's are examples of actual military issued watches. They are almost tiny when compared to my SMP, which is a pretty standard sized sports/dive watch.

I did have a Marathon SAR, but sold it as it was a bit too thick for day to day use. The SAR seems to be the one that is most emulated as the contemporary "military" watch. The Marathon SAR (GSAR) is still issued to our Divers and SAR Techs in the Canadian Military, but these really only amount to a couple hundred individuals.

The older general purpose wristwatch like the one above disappeared from the Quartermaster's shelves in the late 1990s. That was an actual mainstream "military" watch issued by the thousands up here.

The Navigator has a NATO Stock Number, but to the best of my knowledge was never actually issued in Canada.
 
I bought a gold Seiko automatic winder at the Hanau Germany PX in 1990 before deploying for the Gulf War. It was easy to synchronize and I used it for controlling artillery fires. I still wear it frequently.View attachment 548559
 
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I think its fair to say the modern Military watch had its origins in WW2 and into the 1960's. There were Military watches prior to WW2, but in most Services only Officers and perhaps SNCO's *needed* a watch to carry out their duties. That changed in WW2, but the problem was that an ordinary Private or JNCO's might only own a cheap low quality mechanical watch that really could not be relied on given the punishment they might receive.


To over come that, the various Services started issuing watches that had made to a Government specification..these were usually cheap and cheerful, but functional..Of course in some branches of the Military, it was critical that a watch held up to a harsh environment and that it was utterly reliable. This was best seen with the Rolex watches issues by the Royal Navy and RAF, and also other the high end watches such as the various automatic Sieko's that were issued..

Today, a cheap reliable waterproof watch is easily affordable by even the lowest rank (see the Casio F91W above) so the true Military issued watch is perhaps on the decline, and has certainly past its zenith when you could sign out a Rolex from the G1090 stores!
 
My idea of a "military" watch is one that takes its asthetic cues from the Hamilton or Bulova field watches of WW2 to Vietnam, but is hackable. These would have a nylon or canvas strap. And they would not be large watches. Maybe 39 or 40 millimeter cases.

Plenty of manufacturers make a modern interpretation of this style.

I've been told that WW2 issue watches kind of ushered in the era of wristwatches for regular people. Pocket watches were still the order of the day for many people. Indeed, the small sub-pocket in the right pocket of most brands of blue jeans is a remnant of the pocket watch days. That's what that pocket was for.
 

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Fridays are Fishtastic!
My idea of a "military" watch is one that takes its asthetic cues from the Hamilton or Bulova field watches of WW2 to Vietnam, but is hackable. These would have a nylon or canvas strap. And they would not be large watches. Maybe 39 or 40 millimeter cases.

Plenty of manufacturers make a modern interpretation of this style.

I've been told that WW2 issue watches kind of ushered in the era of wristwatches for regular people. Pocket watches were still the order of the day for many people. Indeed, the small sub-pocket in the right pocket of most brands of blue jeans is a remnant of the pocket watch days. That's what that pocket was for.

The ability to "hack" is vital. As to the pocket on jeans- I know they are watch pockets, but I call them Zippo pockets, because that is where I put mine when wearing jeans.
 
I bought a gold Seiko automatic winder at the Hanau Germany PX in 1990 before deploying for the Gulf War. It was easy to synchronize and I used it for controlling artillery fires. I still wear it frequently.View attachment 548559

Ah, so you were an FDC man, I take it? 13E? Time on target, strip out the time of flight?

So was I, but I didn't get to Sill for Basic until 1991. Started out in 8 inch SP, then to the 109s.
 
I'm currently on active duty as a pilot, and in nearly 26 years of service I've never been issued a watch. Isn't any watch I wear to work a military watch?
 
I'm currently on active duty as a pilot, and in nearly 26 years of service I've never been issued a watch. Isn't any watch I wear to work a military watch?

Not necessarily. Under your open criteria, Mickey Mouse would become a military watch just because you wear it on post.
 
Here is my Chinese Air Force watch. It is a recent reissue from the original factory. Original watch was introduced in 1963.

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It is 38mm and is non-hackable. But was definitely originally military issue.
 
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