« A Watch Genre Steeped in Tradition »
"No plan survives first contact with the enemy" – so went an insight of the famous Prussian Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, who, as Chief of the General Staff, played a major part in the victories of the three Wars of German Unification in the 19th century. Even so, careful planning of military operations – especially in terms of timing – remains central to every army to this day. It is hardly surprising, then, that watches were developed specifically for military purposes relatively early on, distinguished by particularly high accuracy and robustness. Thanks to these special qualities, military watches quickly made their way into civilian life as well – and some of these models can still be found in the luxury watch segment today.
High Precision and Durability – Hallmarks of Military Watches
The main requirements for military timepieces have always been that they display the time with high precision over as long a period as possible, while also proving resistant to stresses such as shocks or the ingress of moisture. Since this called for correspondingly high-quality materials and workmanship, military watches were usually relatively expensive and largely reserved for officers. Interestingly, naval and artillery officers around the turn of the 20th century were among the first men to wear wristwatches, which until then had mostly been worn by women as jewelry watches.
The cases of military timepieces were typically made of steel and worn on leather straps. The straps used had to be very sturdy. In addition, watches intended for pilots usually came with especially long straps so they could be worn over a flight suit. Military watch dials are mostly black or at least kept in an understated color, although there are also models with white or greenish dials. Another typical feature was the coating of the indices and hands with luminous material to ensure good legibility in poor light and at night. And so that the watches would not be damaged in bad weather and could also be worn by naval officers, a certain degree of water resistance soon became a further requirement.
Military Watches for Special Missions: Pilot's Watches and Dive Watches
There is no clear, universally accepted line between military watches and pilot's watches, but some models feature special equipment tailored to the needs of pilots and navigators. Besides the long strap, this can include a relatively large dial diameter, a large and especially easy-to-grip crown, a tachymeter scale, a chronograph function, a slide rule function, or a second time zone display. Entirely classic military watches are just as conceivable, however, and in everyday life they often impress with a striking elegance that is expressive yet understated. Genuine premium watches of this kind can be found in abundance in the Hamilton Khaki Field collection.
This Swiss manufacturer with American roots also offers military watches with more complications: it takes particular pride in the Khaki Aviation and Khaki Navy series, which deliver a great deal of high-quality technology at a fair price.
Sometimes, however, watches designed for military demands – or at least inspired by military watch design – are classified as pilot's watches or dive watches, depending on their functions and complications, simply because this makes them easier to market to civilians. With dive watches, of course, the focus is far more on high water resistance and good legibility underwater – regardless of whether they are used by civilians, such as professional or recreational divers, or by the military.
Dive watches must also offer a way to preset a specific time interval so that the necessary decompression stops can be observed. This requirement can be met either by a rotating bezel or by a timer. Incidentally, the first "true" dive watch was the Fifty Fathoms by Blancpain, developed in 1953 for a combat diver unit of the French military. A new interpretation of the model remains part of the manufacturer's lineup to this day.
Breitling Avenger: A Modern Take on a Classic Genre
With the Avenger 45 collection, Breitling has given a modern interpretation to the classic genre of watches developed for military use. Uncompromising functionality, luminous hands and indices, chronometer function, and a screw-down crown are part of the specification of most models in this collection.
A Breitling Chronospace Military is worn on a high-quality, hard-wearing textile strap. Accurate timekeeping is ensured by a precise automatic movement, the Breitling Caliber 13. Features such as the military-green dials underscore this watch's distinctly masculine look. Its size also means that this military watch can be operated even while wearing gloves in the field.
Bell & Ross BR V2-92 Military Green
The military specialist among watchmakers of this caliber has several offerings in store for fans of military masterpieces: Bell & Ross. Across various collections, the Paris-based brand, with its manufacture in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, offers military watches whose design is intended as a tribute to the men in the field and that were conceived according to the principle that "the essential never leaves room for the superfluous."
This is underscored above all by the Military versions of the BR V2-92 and the BR 03-92 Military Diver. Military-themed variants are available in several versions, from the simple three-hand watch with date window to chronographs from the Bell & Ross BR V2-94 collection, which stays focused but is ultimately a classic chronograph.
Breguet Type XXI – A Luxury-Class Military Watch
A particularly refined collection of this kind is made by the storied watch manufacture Breguet. It is the Breguet Type XXI, developed in the 1950s for the French Air Force and the French Navy, and offered today as a modern civilian version with a mechanical automatic movement. The various models in the Breguet Type XXI collection are worn partly on leather straps and partly on stainless steel bracelets.
They cut a fine figure not only on the bridge or in the cockpit. Rather, they show that a military watch need not always look martial, but can also appear highly elegant and be worn as a dress watch.
