Great video. Being a military officer I appreciate how you captured the history behind the design of these watches. Hard to believe that Rolex and Omega watches were standard issue back in the day, certainly not the case now. Also great job on capturing influence of Hanhart which in my opinion is a very underrated German brand. Thank you!
What makes me chuckle about the Rolex milsubs is everyone out there is stolen property. The MOD don't hand out souvenirs when you leave the service and none I know of were sent to a MOD clearance auction. Food for thought. 🤐
Fascinating ! I like the way those references just roll off your tongue.. Would be interesting to see a side by side of the Rolex - Omega - Rolex dive watches to see the progression of development. I have a Remontoir Cylindre 10 Rubis wristwatch my grandmother owned. It's a pocketwatch, hunter style with lugs soldered on. The XII is at the crown which is at the 3 o'clock position on the wrist. Seeing the pocketwatch conversions of WWI is revealing and poignant since she would have received the watch right during this period when she was a teenager in Bavaria . It has her maiden name engraved in the inside of the back cover. Keep up the great work.
Extremely comprehensive video, and i listened intently throughout. Thank You for a great and informative lecture on the history of military watches over the years
Great video! Love all the watches, no favourites, want them all! I have one military watch, a Lemania from 1946 with a Tissot 27A movement. Would love more videos like this. Well done with all your pronunciations!
Very interesting, lots of information, much more information than many of the other watch reviews on TH-cam. Though I am always interested in reviews on one particular watch at a time or style i.e. field, aviation, racing, dive etc....
It all starts with trench watches and pilot watches during WW1. There was a huge stigma about men even wearing wristwatches pre-war but the War changed that. This was an awesome list and everyone of these watches is important to horological history. Always impressed by the details you present quite clearly. Thanks for mentioning the legendary Blancpain 50 Fathoms and the Rolex Mil-Sub. But the A-11 was not mentioned.
That was truly excellent. I shall have to watch this video several times, such is the amount of detailed information presented. As a side issue, despite my interest in these watches and the history of their development, I am not attracted to their aesthetic qualities, nor do I currently need the functions and protective elements of a military watch or a chronometer. So their obvious appeal and popularity in the mass market makes me somewhat of an outlier.
AIF issue watches for soldiers in WWI had leather caps that buttoned down over the dial - very popular with drovers after the war as well, because of all the dust in the Australian Outback...
My war was Vietnam and I don't know how you could overlook the Seiko 5, 6119-8100, which was sold by the thousands to US troops during that time. To me, that was the classic Military watch.
A terrific vid as usual Armand.Note:The photo shown of British troops......the soldier 3rd on the left (sitting) was to lose his life later in the war.
My now-late friend who served a naval career in the submarine service corrected my pronunciation. Like you, I had always called it a "sub- mariner," but he informed me that in the service, men (and in his day, they were all men) who served in submarines were called "submarine-ers." Therefore, I wonder which is correct, and if there is any difference between the standard pronunciation between Britain and the US. Interesting video. Back in the 1960s, when I bought my first watch, a Submariner cost around $250 in the US, but a lot of servicemen bought them for quite a bit less in Japan and Hong Kong.
Pilot watches need a bezel. I am a pilot and I use the bezel all the time. The problem with the Rolex you feature is the have lines instead of numbers.
Very nice look at military watches. You mentioned the Dirty Dozen watches as being shockproof. I don't believe that innovation existed at that time. The movements are actually quite delicate.
Yes some were shock proof. I was also surprised though. There is a video of a restoration of a Helma AS1130, a watch of the WWII German Wehrmacht and it is also shockproof I'm not sure about the Dirty Dozen though as I have a Elgin 554 US WWII watch and don't believe i to be shock proof I was watching a video on a Vaer a12 which is a repro of the Dirty Dozen watch. It was a British watch I believe an Omega which did have a shockproof case
I just aquired a military CYMA Tavannes watch with black display and triangular 12´ index with dots ( B-Uhren type-a inspired ) 36 mm diam. and in very wearable condition (military steampunk kinda vibe) without noticible restoration except the crown wich i suspect it was replaced for civilian use (aviation watches have large unconfortable crowns), i think i found a history jewel for 165 buckaroos, what do you think?
I think your videos are AMAZING. But, when you are listing a dozen watch brands, can you please list them down below. I was trying to write them down quickly but you were saying them so fast that I had to go back and replay it over and over and over and over and over and over again, about a DOZEN times before I eventually got them all.
No Russian: Vostok (since the 1930s) dive watches with their ingenious pressure-resistant system? No Chinese (since the the mid-1950s) pilot watches with it's adaption of Venus movements? And no Hamiltons......?
Switzerland being landlocked and surrounded on all sides by Germany and its allies or German occupied territories, how did these watches reach the British armed forces?
+ambindia: That's a fascinating question. Unfortunately, it's one which I am unqualified to answer yet, to the best of my knowledge, they had to work their way across the Iberian peninsula to Portugal or Gibraltar before getting to Britain. it should also be remembered that some of the 12 'Dirty Dozen' watches never actually made it to British troops during the war and were delivered in 1945.
@@ArmandTheWatchGuy That was the only explanation I too came up with, when my brother posed the question to me.Of course, watches are not bulky cargo so sending them across Iberia[but do recall that occupied France was in the middle,might not have posed much problem. Through Italy and then by sea could be another way.With cooperation of course!
@@ambindia To the best of my knowledge, Swiss neutrality had no effect whatsoever. However, whilst I don't believe that Italy played a role in the transportation of these watches, they did play an interesting other one. When Panerai produced the (only) ~300 watches for the Italian navy, most of them ended up being used by Italian-trained German military divers.
In reality, this is utter nonsense. The greatest military watches were the 5 button G shock and the f91w. You’re just jewellery collecting while trying to con yourself into thinking it’s Manly…
What a masterpiece of a video …. So interesting. Thank you kind sir ! Now I shall binge watch all your other videos 😂
Fascinating. Great to hear a real expert and student of history
Another excellent video. You are without a doubt one of the best horological documentarians working today. I salute you good Sr.
Great video. Being a military officer I appreciate how you captured the history behind the design of these watches. Hard to believe that Rolex and Omega watches were standard issue back in the day, certainly not the case now. Also great job on capturing influence of Hanhart which in my opinion is a very underrated German brand. Thank you!
Hi James , the Omega and Rolex as you know is still used by the British Military however are it’s are Special Forces who use these excellent watches.
The days of the real toolwatch are gone ... all modern versions of iconic brands have become large bling !
Thank you so much for taking the time to put these timeless documentary's together.
What makes me chuckle about the Rolex milsubs is everyone out there is stolen property. The MOD don't hand out souvenirs when you leave the service and none I know of were sent to a MOD clearance auction. Food for thought. 🤐
This has to be one of my top 3 favorite videos of your channel. So far. Truly thanks for posting.
Excellent video. My interest in vintage military watches has really increased lately. They have a rich history.
Excellent chronological timeline of wristwatches - well researched. I’ve enjoyed it very much. Thank you.
Fascinating, Armand. One of your very best videos. As a military watch fan, this one is a keeper. Thank you.
One of your best videos to date. Superb.
Fascinating ! I like the way those references just roll off your tongue.. Would be interesting to see a side by side of the Rolex - Omega - Rolex dive watches to see the progression of development. I have a Remontoir Cylindre 10 Rubis wristwatch my grandmother owned. It's a pocketwatch, hunter style with lugs soldered on. The XII is at the crown which is at the 3 o'clock position on the wrist. Seeing the pocketwatch conversions of WWI is revealing and poignant since she would have received the watch right during this period when she was a teenager in Bavaria . It has her maiden name engraved in the inside of the back cover. Keep up the great work.
Great video. No favorites. Love them all.
Extremely comprehensive video, and i listened intently throughout.
Thank You for a great and informative lecture on the history of military watches over the years
Very informative and data good to know.👍🏻
Lovely and educational as always. Loved the "Watchmakers four" on presenting the Dirty Dozens. It's all in the details.
I learn knowledge through the information of discussions of watches past and present interest interestingly thanks
Fascinating. Thank you.
Great video! Love all the watches, no favourites, want them all! I have one military watch, a Lemania from 1946 with a Tissot 27A movement. Would love more videos like this. Well done with all your pronunciations!
Fascinating video Armand. Keep up the great work.
Absolutely phenomenal video Armand! the depth of your explanations is hugely respectable. Fantastic research!
Very interesting. Thanks for producing this.
Another fantastic video!! Really appreciate all your efforts!! Thank you.
Enjoyed the historical review. Good vid
Keep at it!
Thank you very much for the very interesting and informative historical review Armand - Great stuff! Cheers Noel
Thanks Armand! I really enjoyed this video!!!
Very interesting, lots of information, much more information than many of the other watch reviews on TH-cam. Though I am always interested in reviews on one particular watch at a time or style i.e. field, aviation, racing, dive etc....
I appreciate the history and this editorial...amazing video!
Informative and entertaining.
outstanding video!!
13:26 The Wehrmacht (German armed forces) had a very similar 'Dienstuhr' (service watch) which was produced by German and Swiss manufacturers.
Thank you for your research, I always learn so much
I think the German KM watches deserve a place in the list. Simple and beautiful.
This video is amazing. I was in the Marines for 12 years I had s crappy timex but always wondered what was used before
Excellent video
It all starts with trench watches and pilot watches during WW1. There was a huge stigma about men even wearing wristwatches pre-war but the War changed that. This was an awesome list and everyone of these watches is important to horological history. Always impressed by the details you present quite clearly. Thanks for mentioning the legendary Blancpain 50 Fathoms and the Rolex Mil-Sub. But the A-11 was not mentioned.
excellent video .thx
That was truly excellent. I shall have to watch this video several times, such is the amount of detailed information presented.
As a side issue, despite my interest in these watches and the history of their development, I am not attracted to their aesthetic qualities, nor do I currently need the functions and protective elements of a military watch or a chronometer. So their obvious appeal and popularity in the mass market makes me somewhat of an outlier.
Very interesting, and a lot of research on your part. Many thanks
As far as I’m aware “ The Omega Dirty Dozen Watch “ was the Army Commando ( My Late Grandfather was in 1 Commando ) , SAS , SBS watch
AIF issue watches for soldiers in WWI had leather caps that buttoned down over the dial - very popular with drovers after the war as well, because of all the dust in the Australian Outback...
Great stuff, thank you!
My war was Vietnam and I don't know how you could overlook the Seiko 5, 6119-8100, which was sold by the thousands to US troops during that time. To me, that was the classic Military watch.
Vietnam was before my time. Thank you for your service! I love the Seiko 5s
Excellent video. Thank you.
Great! Thank you Armand.
Excellent content.
I love the intro music. What is the name of the piece? Thanks!
Great video. I have an IWC B.Uhr 52 SC
Love the videos you can tell you do your research keep up the great work !
Very nice
What does the letter T mean on the Rolex submariner at the end of the video?
Eric Satie Gynopedie #1. Great piano music.
11:18 - The predecessor of "modern day NATO strap" is the (British) 1945 VB Hygienique strap, essentially the same basic design.
@5:49 the Panarai you show for 1938 surely didnt have a California dial, did it?
A terrific vid as usual Armand.Note:The photo shown of British troops......the soldier 3rd on the left (sitting) was to lose his life later in the war.
I can tell you did quite a bit of research for this video, good job.
My now-late friend who served a naval career in the submarine service corrected my pronunciation. Like you, I had always called it a "sub- mariner," but he informed me that in the service, men (and in his day, they were all men) who served in submarines were called "submarine-ers." Therefore, I wonder which is correct, and if there is any difference between the standard pronunciation between Britain and the US.
Interesting video. Back in the 1960s, when I bought my first watch, a Submariner cost around $250 in the US, but a lot of servicemen bought them for quite a bit less in Japan and Hong Kong.
I have never heard the term sumarine-ers.
The term is sub- mariner, below the water, as opposed to a mariner, above water.
You did not mention the 7021/0 Tudor snowflake, the Rolex clone
I have a couple, great machines
What about Marathon Military watches..
Pilot watches need a bezel. I am a pilot and I use the bezel all the time. The problem with the Rolex you feature is the have lines instead of numbers.
Incorrect regrading the BP FF which was in existence before the French navy started searching for a suitable diver
I would very much like to see review on field watches, am particularly interested in Hamilton, as they seem to GIVE A LOT FOR THE MONEY.
Very nice look at military watches. You mentioned the Dirty Dozen watches as being shockproof. I don't believe that innovation existed at that time. The movements are actually quite delicate.
Yes some were shock proof. I was also surprised though. There is a video of a restoration of a Helma AS1130, a watch of the WWII German Wehrmacht and it is also shockproof
I'm not sure about the Dirty Dozen though as I have a Elgin 554 US WWII watch and don't believe i to be shock proof
I was watching a video on a Vaer a12 which is a repro of the Dirty Dozen watch. It was a British watch I believe an Omega which did have a shockproof case
He said “shock troops” not “shock proof”. He was referring to more specific units that needed watches.
I just aquired a military CYMA Tavannes watch with black display and triangular 12´ index with dots ( B-Uhren type-a inspired ) 36 mm diam. and in very wearable condition (military steampunk kinda vibe) without noticible restoration except the crown wich i suspect it was replaced for civilian use (aviation watches have large unconfortable crowns), i think i found a history jewel for 165 buckaroos, what do you think?
May not rise to level of these watches, but consider Unimatic U2-B, and then Unimatic U2-C, in that order, to be on any military watch list.
Well you left out a few classics hamilton ,Bulova, benrus stocker and yale ,marathon
Depollier predated Panerai in terms of underwater military watches.
Great!
Thanks.
come on man, no A-11 watches??? u joking?
I think your videos are AMAZING. But, when you are listing a dozen watch brands, can you please list them down below. I was trying to write them down quickly but you were saying them so fast that I had to go back and replay it over and over and over and over and over and over again, about a DOZEN times before I eventually got them all.
Oh give me a break. The A-11 is far more iconic than the milsub. Good lord.
No mention of the A-11 aptly named “the watch that won the war” from WW2? Literally the most popular watch worn by the allied forces...
what was the music playing in the intro?
Minecraft
what about Hamilton khaki field.
As much as I like the content: Would anyone know what the intro song is?
ventus5th gymnopedie no 1
what is the difference between "military" and "pilots" watches?
Does anybody make a homage watch of the WW2 WWW watch ?
No Russian: Vostok (since the 1930s) dive watches with their ingenious pressure-resistant system? No Chinese (since the the mid-1950s) pilot watches with it's adaption of Venus movements? And no Hamiltons......?
Switzerland being landlocked and surrounded on all sides by Germany and its allies or German occupied territories, how did these watches reach the British armed forces?
+ambindia: That's a fascinating question. Unfortunately, it's one which I am unqualified to answer yet, to the best of my knowledge, they had to work their way across the Iberian peninsula to Portugal or Gibraltar before getting to Britain. it should also be remembered that some of the 12 'Dirty Dozen' watches never actually made it to British troops during the war and were delivered in 1945.
@@ArmandTheWatchGuy That was the only explanation I too came up with, when my brother posed the question to me.Of course, watches are not bulky cargo so sending them across Iberia[but do recall that occupied France was in the middle,might not have posed much problem. Through Italy and then by sea could be another way.With cooperation of course!
Did Swiss neutrality allow non lethal cargoes to move?
@@ambindia To the best of my knowledge, Swiss neutrality had no effect whatsoever. However, whilst I don't believe that Italy played a role in the transportation of these watches, they did play an interesting other one. When Panerai produced the (only) ~300 watches for the Italian navy, most of them ended up being used by Italian-trained German military divers.
What happened to the channel 😢
Sangin should be up top
7:10 *Luminor.
Please double check. Great vid nevertheless.
75million people died in ww2, 40 million in ww1
In reality, this is utter nonsense. The greatest military watches were the 5 button G shock and the f91w. You’re just jewellery collecting while trying to con yourself into thinking it’s Manly…
36 minute to talk about 7 watches??
seriously your video is too long
Excellent video.