Military Watches Back to Which Watch?
Whether
old or new, military watches have a strong collectors market. If the
watch has been issued and has military markings on the back cover,
it is more collectable. Military watches may be normal timepieces
that are issued to infantry and artillery forces as well as naval
seamen.
Chronographs are usually issued to airmen or officers. The chronographs would usually have a tachometer or telemeter scale. Sometimes however they may not have either. Military watches nearly always have a black face, a tough dark strap, easily legibly characters and hands - usually luminous or white, and non reflective surfaces.
Many military watches have to meet stringent durability standards including resistance to impact and magnetism, accuracy, water resistance, crystal, case, band and dial strength.
Military watches have a special kind of magnetism that draw collectors to them. They have a collectors market from watch collectors to collectors of military memorabilia. Many people sport a military watch for everyday use. This is a reflection on attitude and lifestyle. Design principles remain practical and simple for demanding use in the forces. The applications of the watches also remain of a practical nature. This is because military forces often depend on highly accurate watch functions and appliances such as the tachometer and telemeter on a chronograph.
The telemeter for instance allows you to measure the speed of sound in relation to the speed of light. For example, to judge how far away a gun or mortar bomb is is being fired, you activate the counter when you see the detonator flash. You stop the counter when you hear the missile impact. The indication on the telemeter scale that the chronograph hand is pointing to is the distance in kilometers that the enemy are. For a pacifist or civilian, there are more subdued applications other than combat for military watches.
The watch in the above graphic is a CWC British Military chronograph. These watches are available to the public from CWC Watches It is a simple design pilot's chronograph watch with a rugged Valjoux 7730 movement.