Wednesday 21 July 2021

A Watch for War


A Gents Cyma W.W.W. ‘Dirty Dozen’ World War II Military Soldier’s Wrist Watch, inscribed on reverse W.W.W., P25591, 30591.      Estimate £150 - £250     For Auction 28th July 2021


The British Ministry of Supply for the Military commissioned 12 watch makers to manufacture a basic but carefully specified model wrist watch for members of the British Armed Forces.  Cyma produced 20,000 such historic time pieces.

These manufacturers (Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, JLC, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor and Vertex) later came to be known as ‘The Dirty Dozen’ in the mid 1960s, after the release of the popular war film of the same name. 

Each watch was commissioned and manufactured with similar specifications and, as military issues, were hard-wearing, highly legible and water-resistant with stainless steel or nickel plated cases, shatterproof crystal and fixed lug bars.












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