This Ltd Edition is a recreation based on the original 1960's Vietnam designs but with the interesting feature of being PVD plated making the watch non reflective and covert. The watches at the time were made in a variety of slightly different styles by Benrus, Bulova and Waltham but were all based on an original US government specification laid down at the time. Many of the original watches used a 15 or 16 jewel movement but this one has 24 jewels to improve accuracy.
This particular watch came into being because in January 2009 we were approached by a US veterans association who asked us to examine the viability of making a watch which was similar in appearance to the original watches which were made during the Vietnam war. We were sent samples of watches to examine and also the original specification sheeets and the result was a watch which was very close to the original and uses a high grade fully jewelled handwound movement. As a result of making that watch we were contacted again with a view to recreating a limited edition and as a result we are planning to manufacture a range of variants over the next few. The original watches are now almost impossible to find in good sound condition and in mint condition are becoming fairly valuable so this recreation is a cost effective way to own a watch made in the spirit of the original but with a unique non reflective PVD finish, this finish is often specified in military contracts for many special forces units as well as by anti terrorist units and for various covert operations. In the PVD process the steel is not black all the way through because the color is created by a special chemical PVD plating process which is vastly superior to the painted finish used on some lower quality watches which can easily fade or rub off. This PVD process means that the colour of the steel is altered at a molecular level, therefore it will not deteriorate even during heavy usage although it can be destroyed if the case is badly damaged by a piece of metal being gouged out or if the case is worn down by really heavy abrasion against rocks or something similar.
DIMENSIONS
- Width Inc Crown: 39.9mm
- Width Exc Crown: 36mm
- Thickness: 12.9
- Water Resistance 30m/99ft
- Lug Size: 18mm
- Lug to lug is 43mm
- Case Material: Black PVD Stainless Steel
- 24 jewels, mechanical automatic movement. with "Hack System"
