Military precision may not be the main motivation when you choose a
watch today, but that’s how the modern watch came to be. Advancements in
aeronautics spawned the creation of the first wristwatch.
The earliest dive watches from Blancpain and Panerai were designed as instruments for military operatives working under water. Breitling crafted dashboard chronometers and later, wristwatches, for airplane pilots in the early and mid-1900s. Luminox gifts a timepiece to every Navy SEAL upon graduation from training.
Here are 5 cool new watches that take their style cues and functionality from the armed forces.
The earliest dive watches from Blancpain and Panerai were designed as instruments for military operatives working under water. Breitling crafted dashboard chronometers and later, wristwatches, for airplane pilots in the early and mid-1900s. Luminox gifts a timepiece to every Navy SEAL upon graduation from training.
Here are 5 cool new watches that take their style cues and functionality from the armed forces.
Breitling
The association between Breitling and the military began in the
1930s when the watchmaker’s chronographs were included in aircraft
cockpits as onboard instruments. They later gained much fame with their
use by the Royal Air Force in World War II.
The Navitimer has been in production since 1952 and, according to Breitling, it holds the title of the world's oldest mechanical chronograph in continuous production.
This new Navitimer 01 has a 43mm case, an in-house automatic movement, and a functional slide rule along the edge of the dial.
Luminox
Luminox made its mark in 1993 when Nick North, an officer for
the Navy SEALs, discovered Luminox at a trade show. He’d been tasked to
find a highly legible timepiece for night missions for the Navy.
In collaboration with Luminox's founder Barry Cohen, North helped design what would become the Model 3001.
The Luminox Original Navy SEAL 3000 Series is now iconic. It has a 43mm case, is water resistant to 200M, and features the signature Luminox LLT self-powered illumination technology.
Panerai
Just before World War II, Panerai created the first prototypes of what would become the Radiomir collection for the frogman commandos of the Royal Italian Navy. The original models featured large cushion-shaped cases, luminescent markers, and were highly water resistant. Radiomir models today retain these same features.
The PAM00425 Radiomir S.L.C. is a direct descendant of an early Radiomir prototype. It has a 47mm case and a sandwich dial with minimalist hashes and dots. An image of the “Siluro a Lento Corsa” (S.L.C.), the slow moving torpedoes used by the commandos in their underwater missions, is rendered in relief on the dial.
Bell & Ross
As a tribute to military professionals who use their timepieces as instruments for missions, Bell & Ross released the BR03-92 Military Type in ceramic this year. It has a 42mm case, and features a khaki dial and matching canvas strap.
Blancpain
The original Blancpain Fifty Fathoms was released in 1953 and is considered to be one of the first modern dive watches. It was rated for water resistance to 50 fathoms or approximately 90 meters in depth and was issued to members of the French and U.S. military.
The new version of the Fifty Fathoms is called the Bathyscaphe and is water resistant to 300M.
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