Founded in 1923 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Timor earned a reputation for robust, reliable timepieces. The brand is best known for its role in supplying watches to the British Ministry of Defence during the Second World War as part of the “Dirty Dozen” — a group of twelve Swiss manufacturers chosen to produce military-spec wristwatches. Built to strict standards of durability and legibility, these pieces cemented Timor’s place in military watchmaking history.

What's on Offer

This Timor Dirty Dozen, issued in 1944, is an authentic example of one of the twelve Dirty Dozen military watches commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence. It retains its original military caseback engravings and the rugged reliability these pieces were built for, but the dial was later updated by the MoD with safer luminous Tritium material, replacing the original radium.

Far from diminishing its appeal, this makes the watch rare and highly collectible. It offers all the history and military provenance of an original Dirty Dozen, but with the added reassurance for those concerned about radium (not that you need be in normal circumstances). The black dial remains crisp and legible, complemented by hands with beautifully aged lume that enhance its vintage character.

The stainless steel 36.5mm case wears robustly, mounted on a grey NATO strap for military authenticity. Powered by Timor’s Calibre 6060 manual movement with 15 jewels, it remains in excellent condition. A superb opportunity to acquire a rare piece of British military history.