***NOW SOLD***

A Nice Original Example of a Jaeger Le Coultre "Dirty Dozen" Military Issued Watch from World War Two, From c.1945. With Caseback Markings, WWW 284192 F13504 with Peppermint Lume. 

During the Second World War, every participating nation needed tough, reliable timekeepers for their servicemen and women. Not to be confused with the war movie of the same name, in watch terms, “Dirty Dozen” refers to the 12 manufacturers that produced watches commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence in the 1940s. The watches had to meet specific requirements which included the now synonymous black dial, luminous hour markers and hands, shatterproof crystal, and a steel, waterproof case.

Twelve brands were eventually tasked with fulfilling the criteria set by the MoD: Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor, Vertex, and Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Around 6000 of the circa 150,000 "WWW" watches exported to Britain during the war were from Jaeger LeCoultre and it's believed they arrived in the UK in the second half of 1945.

What’s On Offer 

Here we have a really nice and honest example of one of the iconic Dirty Dozen watches in original condition from Jaeger-LeCoultre. The jet black dial is blemish-free and boasts lumed hour plots and hands which have aged to a peppermint hue. The Arabic numerals are still sharp as is the JLC signature. The stepped sub-dial and arrow emblem both still look well and complete a really handsome tool watch. The chrome topped case shows signs of wear but nothing unexpected for a tool watch of this age which may have been active in the battlefields of WW2.  A super watch with historical significance, not to be missed. 

Additional information

Made from

Case: Chrome Topped - Stainless Steel Back

Dial: Black

Crystal: Plexiglass

Bracelet: NATO Style

Technical specifications

Winding: Manual

Movement Type: Mechanical

Caliber: 479

Jewels: 16

Waterproof: When New

Power reserve: 40hrs

Purchase details

Condition: Superb

Model Reference: WWW

Date of issue: c.1945

Guarantee: 12 Months by VWS

Dimensions

Width (without crown): 35mm

Lug width: 17mm

Lug height: (lug to lug) 45mm

Wrist size:  Adjustable