A Very Collectible Record Military Watch - Part of the "W.W.W." Dirty Dozen Collection, in Excellent Condition with Beautiful and Rare NATO Tritium Dial, Ideal For Collectors with Concerns About The Presence of Radium. 

We Are Sorry But This Watch Is Now Sold - If However You Are Looking To Buy Or Sell Something Similar Then Please Email Sales@Vintagewatchspecialist.Com Or Whatsapp/Call +44 7831 454658. Thanks

Known as the “Dirty Dozen” these famous watches were the first purpose-built military watches ever made. Delivered between 1944 & 1945, the “Dozen” comprised 12 manufacturers who produced around 150,000 watches for the war effort. 

Of the circa 150,000 pieces made, around 25,000 were made by Record which makes them joint top with Omega for the largest quantity made. Featuring sword hands, 36.5mm chrome topped case and 022K calibre beating inside, the Record represents a classic military watch that has been copied in design many times!

The sub-seconds dial ensures maximum legibility when on the battlefield and the iconic broad arrow marks the property of the crown. These watches were meant to have been returned at the end of service but like many pieces of equipment used during the war, many soldiers chose to take some pieces home as a memento of a historic event that they were a part of. Occasionally the soldiers would paint over the broad arrow on the dial to make the watch appear as though it hadn’t been the property of the crown.

What's On Offer

This particular example has the much rarer NATO numbered dial without the Record branding which means its original Radium dial was replaced at some point and re-issued but with a tritium NATO dial which is even rarer than a replacement MoD dial and ideal for those collectors that have concerns about the presence of radium but would like to own an original piece of military wartime horology. The Record signature has been replaced by an MoD/NATO code which would have been unique to the Record dials. The NATO dial makes for an extra special variant over the branded dial and creates an additional exclusivity within this already rare group of watches. The Arabic numbers are in great shape and very legible, the lume on the hour plots and in the sword hands has aged to a stunning pumpkin colour which punches out from the intense black of the dial perfectly. 

The caseback has all of the original military markings including the arrow which denotes it as property of the crown and then WWW L31622 549469, and the added bonus of matching lug/case back numbers, (622). The case is chrome topped and there are signs of wear, but this is only to be expected from such an old watch, and if anything, it only adds to the character rather than taking anything away. This would make a fantastic addition to any vintage or military enthusiast's collection and bring much joy to any watch lover. The watch runs extremely well as you would expect from a watch that was serviced recently by a renowned military watchmaker, John Senior.

Additional information

Made from

Case: Chrome Topped

Dial: Black with NATO Numbered Dial

Crystal: Plexiglass

Bracelet: NATO military-style

Technical specifications

Winding: Manual

Movement Type: Mechanical

Calibre: 022K

Jewels: 15j

Waterproof: When new

Purchase details

Condition: Excellent 

Model Reference: WWW

Date of issue: c.1945

Guarantee: 12 Months by VWS

Dimensions

Width(without crown): 36.5mm

Lug width: 18mm

Lug to Lug: 46.5mm

Wrist size: Adjustable