***SOLD***

A Superb Record W.W.W. Dirty Dozen WWII Army Issued Wriswatch With Rare Matching Case & Lug Numbers and Beautiful Vanilla Lume

In the closing years of World War II, a basic but carefully specified model wristwatch was commissioned to members of the British armed forces by the Ministry of Defence - manufactured by one of twelve watchmakers. 

These manufacturers (Record, Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, JLC, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Timor, and Vertex) later came to be known as ‘The Dirty Dozen’ in the mid-1960s, after the release of the popular war film of the same name. 

These Dirty Dozen sets are now highly sought after by military watch collectors and enthusiasts alike, and we have been delighted to help a number of our clients complete these full sets in recent years. 

Each watch was commissioned and manufactured with similar specifications and, as military watches, are hard-wearing, highly legible, and water-resistant with stainless steel or nickel-plated cases, shatterproof crystal, and fixed lug bars.

Watches were, as standard, capable of chronometer accuracy and hand-wound with 15-jewel movements. Each piece also had a large black dial with white Arabic characters, luminous hands, indices and a ‘railroad’ minute track with a small recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o’clock. 

What’s On Offer 

A cracking example from Record here, the synonymous original black radium dial is in great condition and showcases the crisp Arabic numerals, stepped sub-dial, and lumed hour plots perfectly. The original sword hands are in nice condition with the lume intact and boasting a beautiful vanilla hue. This example also boasts matching caseback and lug numbers which make it much rarer than its counterparts without this feature and very much sought after if you're wanting a completely original example. The caseback military engravings are W.W.W. L13430 531277 and the corresponding lugs are engraved with 430. 

The Dirty Dozen watches are hugely collectable and each has its own story, but ultimately they are tool watches and meant to be worn. The superb condition and proportions of this watch along with its classic lines, make it an ideal everyday wearer as well as a great addition to your collection. 

Running well and keeping good time, we have inspected the watch since its recent service by our master military watchmaker, the revered John Senior, it is sold with confidence and our own in-house 12-month warranty. 

Additional information

Made from

Case: Chrome Topped

Dial: Black

Crystal: Plexi

Bracelet: NATO Style 

Technical specifications

Winding: Manual

Movement Type: Mechanical

Caliber: 022k

Jewels: 15j

Waterproof: When new

Power reserve: u/k

Purchase details

Condition: Excellent

Model Reference Number: W.W.W.

Date of issue: c.1945

Warranty: 12 months by VWS

Dimensions

Width: 35.5mm

Lug width: 18mm

Lug height: (lug to lug) 46.5mm

Wrist size: Adjustable