A Very Well Preserved Vertex Dirty Dozen Military Issued Watch from WW2, in Superb Condition with Beautiful Lume and Matching Case and Lug Numbers, c.1944

The Vertex Dirty Dozen watch is an iconic timepiece that holds a significant place in history. Originally commissioned by the British Ministry of Defense during World War II, this wristwatch was part of a collection known as the "Dirty Dozen" as twelve brands were asked to produce them. These watches were specifically designed for military use and had to meet rigorous standards of reliability, accuracy, and durability. These watches served as essential tools for soldiers in the field, helping them coordinate missions and keep track of time during critical operations. Owning a Dirty Dozen watch is like owning a piece of history—a symbol of courage, resilience, and precision that pays homage to those who served their countries during wartime.

What’s On Offer 

As with all of the Dirty Dozen watches, the Vertex is a simple design in stark black with bold white Arabic numerals, a recessed sub-seconds dial at 6 o'clock and an outer minute track. The hour plots and hands contain their original lume and in this particular example, it has aged to a beautiful deep coffee colour which is even across the dial. This is a particularly nice example of the Vertex DD with its warm coffee accents really bringing out the dial which is encapsulated underneath robust shatterproof crystal and encased in chrome-topped metal. The case does show some wear, but it's a wartime watch which has possibly seen live action - so we expect to see some war wounds so to speak, we actually think this is one of the joys of vintage watch collecting, you will never find another exactly the same! The caseback has the military markings we expect to see on the DD watches and they read: A11596 3524512, the lugs also bear the same numbers making this piece even more collectable as it is very rare to find one with matching case and lug numbers. A very worthy addition to any collection, this watch is running well and keeping good time thanks to a recent service by revered military watchmaker John Senior. 

Additional information

Made from

Case: Chrome topped

Dial: Black

Crystal: Plexiglas

Bracelet: NATO Style

Technical specifications

Winding: Manual

Movement Type: Mechanical

Calibre: 59

Jewels: 

Waterproof: No 

Power reserve: 

Purchase details

Condition: Very Good

Model Reference: WWW

Date of issue: c.1944

Warranty: 12 Months by VWS

Dimensions

Width (without crown): 35mm

Lug width: 18mm

Lug height: (lug to lug)

Wrist size: Adjustable