















Cyma - A British Military Issued WWW Dirty Dozen - c.1945 - Caliber 234 Movement***NOW SOLD***
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
A Rare and Sought After Cyma "Dirty Dozen" Military Issued Wrist Watch in Superb Original Condition with Radium Dial and Attractive Lume. A Real Original Collectors Piece.
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 who delivered 20,000 of these Cymas to the MoD in 1944 and 1945. Nobody knows how many survived and are still available to the collectors market and we find it more and more difficult to find GOOD honest examples like the ones we have for sale currently!
Each watch was commissioned and manufactured with similar specifications and, as military issues, they were and still are hard-wearing, highly legible, and water-resistant with stainless steel or nickel-plated cases, shatterproof crystal, and fixed lug bars.
These manufacturers (Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, JLC, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, 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.
A lot of these watches were destroyed in the 1970s due to the presence of radioactive Radium-226, in the luminescent material, hence the number of surviving watches dwindled. This, teamed with the obvious historical significance of the watches, has made them increasingly more collectable.
What’s On Offer
The Cyma is the largest of the Dirty Dozen watches and as such wears very well on the wrist. This particular example is in nice shape with a blemish-free, rich black dial, crisp Arabic numerals, recessed small seconds dial and lumed hour plots which have aged to a buttery colour. The original hands are also in good shape with the original lume still visible. The attractive dial is preserved underneath plexi and encapsulated in a stainless steel case which looks well, with only very minor signs of wear, nothing of any concern for a watch of this age. The watch is running well and keeping good time after having been serviced by the revered military watchmaker, John Senior.
This is a really nice and honest example that would be a great addition to any collection and would certainly be a joy for any military collector to wear!
Additional Information
Case: Stainless steel
Case back: Stainless steel
Dial: Black
Crystal: Shatter-proof plexi
Bracelet: NATO-style strap
Technical specifications
Winding: Manual
Movement Type: Mechanical
Caliber: 234
Jewels: 15j
Waterproof: when new!
Purchase details
Condition: Excellent
Model Reference: WWW
Date of issue: c.1945
Guarantee
12 months by VWS
Dimensions
Width: 38mm
Lug width: 18mm
Lug height (lug to lug): 45mm
Wrist size: Adjustable