The legend of the so-called "Dirty Dozen" military watches - Jaeger LeCoultre, Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, IWC, Lemania, Longines, Omega, Record, Timor, Vertex
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Haven't you felt the same way as a military watch collector?
When searching for rare pieces, one often comes across the term "Dirty Dozen"
Like many military watch collectors, I always thought that this "Dirty Dozen" was some special or legendary combat unit of 12 soldiers who heroically made history somewhere and somehow in World War II.
Like me, you've probably wondered why thousands of vintage military watches from these 12 soldiers are on the market...
Far from it! The term "Dirty Dozen" describes a material shortage in the British Army during World War II:
The “Dirty Dozen” in the field of military watches refers to a legendary group of twelve Swiss watch manufacturers who produced service watches for the British Army during the Second World War (from 1944 onwards) – according to uniform military specifications.
These watches are now considered icons of military watch history and are extremely sought after by collectors – especially in the complete set.
Background: Why the “Dirty Dozen”?
Occasion:
The British Army needed a reliable, standardized wristwatch for its soldiers—especially infantrymen and officers. Previously, private or non-standard models were often worn.
Default: “WWW” specification
The watches had to meet the following requirements:
| feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation “WWW” | “Watch, Wristlet, Waterproof” |
| Dial | Black, Arabic numerals, luminous material |
| pointer | Bright, high-contrast |
| Factory | Manual winding, shockproof |
| Housing | Stainless steel or chrome-plated, firmly screwed |
| Second display | Small second at 6 o'clock |
| Back of case | British ownership marking + serial number |
| Broad Arrow | Arrow symbol for state property 🇬🇧 |
The 12 manufacturers of the “Dirty Dozen”
| Manufacturer | remark |
|---|---|
| Boers | Rather small, but robust |
| Cyma | Great movement, very reliable model |
| Eterna | High-quality workmanship |
| Grana | Extremely rare – sacred collector’s item |
| IWC | Very high quality, expensive on the market |
| Jaeger-LeCoultre (JLC) | Popular, finely crafted |
| Lemania | Later also chronograph manufacturer |
| Longines | Large dial, elegant design |
| omega | Reliable, good gear ratios |
| Record | Classic, simple design |
| Timor | Particularly true to the original available |
| Vertex | British importer with Swiss movement |
Collector value
-
A single watch from the “Dirty Dozen” costs today (depending on condition) between €600 (Timor) and €10,000+ (Grana, IWC, JLC)
-
Complete sets with all 12 stamps are extremely rare → prices often exceed €30,000–€50,000
