On a military base anywhere in the world, you’ll find a variety of watches on the wrists of personnel. What you probably won’t find is a watch that the government supplied to service people en masse, as was common in decades past. The compelling history of “issued” military watches is echoed in modern watches design and marketing, but those worn by soldiers today have a very different story.
The History of Issued Military Watches
At one time, the military treated watches as any other necessary equipment and contracted out their production. Adhering to very exact specifications, many of the watches produced for military use in the 20th century have a special place in the imagination of collectors — after all, they had to be very well built, durable, accurate and practical. Soldiers were issued their kit, which included a wristwatch often made by a historic company but sometimes without even branding on the dial.
That situation makes the idea of a “military watch” easy to understand, but times have changed. While there are endless examples of watches with rugged specs and serious looks available today, soldiers mostly have to purchase their own. So if you want a modern watch with the same kind of official military links as the issued watches of old, you might be looking at actual vintage watches. There are modern options, but you should understand exactly what a military watch actually means today.
How Are Watches Used in the Military Today?
Sorry to disappoint, but military regulations related to watches don’t appear overly concerned with tough specs and battlefield readiness. They’re mostly concerned with how they fit into dress standards: they are merely tolerated, so long as they conform. For the US Marines, for example, “inconspicuous watches are authorized for wear in uniform,” while the US Navy Uniform Regulations flatly state: “While in uniform, wristwatches shall be conservative and in good taste. Eccentric or faddish watches are not authorized.”
“Eccentric or faddish watches are not authorized.”
