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Tactical watches have a unique and rugged design that not only looks great but is also incredibly functional. Whether you are in the military or law enforcement, an outdoor enthusiast, or just someone who appreciates a good watch, a tactical timepiece is a must-have accessory. These watches are often associated with adventure and toughness, and wearing one can show that you are someone who is prepared for anything.
History of Military Watches
Military watches have been around since the early 1900s, but it wasn’t until World War I that they became standard issue for soldiers. The need for accurate timekeeping during battle led to the development of watches that could withstand harsh conditions and were easy to read in low light. These watches had features such as luminous hands and dials, waterproof cases, and shock-resistant movements.
During World War II, military watches continued to evolve. The British Royal Air Force developed a watch called the “Navigator’s Watch” which had a rotating bezel that could be used to calculate flight times and distances. The German military also developed a watch called the “Fliegeruhr” or “pilot’s watch” which had a large, easy-to-read dial and was designed for use in the cockpit.
Features of Tactical Watches
One of the key features of military watches is their durability. These watches are designed to withstand harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures, shocks, and water. They are often made with materials such as stainless steel, titanium, resin or carbon fiber, and have scratch-resistant sapphire or mineral lenses.
Another important feature of military watches is their luminosity: most of them have lumed hands and indexes, with high-quality pigments like Super-LumiNova® or tritium lighting tubes like Trigalight®, that require no external light source and deliver luminescence for decades.
Paradoxically, tactical watches also feature dark dials and cases, and have have anti-reflectant coatings inside the lenses to avoid reflections that could disclose your location, especially in the dark.
Benefits of Wearing a Military or Tactical Watch
Wearing a military watch has several benefits. Firstly, it is a practical accessory for anyone who spends time outdoors or in harsh conditions. The durability and functionality of these watches make them ideal for activities such as hiking, camping, and hunting.
But, let’s be honest, most users will appreciate their unique and rugged design that looks great on any man’s wrist. They are often large and bold, with a masculine and utilitarian style that is perfect for everyday wear.
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Luminox Master Seal Automatic
Features
- Caliber: Swiss Automatic – SELLITA SW 220-1
- Function: Time/Day/Date
- Water resistance: 200 meters / 660feet / 20 ATM
- Bezel: 316L stainless steel, unidirectional rotating bezel, at 12h fitted with a protected colored light tube with sapphire crystal
- Crown: Screw-down
- Case material: CARBONOX™+
- Case diameter: 45 mm
- Case height: 14 mm
- Crystal: Sapphire, anti-reflective coated
- Illumination: Tritium Tubes provide constant glow for up to 25 years in any light condition
Price: $1195
LÜM TEC Combat B45 GMT
Features
- Caliber: Swiss Ronda 515.24H Quartz movement (GMT format)
- Function: Time, GMT
- Water resistance: 200 meters / 660 feet / 20 ATM
- Anti-shock movement mounting system
- Crown: Screw-down with double Viton® seals
- Case material: Stainless Steel with Titanium Carbide gunmetal PVD hard coating
- Lug Width: 22 mm
- Crystal: Curved double dome sapphire lens with AR coating
- Luminous Paint Type: MDV® luminous Technology custom developed grade X1 Swiss 208LE (vintage radium color with high luminous reactivity)
Price: $495
KHS Reaper MKII
Features
- Caliber: Quartz movement, SWISS MADE
- Resistance to magnetic fields 18.8 Oe, resistance against shock NIHS 91-10, operating temperature 0-50 °C
- Function: Time, Date, Hacking Seconds
- Water resistance: 100 meters / 330 feet / 10 ATM
- Bezel: left turning countdown bezel made of NEOCARB®
- Crown: Pushed, black PVD-coated
- Case material: Carbon fiber-polycarbonate composite NEOCARB®, screwed stainless steel caseback
- Case diameter: 49 mm
- Lug size: 20mm
- Lug to lug: 50 mm
- Crystal: XENSATION® Glass by SCHOTT®
- Illumination: H3 gaslight lamps | Trigalights
Price: 249 € – 289 €
Traser P66 Tactical Mission
Features
- Caliber: Swiss Made Ronda Quartz Movement
- Function: Time date
- Water resistance: 200 meters / 660 feet / 20 ATM
- Bezel: Free rotating Steel Bezel, PVD-Coated
- Crown: Screw-down
- Case material: glass-fibre reinforced polymer double case with stainless steel container
- Case diameter: 45 mm
- Lug: 22 mm
- Crystal: Flat sapphire lens with AR coating
- Illumination: self-powered trigalight tubes on indexes
Price: 580 CHF
MWC Military Diver
Features
- Caliber: 24 Jewel Automatic with hacking function
- Function: Time date
- Water resistance: 500 meters / 1640 feet / 50 ATM
- Helium Escape Valve
- Bezel: plain fixed
- Crown: Screw-down
- Case material: : 316L PVD Steel
- Case diameter: 43 mm
- Lug to Lug: 50 mm
- Thickness: 16 mm
- Crystal: Shatter and Scratch Resistant Sapphire with Anti-Reflective Coating.
- Illumination: Luminova on markers and hands
Price: $434
Vostok Komandirskie K35
Features
- Caliber: Automatic Vostok 2416, date, rapid date adjustment, 31 jewels, shockproof, power reserve 31 hours
- Function: Time date, Alternative 24h Movement
- Water resistance: 100 meters / 330 feet / 10 ATM
- Bezel: Bi-directional steel bezel
- Crown: Screw-down crown
- Case material: Stainless Steel
- Case diameter: 41 mm
- Lug size: 22mm
- Thickness: 15mm
- Crystal: Domed plastic crystal
- Illumination: Luminous paint on Hands and dial indexes. Luminous pip on bezel
Price: 82 €
Victorinox I.N.O.X. Carbon
Features
- Caliber: Ronda Quartz Movement
- Function: Time date
- Water resistance: 200 meters / 660 feet / 20 ATM
- Bezel: Plain, fixed
- Crown: Screw-down
- Case material: Carbon
- Case diameter: 43 mm
- Lug Width: 21 mm
- Case Thickness: 14 mm
- Crystal: Sapphire lens
- Luminous Paint Type: Super-LumiNova®
Price: $950
Marathon SAR Anthracite Diver’s Automatic
Features
- Caliber: Automatic Sellita SW200 with Incabloc™ Shock Absorber
- Function: Time date
- Water resistance: 300 meters / 1000 feet / 30 ATM
- Bezel:Uni-Directional
- Crown: screw-down
- Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel
- Case size: 41 mm
- Lug width: 20 mm
- Thinckness: 14 mm
- Crystal: Sapphire
- Illumination: Tritium Gas Tubes and MaraGlo™
Price: $2500
Laco Einsatzuhr (Squad) Seven Seas
Features
- Caliber: Automatic Sellita SW 200 , 26 jewels
- Function: Time/Date
- Water resistance: 1000 meters / 3660 feet / 100 ATM, helium valve.
- Bezel: unidirectional rotating bezel, black PVD coated
- Crown: screw-down
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Case size: 45.8 mm
- Thickness: 16.65 mm
- Lug width: 24 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 55.3 mm
- Crystal: double domed sapphire crystal with an anti-reflective coating on the inside
- Illumination: Superluminova C3 on hands, dial markings and bezel
Price: 1940 €
GPW German Military
Features
- Caliber: Seiko 24 jewels automatic, 28800 per hour, hacking seconds
- Function: Time-Date
- Water resistance: 200 meters / 660 feet / 20 ATM
- Bezel: unidirectional rotating ceramic bezel, indexes with luminous material Superluminova
- Crown: screw-down
- Case Material: Light Weight Titanium Case (62 grams without strap)
- Case size: 42.5 mm
- Lug width: 22 mm
- Lug-to-lug: 50,5 mm
- Crystal: Sapphire Crystal
- Illumination: Non-Radioactive Military Luminous
Price: $319
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