The Dirty Dozen

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ is the name of a film from the 1960s, following 12 fictional soldiers during the Second World War. It is also, in watch collecting circles, the name given to a group of 12 watches worn by those who actually fought in it – specifically, British soldiers.

Commander Alan Brooke, a British officer and advisor to Winston Churchill, was thought to be instrumental in developing the guidelines for a “perfect soldier’s watch” that would replace repurposed civilian watches on the battlefield.

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) requirements were very specific. They were to have a black dial with Arabic numerals, luminous hands, a subsidiary seconds register and a 15-jewel chronometer rated shockproof movement with an easy grip waterproof crown for use with gloves. The case too was to be waterproof, and the glass should be shatterproof.

The MoD invited 13 leading Swiss watchmaking companies of the time - Buren, Cyma, Enicar, Eterna, Grana, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor, and Vertex - to satisfy the contract. All but Enicar were eventually chosen and collectively the 12 remaining brands supplied over 150,000 wristwatches.

While the larger companies such as Omega were able to produce considerable quantities on their own, the smaller companies did not have the capability to mass produce and many delivered less than 10,000, with one company, Grana, estimated by some as producing as little as 1,000.

Today, the ability to collect all 12 brands is the ‘Holy Grail’ of watch collectors.  It’s a number that sounds dangerously attainable, but it is much, much harder than it sounds. There are believed to be only about 20 complete collections in the world, with one collection recently selling at auction for nearly £30,000.

The engraving on the back of the watch consists of the letters “WWW” (watch, wrist, waterproof), followed by the military serial number and the standard civil service number.

Cyma’s offering (Lot 222) is a favourite of many due to the size of its stainless-steel case, a rather contemporary 37mm. Inside is the mechanical Calibre 234. Around 20,000 pieces were made. The example on offer at the next Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale is offered with an estimate of £500 - £700.

Also available, is an example from Eterna. It has a stainless-steel case which is a fraction smaller at 36mm and with the in-house Calibre 520, this is among the rarest of the dozen, with only 5,000 or so pieces ever made. Lot 234 is available with an estimate of £700 - £900.

‘Dirty Dozen’ watches undoubtedly deserve a place in the horological hall of fame and these two fabulous examples available would be a good place to start for someone looking to begin on an epic collecting journey.

To view the watches available at the next Cheffins Jewellery, Silver & Watches Sale on 1^st May, please click here