WWW VERTEX WW2 Vintage British Military Dirty Dozen Watch ORIGINAL CONDITION

The Dirty Dozen is the name collectors give to the Wrist Watch Waterproof (WWW) that was commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence late in WW2, building on the lessons learnt during the conflict. The watches were required to have clear, black, luminous dials, robust, proven, 15 jewel movements, and a rugged waterproof case with armoured plastic crystal. Twelve manufacturers produced watches to spec, Revue Thommen being one of them, supplying their cal 59 movement under the trade name of Vertex. First deliveries were made in 1945, right at the end of the war in Europe, but anecdotal evidence suggests that these watches were still being issued to British Army personnel as late as 1982, during the Falklands War.

I have owned this example of a Vertex WWW for a number of years, bought when the Dirty Dozen hadn't become as well known as it is now. It's in its original condition, and not messed about with or touched up.

The dial is original and untouched, with radium lume plots intact. All hands are correct and original, although the syringe style hour and minute hands have been relumed in the past, possibly with tritium, and still react to light.

There is scratching and wear to the chrome over brass case at most of the edges and one of the sides - this is one watch you can imagine has actually been used for purpose. It's not a factory fresh museum piece so, if that's how you like your military watches, then it's best to look elsewhere. Having said that, the watch still presents well overall - please examine the photographs, which will tend to exaggerate any faults, if anything. The longer range shots give more of an idea how it looks on the wrist.

The crystal is probably original but marked and scratched in places - any distortions are due to the crystal and not to the underlying dial or hands.

The stainless steel case back carries the correct vocab letter for Vertex - the letter A - although, as often is the case, the lug number no longer matches the case back serial, having been switched probably in service. (This design of case matches with case backs from Record (L) and Lemania (Q) so it's important to have the right vocab letter at least). The case back is clean and free from deep scratches you see from careless opening.

The watch is a manual wind, which sets and winds fine, although the action is a little stiff. (The watch has not been serviced whilst in my possession but I haven't worn it either). The crown is old and worn - also chrome over brass so I think it is original - most Vertexes now sport stainless steel crowns, which are possibly replacements. This watch does have a habit of losing 5 minutes on the first day of winding after being left, but once running it currently keeps to within a couple of minutes per day with the regulator set at neutral. The movement is clean but a service is strongly recommended for daily wear, however.

The correct movement ring is in place - Vertexes didn't have dust covers as some of the other WWWs did - and the underlying rubber gasket looks fresh.

Case Size is c 36mm diameter, c 38.50mm counting the crown. Lug to lug it is c 47 mm. It takes an 18 mm strap and the watch will be supplied with a green strap in the customary G10-N.A.T.O. style.

I have shown the watch photographed against the appropriate page in Konrad Knirim's standard reference work, British Military Timepieces (POMP, 2009) but numerous other references are available on the web.