IWC Mark 10 "Dirty Dozen" Broad Arrow British Military from 1945

The IWC W.W.W. is one of the most sought-after watches in the “Dirty Dozen.” Widely known among collectors as the IWC Mark 10, it is also one of the rarer examples, with an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 pieces produced. IWC was the only one of the twelve brands to deliver its watch with a waterproof snap-back case rather than a screw-down caseback.

This particular example is in excellent condition, with athick case, its original unsigned crown and original hands. The dial is also original, though the luminous material has been replaced with tritium, meaning the watch has been relumed. It is possible this was done in the late 1960s, if the watch was still in service, when regulations around radium materials began to change. Some dials were even restamped with a circled “T” to show they had been made safe to use. The famous circle T can be seen on many British military-issued watches from the 1970s.

These robust timepieces were made to last. When delivered in 1945, the W.W.W. was far superior to most commercially produced watches of its time. It remains a watch that can be worn regularly and enjoyed, while still offering a fascinating piece of military watch history.

The Dirty Dozen History

During the Second World War, the British Army needed a wristwatch that could stand up to military service. Civilian watches were not considered robust or reliable enough, so the British authorities invited manufacturers to produce a watch to a new set of military standards.

Twelve makers answered the call: Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor and Vertex. Their watches later became known collectively as the “Dirty Dozen”—a name inspired by the twelve manufacturers and the 1967 war film.

The specification was practical and clear. The watches needed to be water-resistant, shock-resistant and easy to read, with luminous hands and markers, a black dial, Arabic numerals and subsidiary seconds. They were fitted with steel cases and movements regulated to demanding standards. The casebacks carried the W.W.W. marking—“Watch, Wrist, Waterproof”—alongside the Broad Arrow, the traditional mark of British government property. On the dial, only the Broad Arrow appeared.

Most of the watches were delivered in 1945, after the war in Europe had ended, and continued in service in the years that followed. They were originally worn on pigskin or canvas straps; the familiar NATO G10 strap came later, in the 1970s.

Brand: International Watch Co.
Model: w.w.w Dirty Dozen
Reference: Mark 10
Year of Manufacture: 1945
Serial Number: 
Material: Steel
Dimensions: 35mm
Crystal Material: Plexiglass
Luminous Material: Tritium
Movement Type: Cal.83
Bracelet Width: 18mm
Bracelet: Contemporary Nato strap.
Box/Papers: No