{"product_id":"iwc-dirty-dozen-broad-arrow-ref","title":"IWC Mark 10 \"Dirty Dozen\" Broad Arrow British Military from 1945","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThese 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Dirty Dozen History\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwelve 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBrand: International Watch Co.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eModel: w.w.w Dirty Dozen\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eReference: Mark 10\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYear of Manufacture: 1945\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSerial Number: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaterial: Steel\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions: 35mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCrystal Material: Plexiglass\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLuminous Material: Tritium\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMovement Type: Cal.83\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBracelet Width: 18mm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBracelet: Contemporary Nato strap.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBox\/Papers: No\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"rvmusa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67772370059574,"sku":null,"price":6500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0694\/8628\/1014\/files\/15_IWC_DirtyDozen_BroadArrow_01.png?v=1792438140","url":"https:\/\/relojesvintagemexico.com\/products\/iwc-dirty-dozen-broad-arrow-ref","provider":"rvmusa","version":"1.0","type":"link"}