Watchmaker Benrus has just released the Benrus Type II military dive watch as a 500-piece limited edition honoring the company’s military heritage. The US military needed a dive watch for American soldiers in Vietnam in 1972. It had to be durable, waterproof, and rugged enough to meet the needs of the underwater demolition divers. Benrus designed the original Type I and Type II for field functionality. The company produced these military dive watches from 1972 through 1980. However, they were not available to the public until Benrus began limited-edition reproductions last spring, offering the limited-edition Type I.
Both watches are a throwback to the iconic design with the nostalgic minimalist look of their predecessors and updated with 21st-century watchmaking technology. This Type II has a 12/24-hour ring, provides the same durable case, a Soprod P024 automatic movement, a bi-directional rotating 12-hour bezel, and a 38-hour power reserve. This Benrus Type II boasts a two-piece nylon seatbelt-style NATO strap with a quick release. It also has a 20mm lug width, making it easy to change the strap. Additionally, this military dive watch meets the same depth rating standards as the original military contract, at 30ATM—300+ meters. What’s more, the black case back includes an inscription commemorating the edition’s date and the individual watch’s limited serial number.
For more on dive watches, check out the Squale Master Marina Militare.
