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CWC British Military Navigator Field Watch "W10", 1977 — view 1 of 6
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CWC British Military Navigator Field Watch "W10", 1977

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
CWC (maker)
Date
1977
Country of origin
England
Object type
Wristwatch
Stock no.
CWCW10
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (CWCW10)
Catalogue title (original)
1977 CWC British Military Navigator Field Watch "W10" (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number CWCW10), this is a wristwatch by CWC, made in England, dated 1977. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

The art of collecting military-issued timepieces has never been more interesting or captivating than in today’s day and age. These alluring timepieces have been sought after for as long as collectors have existed, however, due to the availability of archived information we now possess, the community has never been more interconnected or informed. As we collectively continue to discover new information we reinforce our understanding of where, when, and why these incredible timepieces were enlisted. Stock # CWCW10 Brand Cabot Watch & Clock Style Military Navigator Model W10 Serial 49XX/77 Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Matte Black Millimeters 36 Strap NATO Strap CASE & BRACELET The exceptionally well-preserved and unpolished case is manufactured out of a single piece of steel and exhibits almost no signs of previous use, featuring extremely crisp brushing throughout which tactically makes the watch less reflective. The unsigned crown is believed to be original to the watch. The back of the case retains its bead-blasted finish along with all of its original military designations engravings and markings. The fixed strap bars remain in perfect condition and the watch comes supplied on a NATO strap. DIAL & HANDS The original matte black "T" dial is in virtually flawless condition with no age or damage present, though some dust is present which is expected. The tritium lume plots have achieved a charming yellow patina and exhibit no degradation when inspected under UV light. The original tritium hands coordinate with the dial nicely and remain fully intact under UV light inspection. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is keeping time perfectly, but the service history is unknown. A movement service can be provided upon request.

Historical context

Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)

Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.

Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology

Atlas type guide

Military, pilot and travel watches

The wristwatch owes much of its adoption by men to warfare and aviation. Wristlets — small pocket watches soldered with lugs and worn on a strap — were used in colonial campaigns and became standard equipment in the First World War, with protective grilles over the crystal ('shrapnel guards'). Louis Cartier's Santos (1904), designed for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, is often cited as an early purpose-made pilot's watch.

In the Second World War governments specified watches in detail: the German B-Uhr observation watches, the American A-11, and the British 'W.W.W.' (the 'Dirty Dozen' set of 1945). After the war, jet travel brought GMT and world-time watches, which show two or more time zones at once — Louis Cottier's world-time mechanism and the Rolex GMT-Master (1955) are examples.

What to look for

  • Military markings on the case back: broad arrow, issue numbers, 'W.W.W.', 'A.T.P.'
  • High-legibility black dials with luminous Arabic numerals; oversized crowns for gloved hands.
  • 24-hour hands and rotating 24-hour bezels or city rings on GMT/world-time watches.
  • Wire lugs on early wristlets converted from pocket watches.

Dating clues

  • Wire-lug wristlets: c. 1900–1925.
  • Military specifications of the Second World War: 1939–1945.
  • GMT and world-time wristwatches: mainly after 1950.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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