CWC Royal Navy Pilots Chronograph "Sterile Dial", 1973

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

Cabot Watch Company or CWC was founded in 1972 with a clear focus in mind, to win MOD wristwatch contracts. CWC is most known for creating the military diving watch that replaced the Rolex 5517 or Rolex Milsub for the British military and continued to supply military spec wristwatches to different branches of the British and European Militaries until the 1990s. During the 1970s the CWC, Hamilton, Precista, and Newmark were contracted by the British Ministry of Defense and Royal Navy to provide them with pilot's chronographs under the ordinance DEF-STAN 66-4 which specified all chronographs be outfitted with start, stop and reset pushers. The Valjoux Cal. 7733 chronograph movement was selected for these applications for its reliability and accessibility of parts. Sterile dials are some of the most coveted and interesting watch variants for military issued watches to possess. "Sterile" simply meaning lack of the logo on the dial and/or the military markings on the case back, this was done to reduce the exposure of information in the event that the soldier was captured. It is commonly known they were reserved for the units involved in the most covert and secretive operations. SPECS Stock # CWCRNPCHRON73 Brand CWC Style Military Pilots Chronograph Model 0552/924-3306 Serial 3268 Size Men's Material SS Dial Matte Black "Sterile" Millimeters 39 Bracelet Nylon NATO Strap CASE & BRACELET The wonderful asymmetric case shows evidence of being lightly polished in the past, retaining its original fixed spring bars. The case retains its original pump pushers and unsigned crown. The case back retains all of its military markings in deep and clearly legible condition. The watch will come supplied on a nylon NATO strap. DIAL & HANDS The matte black dial sterile dial lacks the CWC logo and only features the required military markings including the tritium designation and the British military arrow. The dial itself is exceptionally well preserved and features no damage or signs of age. The tritium lume plots have taken on a handsome dark, golden patina, under U.V. light inspection the 9 and 7 o’clock lume plots remain intact but show minor degradation, the rest of the lume plots remain fully intact. The original hands have been professionally restored with tritium to match the dial. ACCESSORIES