Jaeger-LeCoultre Dirty Dozen MoD Dial Military Watch, circa 1945

Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist

The Jaeger-LeCoultre WWW belongs to one of the most celebrated groups of military wristwatches ever produced: the twelve watches now collectively known by collectors as the “Dirty Dozen”. During the closing stages of the Second World War, the British military commissioned a new generation of purpose-built wristwatches manufactured to demanding specifications. Twelve Swiss manufacturers supplied watches to the requirement: Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, Omega, Record, Timor and Vertex. These watches carried the designation W.W.W. – Watch, Wrist, Waterproof. Although there were differences between the watches supplied by each manufacturer, the specification resulted in a recognisable military design language: black dials, highly legible Arabic numerals, luminous hands and hour markings, subsidiary seconds and the British military Broad Arrow. The name “Dirty Dozen” was never an official wartime designation. It was adopted by collectors much later, but has become synonymous with this fascinating group of twelve military watches. Today, collecting all twelve manufacturers has become a challenge in its own right, with certain examples considerably harder to find than others. Jaeger-LeCoultre's contribution was powered by the manually wound Calibre 479, a robust 16-jewel movement ideally suited to military use. Together with its highly legible dial, fixed strap bars and protective case construction, it created a practical service watch designed first and foremost as a piece of military equipment. Many WWW watches continued to be maintained and used after the war. During official servicing, original components could be replaced where necessary, creating a fascinating second chapter in the history of surviving examples. Ministry of Defence replacement dials, such as the one fitted to this watch, are an important example of these in-service modifications. What’s on Offer Here we have a highly collectable Jaeger-LeCoultre WWW “Dirty Dozen” British military-issued watch dating from c.1945, powered by the correct 16-jewel Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 479. One of the most interesting features of this particular example is its Ministry of Defence replacement service dial, fitted during the watch's military lifetime. The original wartime WWW watches used radium luminous material. As these watches remained in service, many were subsequently refurbished by the Ministry of Defence, with original radium dials and hands replaced for reasons of safety and continued serviceability. The later non-radium service dials are now well recognised by military watch collectors and form an important part of the history of watches that continued to serve beyond the Second World War. Rather than attempting to replicate the original dial exactly, these replacement dials can be identified by differences in their printing and layout. Particularly noticeable on this Jaeger-LeCoultre is the very sparsely marked subsidiary seconds register at 6 o'clock, a characteristic that immediately distinguishes the service dial from the original wartime configuration. The matt black dial retains all the functionality expected of a military watch, with highly legible cream Arabic numerals, luminous hour markings and broad luminous-filled hands. The Jaeger-LeCoultre signature sits beneath 12 o'clock, accompanied by the British military Broad Arrow. The luminous material has developed an attractive butteru tone with age, providing a pleasing contrast against the black dial and adding considerably to the watch's character. The 35mm chrome-plated case has the substantial rounded profile associated with the Jaeger-LeCoultre WWW and measures approximately 46mm lug-to-lug. Fixed strap bars underline its original military purpose. The case displays the expected marks of wear accumulated during its long life, while the Plexiglass shows some light age-related crazing and small abrasions. The stainless-steel caseback carries the all-important military markings, including the Broad Arrow, W.W.W. and F12340, providing tangible evidence of the watch's British military origins. Inside sits the manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Calibre 479, a 16-jewel mechanical movement with an approximate 40-hour power reserve. The watch is fitted to an adjustable grey NATO-style strap, entirely in keeping with its military character. This is a particularly interesting example of the Jaeger-LeCoultre Dirty Dozen. Its MoD service dial does not simply represent a later replacement component; it forms part of the watch's continuing military history and tells the story of a piece of equipment that remained useful enough to be maintained, updated and returned to service.