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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

MWC, 6BB Military Style Watch, 1991

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Unrecorded in source
Date
1991
Country of origin
Unrecorded in source
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 36 mm
Stock no.
vws2387
Credit line
Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws2387)
Catalogue title (original)
MWC - 6BB Military Style Watch - Produced 1991 - Excellent Condition ***SOLD*** (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws2387), this is a wristwatch, dated 1991. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 36 mm. 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 — Vintage Watch Specialist

A Military Style Mechanical Watch From MWC Based on the W10/6BB Design, Issued in 1991 with Military Engravings on the Caseback. In Superb Condition. We Are Sorry But This Watch Is Now Sold - If However You Are Looking To Buy Or Sell Something Similar Then Please Email Sales@Vintagewatchspecialist.Com Or Whatsapp/Call +44 7831 454658. Thanks MWC was founded in 1974 by Wolfgang Obrigheimer, although he manufactured a limited number of watches in the mid-1960s and branded the movement Military Watch Company it was not until 1974 following a conversation with another famous watchmaker Albert Wajs of Ollech and Wajs who also lived in Zürich, that he decided to run the business fulltime. Wolfgang ran the business at the time alongside two business partners who had also previously worked in the horological industry. Under Wolfgang's direction, the company initially made hand-wound mechanical watches before progressing to quartz models in 1978. What’s On Offer This is an MWC military-style watch with a 6BB ref (indicating RAF issue) and the numbers 6BB-6645-99-523-8290 9442/91. The movement is a manual wind mechanical 1J pin pallet type. There have been various discussions about the origins of this watch and its pedigree but it appears it may have been produced for the MoD to trial but never passed acceptance tests to become an MoD-issued watch. Every watch ended up with the same MoD stores numbers leading to the incorrect suspicion that these watches were fakes. This watch is in great shape, very well preserved and boasts a fantastic dial in rich black with bold Arabic numerals and luminous hour indices. The sword hands also sport lume for visibility. With a needle central seconds hand in brilliant white and an outer minute track. The dial is completed with the MWC signature and the military arrow. The watch was purchased from one of our watchmakers from his personal collection, so rest assured it is serviced and runs very well. Additional information Made from Case: Brushed Stainless Steel Dial: Black Crystal: Plexiglas Bracelet: NATO-Style Technical specifications Winding: Mechanical Movement Type: Mechanical Calibre: n/a Jewels: 1j Waterproof: n/a Power reserve: n/a Purchase details Condition: Excellent Model Reference: 6BB Date of issue: 1991 Dimensions Width (without crown): 36mm Lug width: 18.5mm Lug height: (lug to lug) 41mm Wrist size: Adjustable

Historical context

Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)

Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.

Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution

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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