Benrus Type I Class A Military Dive Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1979
This Benrus Type I Class A is a military-issued dive watch dating to approximately April 1979. It was produced by Benrus under the United States Department of Defense MIL-W-50717 specification, intended for use by military personnel including Navy Seals.
The watch features an asymmetrical 42.5mm case with a parkerized finish and a bi-directional rotating bezel fitted with a 12-hour black acrylic insert. The watch displays a matte black 'sterile' dial lacking brand markings, featuring Tritium elements and a white-painted handset. It includes a screw-down crown with hash marks and is accompanied by a single-pass black nylon strap with a PVD buckle. The caseback bears engravings documenting its military service.
The vendor notes that the watch remains in an unpolished condition.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Date
- circa 1979
- Type
- Military dive watch
- Maker
- Benrus
- Standard
- MIL-W-50717
- Dial type
- Matte black sterile dial
- Reference
- Type I Class A
- Case diameter
- 42.5mm
- Place recorded
- United States
- Luminous material
- Tritium
- Maker / attribution
- Benrus
Design
- Dial and Hands
- The dial is a matte black 'sterile' version, characterized by the absence of brand signatures or logos. The hour markers are treated with Tritium, which the vendor describes as evenly patinated. The handset consists of white-painted hands, which complement the dial aesthetics. The dial shows signs of faint surface wear consistent with the watch's age and use.
- Visible features
- • Asymmetrical case design • Bi-directional bezel with black 12-hour insert • Sterile matte black dial with Tritium indices • Screw-down crown with hash marks
- Case and Bezel Construction
- The watch features an asymmetrical case measuring 42.5mm in diameter. The vendor reports that the exterior finish consists of original parkerized surfacing and that the case is in unpolished condition, retaining signs of wear from its service life. A bi-directional rotating bezel is mounted to the case, which incorporates a black acrylic insert marked with a 12-hour scale. The crown is a screw-down type identified by its hash-marked grip pattern.
- Military Provenance and Markings
- This watch was produced to meet the MIL-W-50717 specifications required by the United States Department of Defense. It was manufactured for military use between 1972 and 1980, with this example dated to April 1979. The caseback features engravings intended to identify the piece's military origin and production year. The watch retains a black single-pass nylon strap equipped with a PVD-coated buckle.
Identification
- Reference
- Type I Class A
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Specific month and year attribution provided by vendor without stated documentary evidence
- Research required: Condition described as unpolished without independent verification