Product Details

SKU Code: W10/445-23CH

This classic hand-wound 24-jewel MWC military watch, featuring a Swiss Sellita 24-jewel SW216 movement and a small subsidiary dial second hand, is based on the typical designs used by the British military from the 1940s to the 1950s. It retains the appearance of the original watch, while offering increased water resistance to 100m (330 feet) and durability with a shatter and scratch-resistant sapphire box crystal that maintains the outward appearance of the original plexiglass without any of the drawbacks.

The watch has a heavy stainless steel satin finish case made from military-grade 316L stainless steel, a subsidiary dial second hand, screw-down crown, hacking function, black dial, and luminous markings. It also comes with a historically accurate canvas strap, as used in the 1940s and 50s.

The final image shows the original 12 watches made by companies like Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor, and Vertex. MWC was not a manufacturer at that time, having been founded in 1974, but this watch is very much in the spirit of the originals.

Specifications

• Case Diameter: 36.5 mm (excluding crown), 39 mm (including crown)
• Lug to Lug: 43 mm
• Thickness: 12.5 mm
• Lug Type: Solid fixed strap bars
• Dial Color: Black
• Case Material: 316L stainless steel
• Caseback: 316L stainless steel
• Crown: Stainless steel screw-down locking crown
• Water Resistance: 100m / 330ft / 10 ATM
• Movement: Swiss hand-winding 24-jewel Mechanical Sellita 216
• Crystal: Shatter and scratch-resistant sapphire box crystal with anti-reflective coating*
• Luminous Material: Luminova
• Serial Number: On caseback
• Strap: 18 mm 1950s pattern canvas
• Packaging: Supplied in a box
• Warranty: 24 months

Benefits of Sapphire Crystal

Many people ask about the benefits of sapphire crystal over the original plexiglass. Synthetic sapphire is the superior material for watch crystals due to its exceptional strength and resistance to shattering and scratching. These characteristics make it highly appealing to military and security personnel, police officers, and people who lead active outdoor lifestyles, who account for over 70% of our customers.

The original plexiglass crystals, made of a plastic/acrylic type material frequently used up until the 1980s, suffered drawbacks: they were easily scratched and could crack upon impact, limiting the water resistance of the watch. Our observations show that over 90% of cracked watch crystals involve mineral glass or plexiglass. Even with hardened mineral crystals, they do not match the durability of sapphire under adverse conditions. Sapphire crystals are robust because, after manufacturing, the sapphire glass is heat-treated to remove internal stresses, which can cause weakness. The crystals are then coated with two layers of anti-reflective coating. Although sapphire crystal comes at a higher cost, it is typically found in higher-end watches due to its longevity, resilience, and superior performance.

SWISS SELLITA SW216 MOVEMENT WINDING GUIDELINES

To wind the SW216 from an empty state to full, you'll need approximately 20 to 25 turns of the crown (most other hand-wound watches will need 30 to 40 turns, so this movement requires significantly less). Once fully wound, the watch boasts an average power reserve of around 42 hours. It's crucial to exercise caution during the winding process because securing the locking crown adds an additional 3 or 4 winds, which must be factored in, especially given that most hand-wound watches of this type lack a screw-down crown. We added this feature to increase the water resistance rating to 100m/330ft.

For those who wear the watch daily and wind it consistently, say every morning, a slight variation in the number of turns will not significantly impact the overall power reserve because it will be well below the maximum of around 42 hours.

Some users have reported that approximately 15 to 17 turns are sufficient when winding every 24 hours. This seems logical because the watch would not need a full wind after 24 hours. Nevertheless, individual preferences may vary, and most owners tend to develop a sense of the optimal winding routine within the first few days of ownership.

Above all, it's crucial to emphasize the importance of not overwinding** the watch, which could lead to locking up issues or, worse, damage or breakage of the mainspring. Adhering to the recommended winding procedures ensures the longevity and proper functioning of the timepiece.

**To clarify, overwinding occurs when a mechanism is wound beyond its designated stopping point, posing the risk of damage or even destruction to the winding mechanism. Overwinding is a concern primarily for manually-wound watches, not for their automatic counterparts which normally cannot be overwound.

Photo Credit

* Photo Credit: Watches Of Knightsbridge

** For details of water resistance ratings etc go to Water Resistance

For anyone interested in the history of the Dirty Dozen these links show the 12 original watches and explain the history.

The Dirty Dozen 1

The Dirty Dozen 2

The Dirty Dozen 3

MWC are official distributors for AESCHBACH watches.

• Delivery

  • Delivery charges are as follows:

    USA/CANADA	EUROPE	UK	REST OF THE WORLD
    Tracked Mail US$11.50	Tracked Mail €11.75 / £10.25 / US$11.50	Tracked Mail  £9.95	Tracked Mail US$11.50 / €11.75 / £10.25
    Express Courier UPS or FedEx  US$25.00	Express Courier UPS or FedEx  €27.50 / £24.00 / US$27.00	Express Courier  UPS £12.95	Express Courier UPS or FedEx  US$41.50 / €42.50 / £36.50

    You will generally receive two emails after placing an order, the first will be a confirmation of receipt of the order and payment, this will be followed by a notification of shipment  once the goods are dispatched. When an order and payment has been processed, goods will be shipped by the Post Office or Courier within 48 hours. Please note that our shipping centers are closed on Saturdays and Sundays therefore orders placed during this time may take up to 72 hours to be dispatched, this includes orders after 13:00 European time on Fridays.

    The estimated delivery times in working days are set out below: *

    • USA Registered Mail: 4 to 12 days
    • USA UPS: 2 to 3 days
    • Europe UPS: 2 to 5 days
    • Europe Registered Mail: 7 to 14 days
    • UK DPD or UPS: 12 to 48 hours
    • UK Royal Mail: 1 to 3 days
    • Rest of World UPS: 3 to 10 days
    • Rest of World Registered Mail: 7 to 21 days

    All shipping estimates exclude Saturdays and Sundays when our packing and shipping centres are closed and also some countries postal services do not operate at the weekend.
    

    * Some countries are prone to be notoriously slow to process goods on arrival, among these countries are Israel, Hong Kong, Macau, Mexico, South Africa and some South American countries. We also tend to experience significant delays with many countries in Africa in addition to South Africa, you can always contact us for advice although we do not know with certainty exactly which countries will be slow, and which will be fast but the above estimates are a pretty good guide for most countries, keen in mind remote territories or those with slow customs processing can also tend to be problematic. Regardless of the processing speed, all of our shipments are fully insured against Loss.

    Please Note: We recommend using UPS, DHL or Fedex, which we offer as an option, if the delivery is very time sensitive and you are aware that your local Postal Service he's not particularly reliable.

    Whilst we make every effort to deliver your order within the above timeframes this is a guide and delivery cannot be guaranteed. We will not accept responsibility for delays caused by our Couriers or any National postal service. If the goods are not delivered within the time we have estimated, please feel free to contact us or email admin@mwc.watch, and we will do everything possible to resolve the issue promptly. We will not be liable for any loss caused to you by late delivery.

    Our delivery charges covers the cost of shipping the goods to you. However, this does not include import charges and administration fees to clear the goods when entering your country. Some countries are hassle free such as here in the US where up to $800 worth of goods can be imported free of duty/taxes, Australia is similar but some countries will try and collect every cent they can.

    It is the responsibility of the purchaser to understand that charges may apply and pay all subsequent import tax and duty on goods shipped to their respective Country. In the instance that items are returned to MWC as a result of a rejected payment, subsequent charges incurred such as Import Duty and processing costs will be deducted from any refund issued. For further information on this please contact accounts@mwc-distribution.com 

    We do not accept any liability for goods that have been lost after delivery to a PO Box. We reserve the right to cancel orders where the delivery address is a PO Box. Furthermore, we also do not accept any liability for goods that have been lost after they are confirmed as delivered to APO or BFPO locations. 

    It is the Customer's responsibility to notify us if the goods have not been received within 21 days of the estimated delivery date or time of ordering. If no notification is made within this time period the buyer shall be deemed to have received the goods.

    Failed delivery of an item ordered due to non-acceptance of the delivery

    Please note that if you order an item and the delivery company inform us that the item was refused it would be returned back to us, in many cases especially with FedEx, UPS etc they will also charge a return fee to send it back. Because in these circumstances we have done everything that is required to get the item to you we would refund less both the outbound and Inbound shipping charges once the item was received back at our packing and shipping centre. Unfortunately sometimes if you are having the order delivered to a business location the people receiving inbound parcels are prone to refuse an item without checking with the individual concerned we would strongly recommend being very cautious in this situation and notifying the people who handle the incoming parcels that you are expecting a delivery to avoid this problem occurring. Usually, we would be notified there is a delivery issue and would email you for your instructions, normally these sorts of problems can be avoided if you contact the carrier and tell them there is an error but it's very important to act quickly to avoid the return and associated costs.