CWC won the contract to be a W10 watch supplier for the MOD in the early 1970s, when the founder, Ray Mellor, quit a rival company, Hamilton, and established CWC. Also referred to as the "G10" as this was the form reference that servicemen had to fill out in order to get a watch, which was issued as a piece of equipment. CWC also made a quartz battery version of the W10 in the 1980s and named it the G10.
We have here a classic W10 military watch that is rapidly becoming very desirable. The tonneau-shaped, stainless steel case back is engraved 'W10-6645-99, 523-8290, 4481/79' and also with the Broad Arrow. It has fixed lugs, as with all military watches, and houses a manual wind cal. ETA 2750 with hacking seconds. W10 British Army. The 13-digit number is the NATO Stock Number (NSN). 66 refers to Instruments and Laboratory equipment, and 45 refines that to Time Measuring Instruments. The following 9-digit number makes up the NATO Item Identification Number (NIIN). 523-8290 refers specifically to the manually wound-powered general service issue watch. The final two digits refer to the date of issue,
The black dial has a slight, but even patina, and the dial is signed 'CWC', the 'Circle T' (for the Tritium lume) and with the Broad Arrow Government property mark. The lume on the hour indices markers and hands have also aged well.
The dial and hands are showing signs of age you’d expect to see from a 50 year old military watch. The case is in very good condition, with few signs for wear, again, as you would expect.
The watch has been fully serviced by our on-site workshop and comes with a 12 month, non-waterproof service cover.
What we think
There is something truly amazing about wearing a military watch, never knowing what it may have seen or been through throughout its life, whose wrist it was on etc... That is what I think people are drawn to with military watches - the unknown, but the potential. We have opted for 'Bond' Type stripped nato but other colours are available on request.
CWC's W10s have seen a steady increase in value over recent years, with only about 10,000 having been produced in 1979, and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down as more people are discovering this underrated brand. CWC watches are still produced today and sold almost exclusively by Silvermans in mile end HERE!
Remembering these are Modern Re made pieces and not original 1979 British issue like we are offering here.
Spec Stuff
Reference : W10 / 6645-99-523-8290
Movement : Manual Wind Cal. ETA 2750 Age :1971/1980 Specific Age :1979 (last year of production Case Size : 35mm Case Thickness :11mm Lug to Lug : 47mm Lugs :18mm Condition : Pre-Owned Box & Papers : No Case Material :Stainless Steel Service History : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
1979 CWC W10-6645-99 British Military Issue Mechanical Wristwatch last year of production
