This Modernized WWII Field Watch Is a Masterclass in Neo-Vintage Design

Dirty Dozen vibes with a bronze case and a sandwich dial? Sign me up.

Published July 29, 2024

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When discussing the most iconic field watches ever made, one style arguably rules above them all: the “Dirty Dozen” watches of World War II.

The Dirty Dozen watches were issued to British soldiers during the war and were produced by 12 different brands according to specifications requested by the British Ministry of Defence.

The watches were slightly different but all shared a number of mandatory features: a small-seconds counter at 6 o’clock, lumed Arabic numeral indices and a chronometer-rated movement among them.

With the rare originals capturing the imagination of vintage collectors in recent decades, a number of modernized takes on the Dirty Dozen field watches have been produced by a wide variety of brands. The latest comes from Bremont, which adds some retro-modern wrinkles to its Dirty Dozen-inspired Broadsword field watch.

Bremont Broadsword Recon Bronze

$3,950 at Bremont

A Bronze Sandwich

The Broadsword is the British luxury brand’s contemporary take on the Dirty Dozen field watch, translating the original’s water-resistant and anti-shock blueprint to today’s modern luxury watch standards. What’s more, the watches are produced in collaboration with the British Ministry of Defence, effectively making them “official” military watches.

In 2023, Bremont released a special-edition “Recon” version of the Broadsword. Limited to 200 pieces, the now-sold-out watch updated the Broadsword’s style to incorporate a lumed sandwich dial with cutout Arabic numerals in a military-inspired font.

Often associated with Panerai watches, sandwich dials are renowned for their strong lume output and old-school military aesthetic. Their construction consists of an entire disc of lume laid directly below the dial, with cutouts in the dial showing the plethora of lume underneath.

bremont watch dial closeup — The use of a sandwich dial with vintage-colored lume adds even more retro military style to the watch.

For 2024, the Recon edition is back, but it’s even more special than before. Now limited to just 100 pieces, with each being hand-built to order, the new Broadsword Recon boasts a case made of solid CuSn8 bronze instead of the hardened steel of its predecessor.

In my opinion, the “living metal” proves a perfect match for the watch’s retro military vibes, as the bronze will patina over time and create a naturally aged look for the vintage-themed field watch. The sandwich dial also matches up beautifully with the bronze, thanks to Bremont’s use of old radium-style lume that appears yellow in light but glows bright green at night.

The strap is also different on the Broadsword Recon Bronze. While the previous Recon edition came with two straps — a striped NATO and a stitched leather strap — the new version essentially condenses both styles into one and comes on a leather-lined black sailcloth strap with a bronze pin buckle.

bremont bronze watch case lug and crown — The bronze case looks flashy at first but will quickly develop an aged patina that’s unique to each example.

Otherwise, the watch appears the same as Bremont’s prior Broadsword Recon. It remains a 40mm field watch with 100m of water resistance, an AR-coated sapphire crystal and a COSC-certified BE-95-2AV (Sellita-based) automatic movement inside.

The watch also retains the three crowns of the British Armed Forces in relief on the caseback, along with the words “Approved by Her Majesty’s Armed Forces,” since the original design for the Broadsword Recon was approved back when Great Britain still had Queen Elizabeth II as its monarch.

Finally, for anyone who isn’t sold on Bremont’s recent rebrand, they’ll be happy to see that the new Broadsword looks more like an old Bremont than a new one. The classic propellor logo is still present on both the dial and crown, and there’s nothing in the design to suggest this Bremont debuted in 2024 rather than 2023.

bremont watch caseback — The caseback features the seals of all three branches of the British Armed Forces thanks to approval from the Ministry of Defence.

Pricing and Availability

As stated above, the Bremont Broadsword Recon Bronze will be limited to just 100 pieces, and given that the previous generation sold out with twice as many watches produced, I’d say it’s a given the bronze version won’t last long on the virtual shelf either.

Considering the hand-built nature of the watches, each one is estimated to take at least 6 – 8 weeks to produce. So if you’re anxious to get one, I’d recommend placing your order ASAP. The watch is available now on Bremont’s website and is priced at $3,950, which is just a $150 premium over the standard Broadsword Bronze.