Benrus Type 1 MIL SPEC Reissue

Overall Condition: Excellent overall condition with some minor surface wear, specifically on the back of the lugs and a small trail on the case side. The crystal, dial, and hands are in excellent condition. The dial was professionally re-lumed to look vintage.

Military watches occupy a unique place in the history of tool watches. Every detail exists for a reason. There are no polished flourishes, unnecessary complications, or decorative excesses—only clarity, durability, and reliability. Few watches embody that philosophy better than the Benrus Type I.

Originally developed in the early 1970s to meet the U.S. military's demanding MIL-W-50717 specification, the Type I was produced for elite military personnel, including special operations units and combat divers. Its sterile dial, asymmetrical bead-blasted case, oversized luminous markers, and highly legible baton hands made it one of the purest expressions of military watch design ever issued. Today, surviving originals are among the most coveted American military watches ever produced.

This faithful 2020 Benrus reissue captures the spirit of the original while benefiting from modern manufacturing. Measuring 39.5mm in its signature matte-finished stainless steel case, it retains the instantly recognizable sterile dial, bidirectional timing bezel, and fixed-bar construction that defined the military-issued model. Powered by a modern automatic movement and built to contemporary standards, it offers all the character of the original without the compromises of a fifty-year-old service watch.

Produced in November 2020, this example remains in excellent condition and is accompanied by its original canvas travel pouch, additional strap, tags, and factory pamphlets. Whether you're drawn to military history, purposeful design, or simply one of the cleanest dive watch aesthetics ever created, the Benrus Type I remains an enduring icon—proof that sometimes the most compelling design is also the most utilitarian.