"Hack!"
That was the command from an officer to his men a few seconds before they stepped into battle.
Time is an essential part of all military operations. Military leaders need to coordinate attacks and synchronize movements. The need for an easily accessible time-telling machine moved from the gentleman's pocket to a brave soldier's wrist. The first wristwatches were born and became a strategic military tool throughout World War I.
The advent of aviation during this time also ushered a new era of battle in the air. And so, the wristwatch followed suit and evolved into a design that was as useful in flying as it was timing bombardments on land. And one of them is the A-11.
Touted as ""The Watch that Won the War,"" the A-11 was one of the most commonly used military watches issued to the Allied Forces during World War II. Watch companies such as Elgin, Bulova, Waltham, and Hamilton produced the first versions between 1940-1949 and provided them to the USAAF, Royal Canadian Air Force, The Royal Airforce, and Soviet Air Force.
The A-11 was not a particular brand, but a standard that these American manufacturers adhered to address the soldiers' needs. The U.S. military realized the importance of accurate time-keeping during all military operations and released watch specifications to be produced with rigorous standards. The result was the A-11, a simple, time-only timepiece to get the job done while standing up to harsh and changing combat conditions.
The A-11 standard required a hacking feature. This feature is a complication that allows the user to stop the second hand, have it sweep across the dial to the 12 o'clock position, and re-engage the other hands to synchronize the time with other watches up to the last second. It was used when military units were required to storm German trenches in perfect sync or when paratroopers had to time their intervals the same way while jumping over Normandy on D-day.
Another A-11 specification that addressed the extremely high standards for precision and accuracy was a 15-jewel movement. Besides living up to the standards, it also provided reliability and durability. The 15-jewel movement continues moving at any range of temperatures and is able to survive unrelenting environments.
These extreme conditions require the case back of each A-11 to be dust-proof and water-resistant. On the back of the stainless steel case, the brand and other specification markings are etched, including the service for which the watch was intended.
On the front, the watch should be highly legible through a black dial with numerical indexes and 10-minute demarcations, all lumed along with the watch's hands with no other markings visible.
Nowadays, these watches are still held to these production standards, making the A-11 synonymous with American horological prowess and industry. Even to this day, military watches are still as relevant, either as a commemorative timepiece or cool men's jewelry.
Not anymore a ticking piece of history, the iconic A-11 watch is now re-created to resonate in modern times the values of shared sacrifice and patriotic bravery.
The A-11 watch is powered by the robust Seiko NH35 automatic movement. It boasts of an accurate and high-precision time-keeping at an affordable price which is perfect for your everyday use.
Every watch comes with an engraving on the back of the case for authenticity. Although, it also leaves enough space for your own personal information or a personalized message. Don't forget to add one during checkout.
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Available in two colorways, the A-11 dials allows you to choose the best combination that fits your style. It comes in either matte black or matte ivory dials both with green and light brown lumes to ensure total visibility.
Sitting on a sturdy surgical grade steel caseback, the A-11 watch is covered with a beautiful Double Dome K1 glass with an anti-reflective coating for clear visibility and authenticity since it was the same glass used for the WWII watches.
Imagine losing something special and thinking of never finding it forever. Then, imagine finding it again, in a beautifully packed box.
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Who would’ve thought that a tiny mechanical instrument had been a mighty hero who’d saved a thousand lives?
Every tale of military heroism deserves to be celebrated. So, if you have a compelling story from historical moments that is worth telling, let us know and we will help you share it to the world.
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