The MIL-W-46374A manual winding watch - like the full serviced early 1970s United States Military-issued one here, on its original USMIL-issued strap - has both 12 and 24 hour markers and on its dial and a rather Cold War-esque design overall.
The entirely new and novel 46374 DoD specification was to define the basic requirements for a simple field watch to be used by infantry. First published by DoD in October 1964 as an accurate and easy to read infantry watch, just as the U.S. involvement in the Viet Nam conflict began to ramp up.
The 46374 spec defined a less complex alternative to the contemporaneous MIL-W-3818B specification, which called for a hacking movement - watches made under the 3818 specs were intended for military pilots, navigators, and other personnel who needed time keeping instruments with greater accuracy and the capability for precise synchronization.
But the U.S. Army, expanding to meet the needs of the Viet Nam conflict, required a more simple and less costly wristwatch for its hundreds of thousands of newly deployed soldiers. The “A” version of the 46374 made its U.S. military debut in September 1968, and was produced through April 1974. Aside from Hamilton, this DoD specification was also produced by Benrus and Westclox.
No fancy buttons or bezels. Just a very simple and reliable watch that does what it is specified to do – tell time on the battlefield.Since the watch was first worn, it has been an information tool, giving its wearer some piece of intelligence otherwise not known.
Perhaps nowhere is that truer or better realized than in the military watch. Almost as long as watches have existed, governments and military's have been buying and issuing timepieces to be used in nearly every military scenario imaginable.
These 46374 series of USMIL-issued watches have held up quite well, especially for collectors who like to wear their watches. Strictly utilitarian, these watches have served as functional instruments, designed to give their wearers specific and accurate information in environments not often encountered by civilian watches.
This watch comes on an original USMIL nylon strap, another nylon strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.
USMIL-Issued Early 1970s Hamilton MIL-W-46374A Mechanical Watch
DIAL: Unsigned Hamilton dial, with matching hands that feature lume that glows brightly. Excellently-aged uniform patina on the dial indices and hands.
CASE: Bead-blasted to a fantastic flat matte color, the anti-reflective stainless-steel case measures 34mm (35.5mm w/crown) x 40.5mm.
CRYSTAL: Domed acrylic crystal, no imperfections.
BAND: This 46374A comes with an original USMIL-issued strap (slightly smaller than the lugs by purposeful design); its stainless-steel hardware is a matte color designed not to reflect light. It also comes with a black, yellow, and red (German colors!) nylon strap.
MOVEMENT: Seven-jewel Hamilton manual wind mechanical movement, which hacks as designed. We have performed a full service on this USMIL-issued 46374A.
CROWN: Unsigned stainless-steel crown.