Story of 1945 D-12 WW2 Field Watch

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Hands will be white with cream lume for production model

With the creation of the modern wristwatch so closely linked to the events of WWI, it’s unsurprising that the trend of conflict-driven horological innovation continued into WWII. But there was a major difference – Where the famous WWI Trench watch was the result of quick re-engineering of pocket watches and wristlets, WWII saw robust timepieces built specifically for the battlefield.

VARIO 1945 D-12 Field Watch is heavily inspired by the ‘Dirty Dozen’ – a collection of Swiss and British watches commissioned and worn by the British military during WWII. Their black dials, railroad-style minute tracks, luminous hands and indexes, and small seconds movements marked them as part of the iconic set and created a highly legible look that remains distinct even today. Their crowns were also designed to be easy to grip while not digging into their wrist for more comfort.

Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival (right), led by Ichiji Sugita, walks under a flag of truce to negotiate the capitulation of Commonwealth forces in Singapore, 15 February 1942. Photo by Wikipedia.

The Fall of Singapore was one of the key battles in WWII. While it forever changed the island’s trajectory, VARIO 1945 D-12 Field Watch captures the spirit of bravery of the soldiers in WW2 who defended their territory and reminded us the importance to protect our indepedence, translating the event into a modern field watch proudly designed in Singapore.

Sketched by Singaporean illustrator @bananasboy_ who completed his National Service
(Visit this page periodically as we update the process)