Benrus Claw

The Benrus Watch Company, founded in New York City in 1921, has long been linked to its war-time watches that were produced for the U.S. government during both WWII and Vietnam. With large assembly efforts in the U.S., including a case factory in Waterbury, CT, Benrus was an honest-to-goodness American watch company, 2nd only to Hamilton during this time period. It's safe to say that their civilian and military efforts were very much intertwined, and pieces like this help us connect the dots between the two. This incredible watch has classic field watch inspiration, possessing a lovely off white dial with blued syringe hands, printed numerals, and central seconds. The idea of this piece was to provide an ideal shock-resistant everyday watch that could be worn through harsh and delicate environments alike and always look at home. The capstone element of this piece is undoubtedly its lovely tear drop logs, a classic mid-century detail that remains nostalgic to this day for collectors of fine timekeeping. Coupled with the rest of this patina speckled package, this watch is a standout. Despite Benrus’s recent reincarnation, these vintage versions are notoriously difficult to find in such good condition, and with their military cousins drawing serious attention across the board, they sneak quietly under the radar.