Handmade A-11 Watch: Why WWII's Mil-Spec Military Watch is my Best Field Watch!

Handmade A-11 Watch: Why WWII's iconic mil-spec military watch is my best field watch! Plus my own A-17A build. What is an A-11? A-11 just refers to a set of military specifications for a field watch used by American and some British forces during World War II. Like a set of instructions detailing how a watch should be built to meet the military's needs—sometime called mil-spec. These specs outlined everything from accuracy and durability to legibility and size, ensuring that any manufacturer could produce a watch that met the requirements. Watchmakers like Elgin, Waltham, Bulova, Hamilton and others produced A-11 watches during the war, adhering to the strict military specifications. So, when you see a watch described as an A-11 today, it’s not actually a homage to a brand but is a design standard rooted in practicality and reliability. These modern interpretations are inspired by historical mil-spec watch functionality and style while providing modern, dependable, accurate movements, and improved case materials. See my self-build A-17A pilot's watch. The A-17A is a successor to the A-11 and is another notable military-issued timepiece, primarily used by the U.S. Army Air Forces pilots during the late stages of WWII and into the Korean War era. Notable is the inclusion of a 24-hour time track, as was required of a pilots watch. It builds upon the design and functionality of the A-11 while introducing some key improvements to meet evolving military needs such as improved luminous materials to make them more readable in low-light conditions, and added 24-hour markings on the inner portion of the dial. All watches in the video were purchased at my own full cost. dread nought no longer has a store on eBay but does showcase some builds on their channel YouTube    / @dtnwatchesuk   NOT sponsored. Subscribe    / @watcheswithadam   More videos chosen for you Laco Aachen 42mm Flieger    • Laco Aachen 42 Flieger Pilot Watch Review:...   M.R.M.W. TYPE A-17 mil-spec Vintage Military Watch - Full Review    • M.R.M.W. A-17 Vintage Military Pilot’s Wat...   Hamilton Khaki Field Auto Review    • Why Every Collector Starts Here: Hamilton ...   Casio Square G-Shock GBD-200 and DW5600BB Review    • Casio G-Shock GBD-200 MIP vs DW5600BB Revi...   00:00 Intro 00:53 A-11 Watch 05:13 A-17A Watch #pilotwatch #military #ww2