Anybody bought an MWC watch?

[Ewan S]

I saw these guys on the internet and quite like some of their designs and the fabric straps (yes this issue again!)

http://www.mwcwatches.com/shop/

Anybody got any experience of them?

[AlexC1981]

There have been a few discussions about MWC on a watch forum that I often visit. They are not well thought of as they use very cheap Chinese movements.

[ShadownINja]

On TZ-UK, someone took apart an MWC and a CWC diver. The CWC seemed to be of higher quality. I also read somewhere (but this may be completely incorrect) that MWC don't make issued watches unlike CWC.

Edited by ShadownINja on Tuesday 18th May 16:03

[andy_s]

As above; made to US mil spec (ie has to be less than 75 secs a day...) Mil spec doesn't mean a watch is necessarily tough or particularly accurate, an issue watch for general use will also have to be cost-efficient ti win any bids to the tender. There are some good ones though if that's your thing, the CWCs being a good example.

[mr_fibuli]

I've had the Miltek II Chronograph for about 4 years now, still going strong. If you look on eBay you can get them brand new for £100 (half the price of the official website).

Movement is a Miyota (Citizen) chronograph. Maybe a bit cheap and plasticy, but nothing wrong it, used in loads of watches at a similar price point. Though maybe not such good value if you were paying the full RRP.

[MAXYMILLER]

The problem from what I can see is that a lot of people may have picked up unbranded fakes because I saw a watch at a watch fair claiming to be an MWC and I took a pic and asked MWC what it was and they said "not one of ours". I collect military watches and the G10 Battery hatch models I have seen from MWC all have Ronda 705 or 715 movements and this includes the two which I own. I also have a CWC GS2000 which has a Ronda 715 but it seems MWC use both 705 and 715. As far as quality I can say that as the owner of both MWC and CWC models I see little in it from the quality angle although the fact the MWC has a battery hatch is a plus. On the CWC the perspex crystal is easily scratced and the glass is more scratch resistant on the MWC but the minus side is that glass could shatter. I think the MWC Self Luminous is a good buy which is what I have alongside a 2002 PVD Stealth but I am tempted by the Automatic G10 pictured. I think the problem with some postings about MWC is people claim that MWC state they are UK MOD Suppliers which they denied when I spoke to them but then I read in the Concise Guide to Military Time Pieces that they did supply the MOD and I also read a posting by a Gurkha that they were issued with an MWC regardless of these facts MWC deny supplying the UK for whatever reason. When I spoke to Richard Alexander at MWC he said they do not discuss specific details but Clinton at the US office referred to supplying the UK anti Terrorist unit of the Met police. My feling is that the two watches are not far apart on G10s I would go MWC on the divers I would go with CWC if price was not an object but then again the price of the standard CWC gets a Havy Duty MWC divr on a bracelet so it really is swings and roundabouts. On a site at http://military-watches.net/ the guy compared a few MWC and CWVC models and it might be worth a look.

[ShadownINja]

Thanks for your reply Maxymiller.

[andy_s]

Nice reply Max. This latest news may be of interest for mil watch hunter-gatherers...

"from 2010 replaces sunnto D3.

The new watch is Citizen Eco drive analogue.

NSN is 0883-99-852-5953 Watch, divers. (note change from 6645)

Number issued is 750.

SF Medical Support units get 14 (SBS) and 14 (SAS)

RN SF Diving Units SDU1 and 2 recieve 30 each.

SBS get 90

MW vessels get 6 each.

RN EOD get 15/20 per unit.

It is to be used on its (provided) expanding black rubber strap.

Important Note "It is not personal issue but PLR issue to individuals by units""
(MWR)

[ShadownINja]

Thanks. What does it look like?

[andy_s]

No idea yet - I'll post if/when I see one myself.

[ShadownINja]

Cool. Intriguing.

[Odie]

I think, dont quote me on this, but this is it.

http://www.findwatches.co.uk/ecodrive-professional...

Edited by Odie on Wednesday 26th May 11:37

[andy_s]

Odie said:

I think, dont quote me on this, but this is it.

http://www.findwatches.co.uk/ecodrive-professional...

Edited by Odie on Wednesday 26th May 11:37

That's what I've seen - model number: BN0000 04H.

[ShadownINja]

Bigger than the CWC then!

[andy_s]

[MAXYMILLER]

I have only seen a cheap Japanese movement (not Chinese) the one I saw was in a G10ZA which I bought at a military surplus fair and this is a very basic contract watch they must churn out in thousands because the guy had a huge box of used ones in varying condition all going for a bargain price so I bought four or five MWC and a few CWC G10s which were used as well. I stripped down one of my MWC G10 Battery Hatch models last year and it has a Ronda 705 movement and my friends watch which is pretty much the same has a Ronda 715 which is the same as the CWC because I have a GS2000 which needed a battery change so we got chance to look inside. I also have a MWC Auto Diver and this has a ETA-2824 see pic. I don't think there are any movement issues and reading below about the Chrono I think the OS10 is not a bad movement it does the job - not very exciting but functional and reliable

[MAXYMILLER]

Looks nice.

andy_s said:

[andy_s]

A 'must read' link that's been up a few times I think;

http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/G10_Watches

Great info Max.

Edited by andy_s on Wednesday 2nd June 15:33

[mel]

The detail as to if a watch has ever been "military issue" or not has always been ambiguous. From a Navy divers point of view after the Rolex era all "issue" watches stopped being personal issue and became unit issue PLR items, and they didn't always have a nato stock number as they were very often locally purchased using unit budgets. I personal had Divers watches that were Rolex, Omega, Seiko, Citizen & CWC I know that only the Rolex & CWC versions had stock numbers the others simply had their serial numbers and description recorded on my PLR (permanant loan record) It's also worth pointing out that I often held the entire units equipment issue on my PLR and watches were simply another piece of kit so at times I would have upto a dozen or so on my ticket. In no way does the lack of stock number make these watches any less "issue" maybe it does to collectors but I can be 100% certain that they were most certainly issued, there's just be no way to prove that.

[andy_s]

MAXYMILLER said:

Looks nice.

andy_s said:

Familiar handset:

Benrus UltraDeep: