Friday, June 26, 2009

BRITISH G10 WATCH MARKINGS


This blog entry is on the markings on the case back of the G10 field watch issued by the British Ministry Of Defense. This is based on my readings and on the case back of my small collection of G10 watches. I have G10 watches made by CWC and Precista.

Typical British W10 markings:
W10-6645-99
541-5317
(Pheon/ Broad Arrow)
14234/82


The first of characters indicates that the watches were ordered by the respective branch of the military, i.e. they paid for it but the watches were not exclusive to the branch. A 0552 watch could and can be issued to the Army or Royal Marines.

The Codes:

W10: Army (photograph above)
0552: Royal Navy


0555: Royal Marines


6B or 6BB: RAF


The second set of characters:

6645 is part of the NSN. It is the NATO Supply Classification identifier for timekeeping instruments.

The third set of characters:

99 is part of the NSN. It is the country code.

The Country Codes:

00 United States
01 United States
11 NATO
12 Germany
13 Belgium
14 France
15 Italy
17 Netherlands
18 South Africa
21 Canada
22 Denmark
23 Greece
24 Iceland
25 Norway
26 Portugal
27 Turkey
28 Luxembourg
29 Argentina
30 Japan
31 Israel
32 Singapore
66 Australia
98 New Zealand
99 United Kingdom

The second line of characters, 541-5317, are the rest of the NSN. This is followed by the Pheon (Broad Arrow) and the last line will be the serial number/ two digit year.

Location of the Pheon. Generally in quartz watches, the pheon will point towards the crown and in mechanical, it will be between the second and third line. But as can be seen in the first photograph, on the Precista, the Pheon is between the second and third line.

There are variations. Look at the 6BB photograph.

6BB/ 6645-99-5415317
Pheon
29382/84

The NSN is all in one row and there is no hyphen between 541 and 5317. The location of the Pheon is between the first line and the second. This is on a CWC thick case.

Both the 0552 and 0555 have the same markings,

0552/ 6645-99
5415317
44519
89

where the third line is the serial number and the forth is the two digit year. The Pheon is pointing towards the crown. The photograph below show a 6BB in the same configuration.


Photograph: Anchor Supplies

Other variations:

W10/ 6645-99
5415317
XXXX 97

There is no slash between the serial number and the two digit year. Pheon pointing towards the crown.

W10/ 6645-99
5415317
XXXX/XX

There is a slash between the serial number and the two digit year.

15 comments:

  1. Your blog is amazing, I'm really impressed by it. Do you mind if I ask you a question? Is there any way to connect a G10 serial number to a month of issue?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi mahala,

    Welcome to the blog. With regards to your question, I don't think that there is a way to check the month of issue. I could be wrong. The best is to post your question in the following forum, MWR, the military watch forum.

    Best regards,

    Ivan

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Ivan. I'll continue to read your blog. Love it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi mahala,

    Thank you for the kind words.

    Best regards,

    Ivan

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, Mine seems to be listed under 'other variations after the NSN, I have C1097 no slashes or spaces. Shed any light ?
    w10/6645-99
    5415317
    C1097

    ReplyDelete
  6. I have just acquired one of these military watches, I've always wanted one but at the right 'sensible' price. Finding this page and reading it has confirmed that I have purchased a real one and not a knock-off. By the numbers on the back case the one I now have is a U.K Royal Navy issue dated 1985.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi TimL,

      Welcome to the blog. Congrats on your watch. Wear it with good health.

      Best regards,

      Ivan

      Delete
  7. Is the blog still open for new questions?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi sowthpaw,

      Shoot away and I will try to answer.

      Best regards,

      Ivan

      Delete
  8. Hi. I have a thick case CWC W10 with two rows, then the pheon then 3178. Does this mean it is 1978? Thanks. Gary

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi. I have a thick case CWC W10 with two rows, then the pheon then 3178. Does this mean it is 1978? Thanks. Gary

    ReplyDelete
  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I have a lost navigator http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.php?385754-RAF-6B-6BB-Watch-Wrist-General-Service&styleid=2
    Is it something you might be interested in?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,

      Sadly, while interesting, I no longer collect military watches, having sold most of them.

      Thank anyway.

      Best regards

      Delete
  12. can you help you say a 0552 could be issued to Army or marines but then go on to say it's navy ? can you help

    ReplyDelete