This Compact, Affordable Field Watch Is Faithful to Its U.S. Military Roots

Benrus is one of the many victims of the Quartz Crisis who have been raised from the grave in the twenty-first century under new management, typically with private equity backing.

Like its undead brethren, the field watch specialist stormed back onto the scene with reproductions of sought-after vintage references after relaunching in 2017.

Benrus

Less than a month ago, Benrus released a modernized update to the Type 1 M1, a watch designed for U.S. Special Forces in the 1960s. It’s nice to see the teams behind these revival brands develop something new, rather than resting on unearned laurels.

But field watch purists who perceived the redesigned Type 1 M1 as blasphemy were quickly appeased by the faithful recreation of its predecessor, the DTU-2A/P.

Benrus

Primarily referred to as the DTU, it is another Vietnam-era U.S. Military field watch, but this one has an accurate unsigned dial and a 34mm sandblasted steel case. It even comes with a pair of straps that were issued to American commandos during the war.

Were you in “The Shit?”

Benrus was founded in 1921 and was one of the watchmakers who equipped the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. After a major escalation in the Vietnam War in 1964, Benrus issued a new generation of field watches.

Benrus

Meeting specific requirements requested by the Pentagon, the DTU was updated to extend its service life. The watch is recognizable by its lack of insignia, a common practice for American equipment used in Vietnam.

The new DTU comes with two straps that match those provided to U.S. servicemen in “The Shit.” It comes on a leather bund strap, which was designed to prevent the steel watch case from injuring the wearer when exposed to extreme temperatures.

Benrus

For those who are firmly anti-bund, like myself, Benrus also provides a fatigue green nylon NATO strap. The whole package looks and feels like something you might stumble upon in an Army-Navy surplus store.

What’s your ETA?

The most impressive feature of this straightforward, pragmatic field watch is the movement. This DTU reissue has been upgraded with an ETA caliber 2671 automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve.

The original DTU ran on the ETA caliber 2370 modified with hacking, which the Pentagon requested because it allowed for more accurate synchronization.

Benrus

Since merging with the Swatch Group in 1983, ETA movements have taken on a more premium status. Not many brands outside of the Swatch family are able to use them, and they don’t come cheap.

Considering the authentic detailing Benrus put into the new DTU to assure the desired reliability and look, plus the ETA movement behind the dial, the sub-$1,000 price tag feels pretty generous.

This is as close to a dead-stock military surplus find as you’ll get, and a real treat for any field watch diehards.

Availability and pricing

The Benrus DTU-2A/P is available now from Benrus for $990.

It comes on a leather bund strap, but the bund is removable, creating a simple two-piece brown leather pin-buckle strap. Benrus also provides a green nylon NATO strap.

Benrus

Benrus DTU-2A/P

Specs

Case Size	34mm
Movement	ETA caliber 2671 automatic
Water Resistance	100m

• $990 at Benrus

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