Benrus is one of the few American guard companies with a claim to fame for practical, factual timepieces. The company was founded in 1921 by the Lazrus Brothers Benjamin, Oscar and Ralph and combined the Swiss precision with American assembly and marketing to develop a place in the history of the clock. From New York City, the brothers gathered their savings to import Swiss movements and build clocks in Manhattan. However, before we explore the history of this American watch brand, we immediately state what matters: Benrus is back, as well as the emblematic type -1 -Milspec in a modernized, more compact shape.
background
Benrus watches that almost recorded in the United States, supported by intelligent notes with big names such as Pilot Charles Lindbergh and Baseball -Legende Babe Ruth. In the 1940s, Benrus produced his outstanding Sky Chronograph, which was driven by the Valjoux 72 movement, which was built during the boom in commercial aviation for pilots and flight crews.
Less known, but just as interesting, Benrus' 1950s steering wheel-wheel self-winding watches were used to wrap the movement and rotor movement of the wheel. In the 1960s and 1970s, Benrus expanded to robust diving watches such as the Ultra Deep series. The early models used the Swiss EPSA super compressor.
Image by analogshift.com
At the same time, Benrus became one of the trustworthy suppliers of the US military. During the Vietnam War it produced the DTU-2A/P and hit the MIL-W-3818B specifications. Simple and robust and this field clock used an ETA movement with hacking seconds, Tritium Lume and a front charge case to prevent leaks, a reliable tool for soldiers on the field.
Vintage Military-based Benrus Type 1 watch pictures from Oliverandclarke.com (above) and Songwatches.com (below)
In the 1970s, Benrus strengthened his military reputation with the type I and type II diving watches, which were able to meet the strict MIL-W-50717 specifications for Navy Special Forces, Rangers and CIA teams. Both showed hard suitcases made of stainless steel with a highly waterproof rating, a simple rotating bezel and minimalist dials, all of which focus on functions over frills. The type I had a clean 12-hour dial; Type II added a complete 24-hour layout.
A Benrus type II image of Oliverandclarke.com exhibited with vintage military
Like many Heritage brands, Benrus fought during the quartz crisis of the 1970s and 1980s and finally faded the owners several times. But his legacy lived on with collectors and military watch fans.
The new Benrus Type 1 Milspec 39.5 mm
Today The Independent New York Brand is back, led by an experienced management team that offers modern new editions of their classics, including type I. In 2020, Benrus again introduced them as a limited edition and Rekindling interest and encompassed modern features. Now we start our Benrus series with a view of the 2025 type 1 Milspec 39.5 mm.
The 39.5 mm 39.5 mm stainless steel housing of type 1 1 has a sand line that holds a minimum and almost fits the models exhibited by vintage. It has this classic asymmetrical barrel shape, which protects the screwing crown at 3 o'clock, a characteristic feature that made it less likely that it starts with neoprene suits or equipment. While the original 1970 o'clock 43 mm x 16 mm measure, the new and more compact type 1 14.4 mm thick is. The housing is crowned with a double sapphire crystal with AR coating, which generates light vintage distortions in extreme angles, but remains clear and legible. The water resistance is 365 m.
The sandblasted steel belette is a classic type 1, bidirectional, with a firm but smooth effect, thanks to the deep, coin-cantic gimmick and an aluminum insert with digits for hours, sharp markings for the first 20 minutes and a triangle at the 12-O position. In contrast to the contemporary versions of type 1 41.5 mm, the 39.5 mm to the original spirit is observed with a solid engraved housing and several lines of information are included. missing.
The new Benrus Type 1 Milspec 39.5 mm fits on the wrist, as a mission guard should. The case is flat enough to slide under cuffs, but still have enough on the wrist to feel soothingly robust.
Like the original and version 2020, the dial remains true to the secret roots of type 1: Spartan, matt black, no logo or date window. The large, applied geometric hour markings, rectangles at 3, 6 and 9, points and the three after 12 are now filled with modern BW G9 super-luminova, which is brighter and longer-lasting than the original tritium color. The wide, simple swords, also filled, sweep a dial that is about real readability of AT-A glare. Even with very daylight, the pressure has a crispness and the negative space that reminds you that this watch never went for lightning and only about function. However, Swiss also made the usual position on the dial.
In its stealth case, the 2025 Benrus Type 1 Milspec is based on an ETA 2892, a thin, reliable Swiss automatic with a 42-hour performance reserve. The watch is ready for the business trip with a durable 20 -mm black rubber belt, soft, but robust, with a simple stainless steel flair. With the fixed poles of the original, it can be worked quickly to exchange it for a NATO or Canvas band.
The new Milspec -Benrus type 1 Milspec 39.5 mm is to be rated CHF 1.590 (without tax); It remains true to the spirit of the original upgrades with its rough, fighting heritage. While MIL-Spec-editions are hardly rare these days, the Benrus Type 1 stands thanks to its real historical roots and a design that feels connected to the legacy of those who wore it on the field.
For more information, see Benrus.com.
https://monochrome-watches.com/2025-benrus-type-1-milspec-military-American- Isued-Watch-EDITION-REVIEW-PRICE/