MWC 1999-2001 Pattern Automatic Military Divers Watch - Retro Luminous Paint, Ceramic Bezel and Sapphire Crystal

The predecessor to this watch was originally discontinued in 2007. However, an interesting turn of events occurred a few years ago when an MWC distributor in Australia discovered 500 brand new watches in their storeroom. These were the standard quartz versions made between 1999 and 2001, supplied in batches of 500 to fulfill a procurement contract. When the current owner's father retired, his son conducted a detailed stock check and found these watches, which were then offered back to MWC. All of those watches are now sold, but their popularity prompted us to remake the watches in the same design while carrying out significant upgrades to improve the overall specification. Advances in watch manufacturing over the intervening years made these improvements possible.

The main improvements include:

• Movement: 24 Jewel NH35A Automatic which can also be hand-wound and has a hacking function for synchronization.
• Crystal: Upgrading from hardened mineral glass to sapphire, which is highly scratch and shatter-resistant.
• Bezel: Switching from a 60 or 90 click bezel to a 120 click bezel.
• Bezel Insert Type: Upgrading from Aluminium to a Scratch Resistant Ceramic Bezel

These watches are closely based on a case design originally made by the famous Swiss case-making firm MRP S.A. Founded in 1953 and bought by Georges Hauert in 1979, MRP is now independently owned by Patrick Hauert. The case design has remained largely unchanged since the late 1970s. More information can be found on their website: MRP S.A..

In addition to MWC watches, other watches using this case pattern have been produced by companies such as Precista, Nilax, Elvia, and Heuer (predecessors to Tag Heuer who made the Heuer 844-1 in 1979). Chronosport manufactured the Sea Quartz 30, worn by Tom Selleck in Magnum PI. Elvia continues to produce watches using this case, and MWC are factory-authorized distributors for this brand. CWC and various other companies also continue to use this case design. This case pattern is historically significant and has stood the test of time, being in continuous production for over 40 years.

The basic design of these MWC watches goes back to the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) specification shown in the final two images.