BENRUS Type 1 MIL SPEC: The American military dive watch returns to its roots
In the history of military dive watches, some models have earned their reputation without advertising campaigns or any particular aesthetic appeal. Their design was primarily driven by operational requirements. The BENRUS Type 1 belongs to this category. Launched in 1972 to meet American military requirements, it is now reinterpreted by BENRUS with the Type 1 MIL SPEC, a watch that retains the instrumental look of its predecessor while incorporating contemporary components. With its sandblasted steel case, minimalist black dial, Swiss automatic movement, and water resistance to 1,200 feet, the new Type 1 doesn't attempt to transform a historic military watch into a precious timepiece. Its focus remains that of a "tool watch." It is available for around €1,795.
A Watch Born from a Military Specification
The story of the Type 1 truly took shape in the early 1970s. BENRUS, an American company founded in New York in 1921 by brothers Benjamin, Oscar, and Ralph Lazrus, developed a watch designed to meet the American military specification MIL-W-50717. The Type 1 appeared in 1972. The model was designed to offer robustness and legibility in harsh conditions, particularly during maritime operations. This origin explains its architecture, which is very different from the traditional codes of dress watches. The black dial of the historic Type 1 is characterized by the absence of numerals. Highly contrasting geometric indices allow for immediate reading, while the distinctive shape of the case protects the crown and reinforces the overall solid appearance. These watches were not initially conceived as products for the general public. Their purpose was primarily functional. It is precisely this lack of artifice that contributes to their appeal today among military watch enthusiasts.
The BENRUS Type 1 MIL SPEC retains its distinctive silhouette
The current Type 1 MIL SPEC maintains this immediately recognizable visual identity. Its fully sandblasted 316L stainless steel case measures 39.5 mm in diameter and 14.4 mm in thickness. The lug width is 47.66 mm, and the lug width is 20 mm. The sandblasted finish deserves special mention. It minimizes reflective surfaces and perfectly aligns with the philosophy of a watch originating from the military: the goal is not to attract light but to maintain a utilitarian appearance. The screw-down crown contributes to this robust construction. The case back is also closed and sandblasted, with a MIL SPEC engraving that explicitly recalls its connection to the MIL-W-50717 specification. BENRUS has, however, upgraded some of the materials. The crystal is now a double-domed sapphire with a double anti-reflective coating. A modern solution that improves scratch resistance while maintaining a silhouette reminiscent of the domed lenses of vintage military watches.
Discover the complete specifications of the BENRUS Type 1 MIL SPEC Type 1 MIL SPEC
A dial designed for simplicity
No date, no oversized numerals, no superfluous information: the Type 1 maintains a particularly minimalist dial. The hour markers and hands are coated with Super-LumiNova BG W9, ensuring their visibility in the dark. The graphic design relies on a direct contrast between the black dial and the light-colored markers. This restraint is not merely an aesthetic choice. On a military or diving watch, too much information can hinder the immediate readability of the time. The bidirectional rotating bezel also remains true to the model's historical spirit. It combines a sandblasted 316L stainless steel structure with an aluminum inner insert. For the modern enthusiast, this combination gives the Type 1 a very different character from that of more classic civilian dive watches. It only takes a few seconds to identify its military origins.
An ETA 2892 Automatic Movement
Beneath its deliberately rustic appearance, the Type 1 MIL SPEC features a well-known Swiss movement. BENRUS uses an automatic ETA 2892, which offers approximately 42 hours of power reserve. The watch is manufactured in Switzerland, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, according to the brand. The choice of this movement creates an interesting contrast with the watch's exterior. The Type 1 retains the aesthetic of a 1970s military instrument but benefits from a contemporary and widely proven Swiss automatic movement. The closed case back also remains consistent with the concept. Here, there is no movement exposed behind a sapphire crystal: functionality takes precedence over mechanical aesthetics.
Water resistance to 370 meters
A watch originating from the world of military divers naturally needs to demonstrate robust underwater capabilities. BENRUS advertises a water resistance of 36.5 ATM (1,200 feet, approximately 370 meters) for this Type 1. This feature places the watch well beyond the usual requirements of everyday wear and underscores its purpose as a professional diver's watch. It comes on a black rubber strap with a pin buckle, a choice consistent with its positioning and potential use in aquatic environments. It is important, however, to distinguish the current Type 1 from its predecessor: it is not a 1970s military watch unearthed from US Navy surplus, but a modern interpretation built upon the heritage of the original model.
A Military Watch That Doesn't Try Too Hard: BENRUS Type 1 MIL SPEC
In a market where references to the military have become commonplace, the BENRUS Type 1 has one key advantage: its design wasn't created retrospectively to evoke a hypothetical commando watch. It stems directly from a model developed to meet a US military specification. The current version logically modernizes the formula with a sapphire crystal, Super-LumiNova, an ETA 2892 movement, and water resistance increased to approximately 370 meters. But it avoids drastically altering the Type 1's aesthetic identity. This is probably where its main appeal lies for enthusiasts of military dive watches. The BENRUS Type 1 MIL SPEC doesn't simply imitate the style of the 1970s: it brings back into production one of the most distinctive silhouettes of American military watchmaking. More than fifty years after the introduction of the Type 1, its uncluttered dial, asymmetrical case, and almost austere character recall an era when a military watch was primarily designed as a piece of equipment. And it is precisely this that allows it to stand out even today.
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Editor: Éric Barse
Journalist, entrepreneur, and founder of the websites www.cafe-racer-only.com and www.scooter-3-roues.com, Eric Barse divides his time between his passions: motorcycles, travel, and watches. A graduate of the Saint-Cyr military academy and the 2nd RPIMA (Parachute Regiment) before pursuing a career in communications and digital media, he has a true passion for authentic watches that have accompanied his two-wheeled adventures for many years, from the Indian Ocean to Africa and Latin America!
