In the 1940s CYMA was one of the ‘Dirty Dozen’, which was a selection of 12 watch brands worn by WWII British soldiers. The 'Dirty Dozen' brands were commissioned by the British Ministry of Defense, which needed as many watches as possible produced for the British soldiers. Manufacturing capacity at the time allowed for roughly 145,000 watches to be produced.
The arrow seen on the dial, which is regularly seen on military watches, marks the watch as "crown property"; the British monarch's sovereign public estate, which was considered neither government property nor part of the monarch's private estate. Although manufactured by a dozen companies (known as the "Dirty Dozen" by military watch collectors), CYMA's models are especially sought-after, as CYMA utilized high-quality steel for their version of the MOD spec watch, despite the steel shortage caused by the war efforts of the time. The other brands had to make their watch cases from much inferior metals, meaning many of the watches offered by the other brands of the "dirty dozen" haven't held up in the following decades.
| Stock # | CYMDD-4 | |
| Brand | Cyma | |
| Style | Military | |
| Model | Dirty Dozen | |
| Serial | 26331 | |
| Size | Men's | |
| Material | Stainless Steel | |
| Dial | Matte Black "Aged" | |
| Millimeters | 38 | |
| Strap | Single Pass NATO Strap |
CASE & BRACELET
The strong case is in well-preserved and excellent condition, displaying symmetrical and thick lugs that show minimal polishing and honest signs of use. The stainless steel bezel shows honest signs of use with strong dimensions present. The unsigned crown is most likely the original to the watch. The case back retains all of its original military engravings in deep and crisp condition. The fixed spring bars remain fully intact and in excellent condition. The watch will come supplied on a vintage single-pass nylon NATO strap.
DIAL & HANDS
The original dial has achieved a beautiful marbled patina consisting of deep greys and chocolate brown colors, similar to camouflage. The dial text and numerals all remain in clearly visible and fully intact condition. The radium lume plots show consistent degradation throughout when inspected under UV light and taken on a grey coloration which is common. The original hands have been professionally restored with radium to match the dial.
ACCESSORIES
None. The watch is keeping time, but the service history is unknown. A movement service can be provided upon request.
