Benrus "type" military watch homages - Buying Guide

If you like the "Benrus type" military design, there are plenty of alternatives in the market: MKII Blackwater, MKII Paradive, Precista, Adanac (Canada spelled backwards) Navigator and Marathon Navigator..there are a few more but they escape me right now. They range in price from a little over $100 to over $1500!

The original "Benrus Type I"



Great article on the Benrus military "Type" watches:http://www.50717.com/us/benrus-1-76.html

Onto the "Benrus Type" homages:

Here is a comparison of the Benrus Type 1 and a MKII Blackwater:



Review of a Blackwater: http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23547

Here is a comparison of the MKII Paradive and the MKII Blackwater:

Paradive on top, Blackwater on bottom


Blackwater on top, Paradive on bottom


http://forums.watchuseek.com/f325/paradive-vs-blackwater-507667.html

Here is a comparison of the Precista PRS-18Q and the MKII Blackwater:



http://www.watcheswithnolimits.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=87&Itemid=90&lang=en

Here are some shots of the Marathon Navigators (also issued in black):






Here are soms shots of Adanac Navigators:



These are all "borrowed" photos and not taken by me.

Happy hunting....Mark

All very cool!

Wow Mark, this was TERRIFIC too !!! Being able to see, and compare these different homages is
just THE best. You get to see how some of the companies went for exact looks, vs others making
some slight changes to the dials, and even bezels. All of the links were outstanding also. Thank you
very much for finding all of this !

My Benrus military is quite different, but it was made in the previous decade and to a different government spec.

Here is my version. Saw it used in the watch showcase on the bottom shelf. I picked it up and looked at it. Cool looking and with BENRUS on the back case. There was a tiny rubbing on the crystal so the store listed it for $99.00! Bought it and at home googled this model. Interesting story: A famous fashion store here in Japan called BEAMS had 300 of type 11 made for them from a Hong Kong firm. In 2012, I think, they all sold out quickly. This is a quartz model. The lumed hands are quite good in the dark!


SEAL member by thianwong1, on Flickr

Really terrific watch Thian ! That is great how it actually has BENRUS on the case-back.
Has to be so cool having a watch like this. ..Fantastic watch, story, and also price sir !

AtomicTom wrote:

Really terrific watch Thian ! That is great how it actually has BENRUS on the case-back.
Has to be so cool having a watch like this. ..Fantastic watch, story, and also price sir !

It is one of my lucky finds, Tom! Another was the Seiko vintage diver rare...6306-7000 at the same used store. It was around $250 last year. Now, these can sell over $500usd!!

thianwong wrote:

AtomicTom wrote:

Really terrific watch Thian ! That is great how it actually has BENRUS on the case-back.
Has to be so cool having a watch like this. ..Fantastic watch, story, and also price sir !

It is one of my lucky finds, Tom! Another was the Seiko vintage diver rare...6306-7000 at the same used store. It was around $250 last year. Now, these can sell over $500usd!!

Thian, that is phenomenal ! ..Sounds like a great store there too by the way sir.