# Looking for a military-styled automatic for myself



## faintlymacabre

Hello! It's my first post here, and I'm hoping you guys can point me in the right direction. 

I've been fascinated by military/pilot style watches lately, but there is a severe lack of ones that would actually work for a woman (a small-boned one at that). I think the maximum case size I'd be comfortable with is 36mm. Anything more would look ridiculous on me, as my wrist size is 5.75".

My budget would be $1000 and under, but I'd certainly be thrilled to find one for $500 and under! I'd love a good Swiss movement, but may be willing to settle on an Asian movement if the style, price, and size are right.

So far, I'm really loving the look of the Victorinox Infantry Vintage Mechanical, Infantry Mechanical, and Airboss Mechanical, but these are all too large for me.

Would any of you have recommendations for similarly-styled watches in a small size?

Included just for reference: My current watch (Citizen xC Eco-drive with a 32mm case) on...








Thanks in advance!!


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## tss88

Must look at the Smiths PRS-29A from Timefactors
Time Factors Quality Watches On The Net Since 1996









This is 36mm & a fellow member Jonmurgie has a excellent comparative review here.
https://www.watchuseek.com/f7/prs-29a-smiths-36mm-410415.html (w/ several wrist shots) Below side by side 39mm & 36mm









The PRS10 is only a little bigger but thinner









Mechanical vs Quartz movement

The Smiths won't sit high on your wrist like an automatic will either.


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## geekchick

My wrist size is 5.25" and what worked for me is this Seiko. I did have to replace the strap though because the one it came with was too big. If you like this look, it comes in 4 colors: black, blue, green, & beige.


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## coastcat

geekchick said:


> My wrist size is 5.25" and what worked for me is this Seiko. I did have to replace the strap though because the one it came with was too big. If you like this look, it comes in 4 colors: black, blue, green, & beige.
> 
> View attachment 888094


I have this same watch (Seiko SNK803), and like geekchick, I replaced the original fabric strap with a NATO. Here it is on my 6" wrist:










This Seiko 5 is also ridiculously cheap - Amazon is selling this model for under $60. And yes, this is a quality Japanese automatic movement! Caveat: the power reserve on mine is pretty small, maybe 12 hours. That may be an individual issue with my watch rather than a universal one with the movement, but I've been too lazy to take it to my watch guy for a checkup.

Checking your links... Ah ha! I've got it. Looking at the Victorinox Airboss, I'm immediately reminded of this:

Hamilton Watch · Officer 34MM









It's the Hamilton Khaki Officer, 34mm, Swiss-made automatic movement (ETA 2671, to be precise), sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance, also available on a bracelet... Fantastic and comfortably within your budget range.

You are, alas, right about the small selection of military/pilot watches that work on the smaller wrist. I love the pilot style but it's difficult to find a mechanical one that's under 40mm. The 39mm IWC Mark XVI looked awesome on my wrist but it's a _bit_ out of my price range these days...


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## knight427

You want a 36mm max military watch? Oh, where do I begin. I'll be back with more, but let's start here.

Laco Fllieger ~$900 at your door (depending on exchange rate and how much you get charged for customs)
There is also another dial choice for the flieger








CWC military remakes
I'm confused if any of these are actually still issued, mostly not...but they were once were back before watches got so big. Might find something there.









I'll be back later with more.


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## knight427

Stowa makes this watch. It is 37mm, which I know is 1mm too big. It is also not modeled after a military watch, but the clean black dial is close enough.








Here is the other dial variation for the Laco, This one is cleaner, but I prefer the one above. The one above is modeled on an "observers watch" from WWII, which I guess was like a navigator. This is the dial that would have been issued to a pilot.








If you want get real serious about this, you could consider some actual vintage military watches. Here is a Hamilton 6B from the 1960s (also called Mark 11 or Mark XI). One in good condition should be in your price range. 36mm I think.









I have one of these, a Hamilton W10 from the 1970s. I actually wish it was bigger, I'd wear it more. These go for a few hundred bucks, which leaves you room to get it professionally serviced from a watchmaker. Collectors like to keep them all original, but some people do get rid of the Tritium paint and reapply modern luminous paint for a sharper look. I think you can even get the modern paint tinted to look similar to aged Tritium paint. For some reason I really love watching the sweep seconds run through the grid around this dial.









Now to go way over budget (just for fun), Tutima makes these beautiful chronographs which are 38.5mm. They are basically recreations of their pilot watches from WWII. Prices are kind of hard to find, I think in the $2k-$3k range. But if you want a pilot chrono, I don't think yo are going to get much smaller.


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## coastcat

knight427 said:


> Stowa makes this watch. It is 37mm, which I know is 1mm too big. It is also not modeled after a military watch, but the clean black dial is close enough.


Big, big caveat on the Stowa: those lugs are long and straight. I have the Antea KS, which is the smallest Stowa available, and those extended lugs mean the watch just barely fits. If it barely fits my wrist it probably won't fit the original poster's smaller wrist! The lugs on the Partitio linked above look shorter, but the lug-to-lug measurement is still 46.9mm (lug-to-lug on the Antea KS is 44.6mm).










But oh how I love my Stowa anyway...


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## knight427

That's a good call on the lug-to-lug, really that is the most important measurement for knowing if a watch is going to hang off your wrist. The case size is more about wrist presence. 

I love your Stowa. I'm currently saving for a B-dial Flieger with the hand-wind movt.


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## coastcat

knight427 said:


> That's a good call on the lug-to-lug, really that is the most important measurement for knowing if a watch is going to hang off your wrist. The case size is more about wrist presence.
> 
> I love your Stowa. I'm currently saving for a B-dial Flieger with the hand-wind movt.


And I'm going to start saving for the Laco Flieger you posted. I really want a pilot watch but hadn't spotted one in the right size. That Laco is perfect!


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## geekchick

One thing to add about the Lacos. The 36mm models posted above are both handwinding. The OP said she's looking for an automatic so I don't know if that makes a difference to her. I do like them though.


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## coastcat

geekchick said:


> One thing to add about the Lacos. The 36mm models posted above are both handwinding. The OP said she's looking for an automatic so I don't know if that makes a difference to her. I do like them though.


I prefer handwinding because I'm too cheap to buy a winder.  The Antea KS is a manual. Come to think of it, I only own two automatics (the Seiko 5 and one of my vintage Hamiltons). There's a ritualistic pleasure in selecting, setting, and winding the day's watch...


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## knight427

geekchick said:


> One thing to add about the Lacos. The 36mm models posted above are both handwinding. The OP said she's looking for an automatic so I don't know if that makes a difference to her. I do like them though.


Oops, I think most of what I posted were handwinding.



coastcat said:


> I prefer handwinding because I'm too cheap to buy a winder.  The Antea KS is a manual. Come to think of it, I only own two automatics (the Seiko 5 and one of my vintage Hamiltons). There's a ritualistic pleasure in selecting, setting, and winding the day's watch...


I'll actually be paying more for the handwinding Stowa Flieger. The watch comes as an auto, but you can customize it to handwind for 40eur.


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## faintlymacabre

Thanks for your amazing recommendations, everyone!

I've decided to start off with the Seiko 5, as the price was just TOO good. It is 37mm, but I'm hoping it's ok because it looks great on coastcat's wrist! I got the green one, and will likely stick a brown leather strap on it. 

Out of all the recommendations, I think the Hamilton Khaki Officer is closest in style to the Victorinoxes I linked. I'll have to try to find one locally!


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## coastcat

faintlymacabre said:


> Thanks for your amazing recommendations, everyone!
> 
> I've decided to start off with the Seiko 5, as the price was just TOO good. It is 37mm, but I'm hoping it's ok because it looks great on coastcat's wrist! I got the green one, and will likely stick a brown leather strap on it.
> 
> Out of all the recommendations, I think the Hamilton Khaki Officer is closest in style to the Victorinoxes I linked. I'll have to try to find one locally!


Yeah, I'm thinking about picking up the blue version of that Seiko 5 because the price is hard to resist!

Check the Hamilton website for authorized dealers in your area. If there are none and you're willing to buy sight unseen, you can contact WUS sponsor Topper Jewelers as they carry Hamilton. (look for their banner ad on the Sponsors page) You can also go gray market - check the main forum for discussions and advice about buying from these dealers.


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## samael_6978

faintlymacabre said:


> Thanks for your amazing recommendations, everyone!
> 
> I've decided to start off with the Seiko 5, as the price was just TOO good. It is 37mm, but I'm hoping it's ok because it looks great on coastcat's wrist! I got the green one, and will likely stick a brown leather strap on it.
> 
> Out of all the recommendations, I think the Hamilton Khaki Officer is closest in style to the Victorinoxes I linked. I'll have to try to find one locally!


Seiko 5 is an excellent choice, both for the price and quality.

This is the one I wear, although not too often...


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## Levelman

I immediately though if the Seiko 5 as well, and then to vintage 1940's to 1960's watches from the Bay. I have several old Waltham, Wakmann, Hamilton, Abra, etc which have that small simple military-style dial. All sadly too small for my nearly 8" wrist. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## rambutan

Maybe I'm a bit too late but Sinn has some very nice watches, the quality is fantastic.

Sinn Uhren: Kollektion Instrumentelle Uhren
This is a picture of my Sinn U200 and the size is 37mm


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## faintlymacabre

Not too late at all. I haven't really committed to anything higher-priced that $50 at the moment. Haha...

I've actually become enamored by Archimede watches, as they make a 36mm model:









However, what bothers me is that it doesn't have a date function. I'm no purist, I like my dates.

Stowa makes a gorgeous one with a date and blue hands, but they are all too big (40mm)!!!  I really hate being so limited.









The Laco is something to consider if I decide to go for a handwind. I think I'd prefer automatic right now though.


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## faintlymacabre

Do any gals here have an Archimede? If so, would you be able to give some input on this thread that I posted in the Military/Pilot forum?

https://www.watchuseek.com/f7/archimede-size-features-dilemma-36mm-vs-39mm-girls-wrist-787929.html


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## Vivian886

If 36mm is your max, but still acceptable to you, then you've actually got quite a few options. I'll list two off the top of my head: the Archimede 36mm Small Pilot (which I think was already raised), and the Junkers 6365-2 36mm Lady Pilot (which I have and will be posting pics soon). The added benefit of the Junkers watch is that it has a display back and uses Miyota's new high-quality high-beat movement, the Cal. 9015. It can also be had for around ~$300 on Amazon or Ebay, which is quite the bargain for what you're getting.

There's also a listing on Ebay right now for a 33mm Hamilton Military manual wind in new condition, but personally I find the price is too high: NEW Vintage Men's Hamilton Khaki Military Watch Swiss Mvt Green *Last One* | eBay

And for an affordable, there's always the 34mm Tritium Marathon Military manual wind, under $200.

And for something more expensive around the $1000 mark, with similar military tritium tubes, check out Ball and their Lady Fireman 32mm range (automatic).


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