Skip to main content

The Watches of ‘Dunkirk” Are an Epic Second Story to the Film

By Geoff Nudelman Aug 8, 2017 1:00 PM

Dunkirk already has plenty of critical acclaim and many are giving it an early “Best of” nod.

Beyond the heroics of the soldiers, their equipment played a key role in the Allied success at Dunkirk.

Recommended Videos

Tom Hardy’s character in the film wears a period-correct CK2129, which was the most commonly worn OMEGA timepiece for RAF personnel in the early days of WWII.

The CK2129 Omega Watch worn by Tom Hardy in Dunkirk — The CK2129 Omega Watch worn by Tom Hardy in Dunkirk Image used with permission by copyright holder

Soldiers used it for timing specific intervals, such as bombing raids. It’s simplistic dial was purposeful – easy to read and durable throughout the rigors of war.

OMEGA sent additional watches to the Ministry of Defense (MoD) as the war went on. The UK/CK2292 was one that was supplied to the majority of MoD and Fleet Air Arm personnel. New calibre technology set precision records and helped pilots who were sitting just a couple of feet behind a huge magnetic field within their engines.

The UKCK2292 Spitfire Omega Watch — The UKCK2292 Spitfire Omega Watch Image used with permission by copyright holder

Towards the end of the war, the CK2444 was a key timepiece, specifically for its water resistance. It featured another easy to read dial and became a trademark watch of the British military.

THE CK2444 THE WATERPROOF WATCH — The CK2444 Waterproof Omega Watch Image used with permission by copyright holder

All of this built on OMEGA’s relationship with the British military stretching back to WWI, when they used chronograph watches to time the exact difference between the flash and sound of opposing gunfire. This helped determine the distance between themselves and the enemy. Pretty important when you’re building trench lines.

So the next time you check out a war flick like Dunkirk, just remember that even something as small as a wristwatch played a crucial role in the military’s success.

Geoff is a former contributor to The Manual. He’s a native Oregonian who’s always up for a good challenge and a great hike… Read Full Bio

Topics

Watches

Fashion & Style

The best casual watches for men (to upgrade your everyday style)

Work wear blues watch close up

Watches are more than a tool. They are more than an accessory. They are the kind of tool and accessory that make a statement. They are an expression. They are a statement. A man can look incredible: the right top, the right bottom, great shoes, great hat. The wrong watch can ruin a look, or even the whole essence. Here is the rub: the wrong watch can be subjective. For instance, most people will tell you that a Timex broken watch isn’t the right watch for a pinstripe power suit. However, it was my grandfather’s watch, and I wear it anytime I need him and his guidance. The point? That is never the wrong watch. Once you find a casual watch that works for you, it will be your everyday wear and will never be the wrong watch.

That is what I collected here: The best of the casual watches you can pick up today that will become your everyday wear.

Fashion & Style

Audemars Piguet launches pre-owned program to rival the titan of the second-hand watch market

Audemars Piguet

Rolex has dominated the watch world for nearly a century. The industry is a deep and complicated web of luxury houses and independent hopefuls. While brands like Patek Phillipe and Cartier vie for their place on the podium, Rolex holds a death grip on the chronophile’s aspirational collection checklist. But Audemars Piguet has decided to challenge them somewhere most other brands are deciding to ignore: the pre-owned market. Now, while something like the Royal Oak is an icon among enthusiasts, AP launching their own certified pre-owned marketplace to chase the reported $1 billion Rolex pie will certainly upset the market.

Like I said, it is a deep and complicated web, so I sat down with a horological expert and founder of WatchGuys, (317K on Instagram), Robertino Altieri, to have him walk me through what this means for watches and their passionate collectors.

Fashion & Style

Round two of Wrangler’s imogene + willie collab leans on America’s last big denim mill

Jeans, Pants, Belt

Wrangler and imogene + willie have released the second of three drops in their made-in-the-USA denim collaboration, and this one is built around fabric from America’s last large-scale denim mill.

Capsule No. 2 dropped Saturday, Oct. 24, and features Wrangler’s signature broken twill in jeans, jackets, and shirts. The fabric was developed with Mount Vernon Mills in Trion, Georgia, the last mill of its size still making denim in the US.