In watch collecting circles, few military timepieces are as famed as those from the 'Dirty Dozen'. The term refers to the 12 companies that were commissioned by the British Ministry of Defence to build and supply watches to its exacting specifications during the Second World War. Counted among them are recognisable names including IWC, Omega, Longines and Jaeger-LeCoultre, however another in its ranks, Vertex, may be less familiar, having disappeared into the depths of horological history – until now.
The brand, founded in London's renowned Hatton Garden in 1916 by Claude Lyons, has been brought back from hibernation by his great-grandson Don Cochrane. "It's part of my heritage," explains Cochrane. "I have always worked for other brands and suddenly it was clear that this was my turn or chance to build something special. It's been an amazing journey so far and I feel very lucky to have been able to take it."
This latest iteration stays true to the company's military roots, which stretch further back than the watches produced during the Second World War. "He [Lyons] had previously founded Dreadnought Watches, selling mostly gentlemen's pocket watches, but saw the opportunity for a more diverse company with a greater range. Almost immediately they started supplying officers in the British Armed Forces and then won a bigger contract supplying watches under the ATP brand to the military," said Cochrane. But it would be those pieces produced as part of the "Dirty Dozen" that would come to define the brand.
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"In 1943, the war office decided they needed to create a standard watch for the military that ticked a number of boxes; black dial, clear Arabic numerals, shatterproof Perspex glass, clear sub second, large crown and waterproof case. The watches were not only important for what they did (timing battles, bombing missions, naval encounters and visits to the pub), but they also became the blueprint for all the military watches that followed them."
Such hallmarks can be clearly seen in the first new timepiece from the reinvigorated brand, the M100. The robust and utilitarian model features a clean dial with large numerals and easily legible sub dial. "We tried to stay as close as possible to the form of the original watch but working with the best materials of today, while also introducing new technology like the moulded SuperLuminova on the dial," said Cochrane.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Vertex mark two, however, is its unique ownership model. While the mechanical watch is priced at £2,500, you can't simply buy one from a shop or online. Instead, only a handpicked selection of people are able to purchase the M100, who can then refer a limited number of their acquaintances. "I really wanted to build Vertex around our customers and let them take an active role in how Vertex grows. Too many brands are just all about the money, Vertex is about community and a shared passion," explains Cochrane. "The list was not created on my own. I wanted as diverse a group as possible and although there are some people that you would have heard of there are far more that you would not have. The main rule at the start was that you had to want to sit next to someone at dinner to put them on the list."
This unconventional approach seems to be paying off so far, with Cochrane estimating that at current rates of sales it will only take a year to sell out the current batch. "It's been great; the watch industry has been very supportive. Most importantly, our owners really love their watches and Vertex is once again a respected name in the watch world."
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