Why We Love It
Watches do more than tell time. They also tell stories.
Some of the most epic stories are those of military watches- be they dive watches, field watches, or pilots watches. Among pilots watches, Heuer Bundeswehrs have achieved an almost cult like following. As most of you know, when it comes to military watches, we can't get enough.
The example we have today is a cut above the rest. Not only does it have a supremely clean bezel, dial, and warmly patinated lume, it also features the often sought 3H signature (more on that in the story).
A pilot's watch should be a few things- large, legible, and ideally a flyback chronograph. The Heuer Bundeswehr doesn't just check these boxes, it blows them away.
And lets be honest, when you put a Bundeswehr on a proper bund-strap, it looks way more tough than you do.
The Story
The Heuer Bundeswehr was designed for the sole purpose of use in military aviation. It was General Issue for pilots in the air forces of many nations (including the Italian Air Force, under the brand Leonidas, which Heuer acquired in the 60s) but is best-known for its use by the Luftwaffe of West Germany. From the 1960s to the 1970s, the "Bund" (as it's affectionately known) saw a range of dial configurations, which are broken down here on On The Dash.
There's one tell-tale sign that a Bund might have seen military service (or, to put less fine of a point on it, is from the period in which the Bund was issued to the Luftwaffe). It's one little symbol, in bright red above 6 o'clock on the dial: the letters "3H" surrounded by a circle. This indicates that the luminescent material on the numerals is tritium (Hydrogen-3). As one can tell from OnTheDash's breakdown, the 3H symbol came in four different variations, with the characters in varying sizes. However, no matter the size of the 3H symbol, it meant one thing: the watch can be dated to the 1960s to 1970s.
As with many military watches, the Bund is a front-loader, with the movement being secured by the screw-mounted case back that is attached to the bezel. The Bund, being a manually-wound flyback chrono, used a host of Valjoux movements, from the Valjoux 22 to the Caliber 220 to the Caliber 230. Sturdy, dependable, it's the sort of watch you want strapped to your wrist whether you're dodging enemy fighters at 35,000 feet or engaged in more terrestrial pursuits.
