Type 1 watches purchased now will begin shipping at the end of May 2025
Founded in New York City by three Romanian-American brothers in 1921, BENRUS has been making history for more than a century. The Type 1 is a legend within the military watch sphere, seeing service with elite units during the Vietnam War and beyond.
With only approximately 6,000 produced between 1972 and 1980, the
BENRUS Type 1 is among the rarest military watches ever produced. Based on the MIL-W-50717 standard that inspired it, the Type 1 Mil-Spec pays homage to this icon. The Type 1’s sterile dial is accurately reproduced along with its bi-directional 12-hour bezel, a unique fixture of the Type 1 and 2. The fully sandblasted 39.5mm (at the bezel) stainless steel case, featuring an impressive 365m of water resistance (1200 ft in old currency), is paired with a no-nonsense black rubber strap for ultimate functionality.
Like the original Type 1, this revival is powered by an automatic Swiss-made movement. The ETA 2892 beating inside features 21 jewels, hacking, hand winding, a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour, and a power reserve of at least 42 hours.
- Case: Sandblasted Stainless Steel
- Dial: Black
- Movement: ETA 2892
- Winding: Automatic
- Lens: Domed Sapphire
- Strap: Black Rubber
- Water Res.: 365m
- Diameter: 39.5mm
- Length: 47.4mm
- Thickness: 14.4mm
- Lug Width: 20mm
- Swiss-Made
- Warranty: 24 Months
Benrus was founded in New York by Benjamin Lazrus and his two brothers and took its name from the first syllable of his name and the last syllable of the family name. The three young men combined $5,000 in savings and started importing Swiss watch movements and casing them in New York City. They headquartered the fledgling company in the iconic Hippodrome building, nestled in the jewelry district and what is known to still be the “heart” of the City. Today, the company’s headquarters remains in the same location.
