A mid-sized military watch from Vertex makes the M36 a touching tribute

Russell Sheldrake

Vertex is a historic British watch brand that has played a role in some of the most important moments in the county’s history, one of the most poignant of those being D-Day. Being a member of the original Dirty Dozen, Vertex was tasked with creating a field watch that could be issued to members of the British military during the final months of World War II, and thanks to the work the brand has done since its relaunch in 2014, it has been able to track down a few of the watches that were worn on the beaches in Normandy.

To help honour this, early this year, on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, Vertex released the M36, a follow-up to the brand’s popular field watch, the M100, but now in the original size from 1944. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of these pieces for a couple of weeks to test drive it, and find out how a watch from the 40s would fair in 2024.

Is mid-sized the future?

I have always preferred my watches on the smaller size. Not only do I feel that they fit more wrists, but they also look more elegant when taken below 40mm in diameter. So when I heard that Vertex would be bringing out this new 36mm version of its excellently finished field watch, I knew I had to try it on to see if my philosophy worked out. Not only is this smaller size more to my tastes, but as I mentioned above, it is also the original size of the watches made by Vertex in 1944, of which Vertex owner Don Cochrane has a number of in the company’s collection.

When I first got hold of this watch in the Vertex London showroom, it instantly reminded me of the other best-in-class field watches on the market such as the Hamilton Khaki Field, and while the styling is similar, I fear Vertex may have eclipsed what many believe to be the golden child of this category. Not only do I think its case construction is slightly superior, with wonderfully curved and tapered lugs, but the addition of the box crystal adds to the vintage feel of this watch without adding any distortion to the edge of the dial.

I also prefer the slightly flatter crown of the M36 compared to the Hamilton. It is still extremely easy to manipulate, but having it slightly closer to the case made it even less likely to dig into your wrist. Of course, as someone with smaller wrists, I’m going to be biased towards how the M36 wears compared to the M100, but I’ll stick to my guns here and say that it not only wears better, but looks better in general.

Enhanced visibility

As with all field watches, legibility is key, and Vertex didn’t cut any corners with the M36. The dial is super clean, with a matte black surface with blocks of Super-LumiNova in the form of Arabic numerals. These big blocks of lume shine incredibly bright in even the faintest whiff of shadow. I know other brands do this, but I find the execution here amazing, and it feels completely fitting with the original intention of this being a tool watch. If they had the ability to do this back in the ’40s, you can be sure they would have.

The lume has been kept to the functional parts of the markers and hands, with minimal markings throughout the rest of the dial. Just a small Vertex logo, the broad arrow, and sub-dial are printed in an unobtrusive white typeface. The syringe hands are a real nice touch here as well. While the lume plots in the middle are clear and glow brightly, the thin tips allow for super accurate reading and setting off the minute track.

Options are everything

While this simple watch may at first look like the kind of piece that you can take anywhere and do anything with, what really sold that point to me is that it came with three strap options as standard. I was personally a massive fan of it on the expandable metal bracelet. Similar in look to a Bonklip, it was super comfy, and out of all three straps made the watch sit most snugly on my wrist. And thanks to the construction of this bracelet, it can be endlessly adjusted by removing one small link at a time. This essentially guarantees it to fit any wrist, and thanks to its expandable nature, it has on-the-fly micro-adjust built in. This also felt like the most formal look out of all three, which tends to suit my daily wear a little better.

The other two options were also fantastic, with both being pass-through straps, one in a super soft, large weave fabric, and the other a distressed leather. As both were pass-through straps, they made the watch stand a little more proud on the wrist, but for a casual or short sleeve look, this was not a problem at all. And it’s been made easy to switch between the two with the screw-in strap bars easy to remove thanks to the screwdriver that’s supplied in the box. While we’re on the subject, the box is pretty cool too, looking like something that has come straight from a military surplus shop, and definitely fits the vibe of this watch.

Closing thoughts

This watch is very good. There is no way around it. And it plays to many of the points that I look for in a watch, with flexibility in how and where to wear it, smart enough to dress enough, and casual options that allow you to dress it down, and it fits on my more diminutive wrists. It ticks many boxes for me and I thoroughly enough my time with it on my wrist. The watch is a wonderful modern interpretation of a Dirty Dozen timepiece, and pays tribute without the need for fauxtina, one of my pet peeves.

Inside is a Sellita SW260-1, a perfectly serviceable automatic movement that keeps the watch ticking and allows it to remain at its 36mm size, and is completely covered with a solid caseback that keeps the traditional WWW and broad arrow markings which Vertex was given special permission to use by the British MOD.

The only way I could see to improve this watch would be to get a manual wind movement in there, just to have a strong link to those original watches worn on the beaches. I understand why having an automatic movement would be more practical, and this isn’t a deal breaker for me. I’m happy to not have to wind this piece each time I put it on, and the convenience of that automatic rotor didn’t detract from my experience. Would I take this over every other field watch currently on the market? Probably. It certainly sits at a slightly higher price point than the likes of Hamilton, Serica or Farer (all of which are available from our London Discovery Studio), but to me it has a wonderful connection to my own family’s history with my grandparents fighting in the war, and elevates a classic design without disrupting it.

Vertex M36 pricing and availability

The Vertex M36 is available now through the brand, and will also be on offer during our upcoming event at the London Discovery Studio, the British Weekender. Price: £2,150 (~US$2,800)

Brand	Vertex
Model	M36
Case Dimensions	36mm (D) x 11mm (T) x 46.5mm (LTL)
Case Material	Stainless steel
Water Resistance	100 metres
Crystal(s)	Sapphire
Dial	Black
Lug Width	18mm
Bracelet and strap	Expandable metal, adjustable clasp Fabric and leather NATO-styles, steel hardware
Movement	Sellita SW260-1, automatic
Power Reserve	38 hours
Functions	Hours, minutes, small seconds
Availability	Now
Price	£2,150 (~US$2,800)