The BENRUS DTU-2A/P Field Watch

BENRUS has a history going back to 1921 in New York City and over a million watches were being produced annually by the 1950s. Classic American brands like Hamilton and Elgin are well known by enthusiasts today, but Benrus was also among the best known during the mid-20th century with both military and civilian watches. Like so many others, Benrus was a casualty of the Quartz Crisis in the late 1970s, but it made a comeback in 2017 following an acquisition by a private investment group with experienced industry veterans. The current focus is on heritage and military watches from the archives, and the DTU-2A/P field watch is a classic example.

The brand definitely has street cred with serious clients from the past. John F. Kennedy, Babe Ruth and Charles Lindbergh were all clients, and Steve McQueen wore one in the 1968 movie, Bullitt. There’s also a special project currently in the works, Project Type 3X, that’s being developed with veterans of the Navy SEALs, Rangers and Marines. The DTU-2A/P was born during the Vietnam War and following upgraded MIL-W-3818B specifications by the Defense Department in 1962, it secured a contract and was the first new field watch issued to Vietnam soldiers. The 2025 DTU-2A/P reissue meets the same 1962 military specifications in the classic 34mm case, while the “sterile” matte black dial remains faithful to the original as well.

The sandblasted stainless steel case is small by today’s standards, again at 34mm in diameter and 10.9mm in height (lug-to-lug 40.2mm), but that was normal in the mid-20th century. Although very faithful in appearance and lineage, there are inevitable (and important) modern upgrades that start with a double-domed sapphire crystal with two anti-reflective coatings. An original wartime crystal would be acrylic. An oversized screw-down crown also allows for 100 metres of water resistance, which is certainly higher than the original as well. The 18mm lug width can be a bit deceptive as a brown leather bund strap makes it appear wider (with more overall presence on the wrist), although a standard green NATO strap with a steel pin buckle is also available for a clean and simple look. Keeping with tradition, the case back is solid steel with a MIL-SPEC engraving (MIL-W-3818B).

The matte black dial is free of branding and dial text and features the classic military style of 12 Arabic numerals with a smaller 24-hour scale inside. It’s a common aesthetic seen on watches like the Hamilton Khaki Field, Bulova Hack Watch and many more as it was a standard design back in the day. A detailed minute/seconds track with triangular marks (and a faux patina) circles the perimeter and Super-LumiNova is used on the dial and hands. It has a no-nonsense vibe that’s classic, very legible and a perfect compact tool for the field.

Powering the BENRUS DTU-2A/P Field Watch is an ETA 2671 automatic with 25 jewels, a beat rate of 28,800vph (4Hz) and a power reserve of 38 hours. Nothing fancy, but that’s kind of the point. The watch is Swiss made despite having American origins, but from its founding, BENRUS used and often assembled movements from La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. So, the brand has historically enjoyed an American/Swiss partnership. The ETA 2671 is notable for having a small size, which is ideal for the 34mm case. Functions include central hours, minutes and hacking seconds, and it’s a true no-date movement. The original wartime model had an ETA 2370 calibre that was modified for hacking seconds.

The BENRUS DTU-2A/P is a cool, compact field watch with a legit lineage and authentic proportions, which might be too small for some, but those that appreciate its history will certainly be happy. It retails for CHF 892 (excl. VAT), which isn’t bad considering the movement, faithful design and lineage.

For more information and to make a purchase, please visit Benrus.com.