Collection

CWC RN300 Diver: A Royal Navy Issued Quartz Watch Collector's View

Ludi · 2020-02-23T08:46:25Z

Explore the CWC RN300 diver, a Royal Navy issued quartz watch, with collector Ludi's unique serial #300. Understand its history, military provenance, and the distinction between issued and reissued models.

By Ludi · Feb 23, 2020 · 26 replies

Ludi

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

26 replies5073 views2 photos

Ludi's acquisition of a CWC RN300 diver, specifically serial number 300 from the 1997 batch, offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of military-issued timepieces. His post highlights the unique appeal of owning a watch with such a distinctive serial number, potentially marking it as the last of its issue year. This article explores the enduring allure of CWC's robust tool watches and the nuances of collecting them, drawing on community insights to contextualize their historical significance and modern availability.

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New acquisition, CWC issued diver RN300 ... serial number 300, batch 1997, possibly the last one issued this year as no higher number has not been seen so far (until proven otherwise)

RN300 SN 300/300, how cool is that ?

(Pic from previous owner)

Not a quartz watch kind of guy usually, this one being the sole exception in my collection.

And trust my word, it’s a great tool watch with a huge presence on the wrist. I definitively should have put the trigger earlier.

Best - Fred

Key Points from the Discussion

Many collectors appreciate CWC's quartz military divers, often owning multiple references from different years, alongside other issued watches like Precista and Seiko.
CWC watches have a proud history of military supply, known for their toughness and reliability, with some pieces having direct provenance from significant historical events like the Falklands War.
There's a distinction between genuinely issued vintage CWC watches and modern CWC offerings that feature military markings but were never issued, which can be a point of confusion for collectors.
Historically, CWC Royal Navy Quartz divers were issued with specific reference numbers and years (e.g., 0552/ for 1983, 1985, 1986, 1992 and 0555/ for 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000), while non-issued versions appeared later (e.g., 0555/ for 2012, 2013, 2014).
The last year for issued CWC RN300 divers was 2000, and modern 'reissued' models are homages to former specifications rather than genuine military issues.

The Discussion

LiftAngle51

Feb 23, 2020

Do you

Are you interested in watches? My eyes hurt.

Ludi

Feb 23, 2020

Nope, I guess I know nothing about watches...

... thanks for pointing this out ^^

amanico

Feb 23, 2020

Wow, my friend. I didn't know that this watch was issued in 1997. I thought much before. [nt]

Ludi

Feb 23, 2020

Issued from 1981, mechanical movements at first, then quartz from 1983...

... and were issued until 2000 An interesting thread from Watchlovr : omegaforums.net /

amanico

Feb 23, 2020

Thanks for these precisions, mon ami. [nt]

xyz123abc

Feb 23, 2020

Even with broad arrow and the unit/warehouse/issue numbers

i assume this is not a genuine military issue, rather an homage to military wristwatches? On the website they offer for sale for a very reasonable price what seems to be new watches with military markings.

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