MWC Vietnam Watch

MWC OLIVE GREEN US MILITARY PATTERN VIETNAM WATCH (QUARTZ)

•               Cost: £££ (£38) GET IT HERE
• Value for Money: 3
• Ease of use: 5
• Construction: 4
•  Alliness:           4

As I'm a nerdy fan boy of G10 watches, I still wear one day to day, Alex at Gen Kit sent me over this watch he had bought to review.  This is a modernised replica of the US issue watch from the Vietnam War period.  The original watches were made from plastic as they were considered to be disposable.  MWC, who make the watch, decided to upgrade this by making it out of metal and giving it decent glass.

I received only the watch itself to review but, when purchased new it comes in a presentation tin which is apparently quite cool.  The watch itself is a little smaller than the issue G10 and doesn’t feel as weighty when you hold it.  That said it is about half the thickness of the G10 too.  The other difference is the colour of the watch itself.  The case is a slightly lighter than olive green with a matt finish.  Apparently, it also comes in black.

To my eye the dial on the MWC watch is clearer to read than the G10, despite being a little smaller.  This is probably more to do with the contrasting colour of the hands.  The glow is nice and bright, and is easy to read at night.  I found it to be brighter than the G10, although I would caveat that I have had mine for a good few years, and it wasn’t new when I got it, so the glow has probably faded.

The strap is quite different from the G10 one too.  The MWC strap is a single length, rounded off at both ends, and punched with 15 holes at the other.  This provides well for wearing it over the top of an NBC suit as is intended by the long strap on the G10.  

The other key difference is in the watch buckle.  On the MWC watch it is removable.  This means that you can actually adjust the length of the strap as worn on your wrist.  Unlike the G10 you won’t have to double it back on itself and tuck it in after you do the watch up.  Or, if you have girly wrists like me, punch an extra hole in the strap.  The MWC strap is softer than the G10 is new and is a slightly darker than coyote brown colour.

The buckle itself has a dark grey, matt finish.  It feels quite a bit slimmer than the G10 buckle.  I am unable to comment on its long-term robustness, but I am sure it will be fine.

This Kit Pest Review was written by Ben OToole. Hopefully you enjoyed it and if you have any thoughts or comments related to this article then leave a comment! 

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