Buffy Acacia
There are so many watches surrounded by exaggerated or completely false myths, and the watch brings immeasurable excitement with a genuine backstory. Being able to trace the origin of something back to a particular date is always popular with watch nerds, especially when it has to do with the military. Well, in 1955, a military contract was created by the US Ship Bureau to find a watch for divers to avoid underwater explosives. Obviously, it required not only water resistance, but also luminous markers and a rotating bezel. The specifications for the MIL-W-22176 (SHIPS) laid out everything the explosion ordinance divers and underwater demolition teams needed on the watch, and there were only two companies interested in contracting. However, there are currently three different brands offering a modern reissue of Mil-Ships Watch. So how different are they, and which is the most authentic? Let’s dive in.
MIL-W-22176 (ship) historical clock
The US military is legally obligated to purchase supplies from domestic manufacturers, so options for watchmakers were very limited. Bulova was an easy choice, and was based in New York City at the time and was a staple in American watchmaking for decades. The other applicants were importers named Allen Tohneck who sold Branpine Watches and found the opportunity. Knowing that the Blanpine 50 Fathom was already a capable dive watch, he used the English bastards of Villelett in the Blanpine area and combined with his surname to create a brand called Torneclayville. When we printed on the dial, these reskinned Blancpens were considered “good enough for Americans.”
So, was there a tough battle between the two brands to secure a lucrative contract? There is not at all. History is muddy here, but by 1957 the Tornek Rayville had become a job, producing only about 1,000 units. Some say that the Bulova prototype actually failed the water penetration test. Or some say the company may just oppose the project for some reason. It is also unclear whether the US military knew that their US watches were actually made in Switzerland. After all these years, the MIL-W-22176 (ships) spec watch is very collectible and very expensive. The authentic vintage Tornek-rayville can be sold in the range of 70,000-150,000 USD and does not have enough data to place a simple value on one of the ultra-rare Bulova prototypes. After all, there are only 12 known prototypes that exist.
Thankfully, watchmakers are obsessed with stories like this, and we are not only limited to vintage models. A variety of recreational activities have been produced over the years, including homage to the micro brand. Bulova and Blancpain have created their own version of Mil-Ships Watchs, a relatively new company that owns the rights named Tornek-Rayville. But if you are interested in buying one of them, how can you know which is right for you?
Blowbu Millship
Starting with the easiest of the three, the Bulova Millship was first (re)started in 2021. Standard production model with Miyota 82S0. It seems there are still people floating around third-party retailers from that run. More recently, Bulova has made additional versions available in bronze cases with blue or green dials. This is the price of USD 1,195. It’s an incredibly good reproduction of the original prototype, with a vintage 41mm diameter 41mm and double dome crystals, even when upgraded from acrylic to sapphire. The 2021 steel version also comes with a 16mm lug width and fabric strap, but the bronze reference has been updated to the 18mm strap for a bit more balanced.
The Bulova Millship has two specific features that go beyond cool, proving that this watch is more than just a visual homage. The first is a paper strip on the dial, which is supposed to change color when exposed to moisture. This helps visualize water invasion in the event of a leak. The second is an aluminum bezel that needs to be pushed down to rotate, locking the bezel in place so that it won’t slip into the middle of the dive. To be honest, Bulova Mil-Ships leaves no room for improvement.
Tornek-Rayville TR-660
If it was originally a trick from a Blanpine distributor, you might wonder why a brand called Tornek-rayville actually exists, but that is because modern Tornek-rayville was founded by businessmen, Because it was founded by Bill Yao, a lover who won that name. In addition to owning the military-style watch brand MKII, he also handles marketing for the Boston Celtics. However, while the reissue of Millship Watch was mandatory as the first release of a revived brand, Tohneck Rayville was never intended to resort to forever. The TR-660 was more modern than the Bulova version, with a 40mm case, 48.5mm lug-to-lug length and 20mm lug width. The dial is also different, replacing functional paper strips with decorative hemispheres and several printed specifications. There is also a date display pushed out at 4:30. One more impressive aspect of the new Tornek-rayville is that there is a testing division that goes through a pace called Spar.
When the Tornek-Rayville name and US are printed on the dial, it makes for an attractive watch, especially considering the retail price of 895 USD is the most affordable of the three options. That price was achieved through the use of the Seiko NE15 movement, also known as the 6R15 within Seiko Watches. In typical micro-brand fashion, production is fairly limited, and watches are no longer available for new purchases. The Blakjak and Paradive models do not display the brand name on the dial, so the Tornek-Rayville name has not actually been milked in a later release. The examples used are difficult to come across, but if you can find them, it will probably be the cheapest millship watch.
Blankpine 50 Fathom Mill Spec Hodinky
There are other Blancpain Fifty Fathoms models that replicate the Milships Circular Paper Moise Indicator, but none of them completely abolished in the luxury of the modern 50 Fathom range. Made in a limited edition 250-piece collaboration with Hodinkee, this 50 Fathom MIL spec uses a brushed 40.3mm steel case with excavated lugs to get closer to the original of the 1950s. The bezel insert is a more accurate reproduction than other Blancpain models, given the baton markers and numbers of 15, 30, and 45 minutes.
The case is completely different from the vintage model as it suddenly protrudes from the case rather than smoothly flowing from the edge of the case. This is because it is based on the modern 50 Fathoms on the mainline. The crown guard also infuses a sturdy sporty feel that is not found in a simple design. For USD 14,400, one of the biggest differences between Tornek-Rayville and Bulova is its gorgeous status and refinement. It’s a 300m diver rather than a 200m diver, and the company’s automatic caliber 1154 has a 100-hour power reserve at a 3Hz beat rate. It could be the most accurate reissue of the three, but at least it is manufactured by the same company that actually built the official Millship watch.
Branpine 50 Fathom 70th Anniversary Vol. 3
There is one final blanpine that is worth mentioning here. It’s another limited edition, the third act of the 70th anniversary of the 50 Fathom, released in 2023. From more anachronistic materials: 9K bronze gold. The material reportedly was chosen as a homage to the limited range of MIL spec models produced at the time, made from German silver. However, the bronze gold is still pu-stringed and the luxurious nature of the material means that this 50 Fathom has a faithful form factor and overall design, but it is by no means a tool watch like the original.
Like the Hodinkee model previously described, it starts from the original with sapphire crystal, a 300-meter water resistance rating, and internal movement (also uses a 100-hour caliber 1154). It is also the most expensive reissue of all millship watches, selling for a punchy $32,700. They are clearly in a very different layer of watchmaking, but if you’re looking for a similar aesthetic, the recently released Bronze Bloebu Millship 150th Anniversary model is 27x cheaper for perspective.
