The A-11 watch and the watches of World War II

The A-11 was the standard wristwatch of the US Army Air Forces in World War II, made in huge numbers by Elgin, Waltham and Bulova. It had a small 30 to 32 mm case, a black dial with white numerals, a central seconds hand and hacking seconds so navigators could synchronize to the second. So many were made that it is nicknamed "the watch that won the war", and its design is the template for today's field watches.

Used by	US Army Air Forces navigators and pilots; also other Allies
Makers	Elgin, Waltham, Bulova
Case	About 30 to 32 mm
Dial	Black, white Arabic numerals (white versions exist)
Key feature	Hacking seconds for synchronizing
Nickname	"The watch that won the war"

The A-11: America's war watch

When the United States entered World War II, its air forces needed hundreds of thousands of reliable, identical watches for navigators and pilots. In a bomber crossing an ocean or a continent, navigation depended on dead reckoning: speed, heading and, above all, exact time. The military wrote a standard specification, and America's big watch factories, Elgin in Illinois, Waltham in Massachusetts and Bulova in New York, built watches to it. The result was the A-11. American factories largely switched from consumer watches to military production during the war.

What made the A-11 special

Hacking seconds: pulling the crown stopped the seconds hand, so a whole crew could set their watches to the same second before a mission. That was rare in 1940s watches.
Maximum legibility: a matte black dial, bold white Arabic numerals and a central seconds hand; some versions add an inner 24-hour track.
Small and tough: a 30 to 32 mm case with a hand-wound movement, made to be repaired anywhere by swapping standard parts.
Mass production: so many were made that Commonwealth air forces used them too, where the type was known as "6B".

Collecting a vintage A-11

Because so many survive, an original A-11 is one of the most affordable genuine WWII watches. Prices depend on maker, condition and whether the dial, hands and case are original; many were refurbished with replacement dials after the war. Look for military markings on the caseback, a matching movement from Elgin, Waltham or Bulova, and a seller who explains what has been restored. A service by a watchmaker experienced with vintage movements is wise before daily wear.

Other famous watches of World War II

Watch	Country	Story
B-Uhr (Beobachtungsuhr)	Germany	Huge 55 mm observation watches for Luftwaffe navigators, made by IWC, A. Lange & Söhne, Wempe, Laco and Stowa. Type A and Type B dials; only a few thousand made.
Fliegerchronograph	Germany	Flyback pilot's chronographs by Hanhart and Tutima, from 1939.
"Dirty Dozen" (W.W.W.)	Britain	About 150,000 waterproof watches from 12 Swiss makers, including Omega, Longines and Jaeger-LeCoultre, delivered in 1945, too late for combat.
6B/159 navigator's watch	Britain	RAF navigation watches by Omega, Longines and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Weems navigation watch	USA / Britain	Designed by US Navy officer Philip Van Horn Weems, with a rotating bezel to sync with radio time signals.
Canteen watch	USA	Hamilton and Elgin watches for Navy Underwater Demolition Teams, with a screw-on crown cover.
Panerai Radiomir	Italy	Large, luminous dive watches for Italian navy frogmen, first made in tiny numbers in 1938.
Seikosha Tensoku	Japan	A 48.5 mm pilot's watch used by Japanese navy pilots.

The A-11 today

The A-11's black dial, white numerals and simple steel case became the template for the modern field watch. Many brands, from affordable to luxury, sell watches inspired by it, usually with hacking seconds. Read about what happened to Elgin, Waltham and America's watch industry in watches made in the USA, and the military origins of 24-hour time in our military time guide.

Questions people ask

What is an A-11 watch?

The standard US Army Air Forces wristwatch of World War II, made by Elgin, Waltham and Bulova, with a black dial, white numerals and hacking seconds.

Why is the A-11 called the watch that won the war?

Because it was produced in such huge numbers and used by so many Allied airmen for navigation.

What does hacking mean on a watch?

Pulling the crown stops the seconds hand, so you can set the watch to an exact second. Military crews used it to synchronize watches.

How big is an A-11?

About 30 to 32 mm across, small by today's standards; modern A-11-style watches are usually 36 to 40 mm.

What was the Dirty Dozen?

Twelve Swiss brands that made about 150,000 waterproof "W.W.W." watches for the British army, delivered in 1945.

Sources

Last updated October 18, 2026. Prices are auction hammer-plus-premium results or published list prices as reported by the sources below; retail prices change, so check an authorized dealer before buying. Brand and model names belong to their owners and are used here only to identify the watches; onlineclock.app is not affiliated with any watch brand. Found an error? Tell us.