At the beginning of the 1970s, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) revised the Defence Standard (DEF-STAN) that defined the specification of military pilots’ wristwatches.
The changes outlined in DEF-STAN 66-4 (Part 2) in April 1970 allowed the use of a more economically viable and mass-produced double-pusher chronograph movement, this being the Valjoux 7733.
For the next 12 years, from 1970 onwards, four watch manufacturers produced these new pilots’ watches. All were identical in their basic design and construction, with the same asymmetric case and robust Valjoux chronograph movement.
Hamilton was the first supplier of these watches, which began being issued to the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in 1970. CWC followed in 1973 and was eventually joined by Newmark in 1980 and Precista in 1981.
Today, these watches are extremely popular and are affectionately known by collectors and enthusiasts as the “Fab Four”.
The Hamilton for sale is the former property of Warrant RAF Warrant Officer Charles Michael Yarwood A.F.M., M.E.D.S. (1948964).
Charles Yarwood, known as Mike to his friends and family, had a long and extremely distinguished military career. His operational experience as a member of the British Airborne Forces and RAF Search and Rescue (SAR) Paramedic/Winchman spanned over 25 years.
Our journal regarding Mike’s remarkable military career can be found on our website via the following link below:
