{"product_id":"heuer-bundeswehr-3h-as01851","title":"Heuer Bundeswehr 3H","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThough it may seem incongruous to wax poetic over a military watch, when speaking of the Heuer Bundeswehr, we here at Analog\/Shift feel it’s completely justified.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eAt face value the Bund ticks all the boxes required of a military chronograph: sturdy steel case, stark black dial, reliable movement. But aesthetically, the Bund transcends mere functionality. In fact, it looks almost elegant despite its size: the juxtaposition of the chronograph registers, the 3H markings, and the Heuer logo at the poles of the dial give it an austere beauty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eFirst and foremost, however, the Heuer Bundeswehr was designed for the sole purpose of use in military aviation. It was General Issue for pilots in the air forces of many nations (including the Italian Air Force, under the brand Leonidas, which Heuer acquired in the 60s) but is best-known for its use by the \u003ci\u003eLuftwaffe\u003c\/i\u003e of West Germany\u003ci\u003e.\u003c\/i\u003e From the 1960s to the 1970s, the \"Bund\" (as it's affectionately known) saw a range of dial configurations that baffle those not in the know; fortunately, the Heuer experts over at\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.onthedash.com\/Guide\/_Chronographs\/67.Bundeswehr\/\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e On The Dash\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e have complied a comprehensive overview of these variations, which we'll summarize here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThere's one tell-tale sign that a Bund might have seen military service (or, to put less fine of a point on it, is from the period in which the Bund was issued to the Luftwaffe). It's one little symbol, in bright red above 6 o'clock on the dial: the letters \"3H\" surrounded by a circle. This indicates that the luminescent material on the numerals is tritium (Hydrogen-3). As one can tell from OnTheDash's breakdown, the 3H symbol came in four different variations, with the characters in varying sizes. However, no matter the size of the 3H symbol, it meant one thing: the watch can be dated (most likely) to the 1960s to 1970s\u003ci\u003e. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe Bund that we offer here, with the requisite 3H symbol, is classic Bund--in short, everything you want a pilot's watch to be. The dual sub-register layout of the dial is highly legible, in the way that the most iconic pilot's watches are: the chronograph registers are symmetrically-arranged on a horizontal axis, offset by the Heuer logo at 12 o'clock and the 3H symbol at 6. The numerals are big and bold, encircled by a 60-minute chapter ring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eAnd the matte case is, as you'd expect, substantial. At roughly 43mm it dominates the wrist, though not uncomfortable so (in fact, it feels surprisingly light on the wrist, particularly on a nylon strap). Like the Heuer Autavias of the period, the case is crowned by a rotating 60-minute bezel. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eAs with many military watches, the Bund is a front-loader, with the movement being secured by the screw-mounted case back that is attached to the bezel. The Bund, being a manually-wound flyback chrono, used a host of Valjoux movements, from the Valjoux 22 to the cal. 220 to the cal. 230. Sturdy, dependable, it's the sort of watch you want strapped to your wrist whether you're dodging enemy fighters at 35,000 feet or engaged in more terrestrial pursuits. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Heuer","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":30952708481,"sku":null,"price":5600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0809\/1255\/products\/Heuer_Bundeswehr_3H_AS01851_1.jpg?v=1487717541","url":"https:\/\/www.analogshift.com\/products\/heuer-bundeswehr-3h-as01851","provider":"Analog:Shift","version":"1.0","type":"link"}