The Dirty Dozen Watches As Interpreted By Half A Dozen Affordable Microbrands

We often hear statements like, “This watch is a true classic,” or “This is a timeless design.” Typically, such statements refer to big names in the watch industry, such as Rolex and the Submariner, Omega and the Speedmaster, or Audemars Piguet and the Royal Oak. That’s either because their designs are simple and indeed timeless or because they were novel and odd when they first came out. What they all have in common is that they age well like a classic car, a well-tailored suit, and a good pair of sunglasses. But with those terms, we generally refer to the entire product, not just the design. It’s a package — the brand, the materials, and the wrist of the star who wore it best. The 1945 Dirty Dozen watches were also specifically designed around the concept of reliable functionality.

The ultra legibility at any given moment is made possible through tightly codified design elements — the large hands, the Arabic numerals, the monochromatic color scheme, and the small seconds at 6 o’clock. Yes, the Dirty Dozen watches were also robust, equipped with hacking movements and shockproof acrylic crystals. But when we think “Dirty Dozen,” we mostly think about the dial (at least I do). If I say “Reverso,” you’ll think about the case that flips sideways. If I say “Speedmaster,” you’ll think of the straightforward three-register chronograph layout. Right? So the dial of the Dirty Dozen watches is so iconic that brands keep revisiting it, which is the topic of this article. 

Takes on the Dirty Dozen watches by micro/indie brands

I only write about micro/indie brands, which is why today’s selection comes from that niche of the horological market. We have three US-based brands (Tuul, Vaer, and Praesidus), one from Singapore (Vario), one from Japan (Kuoe), and one from South Africa (Draken). I chose to highlight these six brands because I’ve gone hands-on with their watches. There are more that make Dirty Dozen-inspired models, and two of the OGs — Timor and Vertex — still make them. All six brands I’ll highlight today offer different experiences that come with different price tags. But none go beyond the stress-inducing US$1,000 price limit. I ordered the brands/models from the most affordable to the least affordable to keep things simple. Lastly, I listed prices in US dollars for consistency’s sake. Let’s go! 

Vaer C3 Dirty Dozen — $254

Vaer makes several models based on the Dirty Dozen watches, with either quartz or automatic movements and 36mm or 40mm diameters. I handled the 36mm quartz model, which is, incidentally, the most affordable watch. For $254, you get a US-built Ameriquartz caliber with a 40-month battery life and an accuracy of -10/+20 seconds per month, a single-domed sapphire crystal, 15 layers of Super-LumiNova BGW9 on the hands and hour markers, a 100m water resistance rating, a screw-down crown, and a screw-in case back. The case is all brushed and smooth to the touch, and the crown is easy to operate. The design particularity of the Vaer Dirty Dozen is the large syringe-style handset. Everything else is classic Dirty Dozen design, including the railroad minute track, large Arabic numerals, and the sub-seconds register (I won’t repeat that part for the other watches). This Vaer C3 Dirty Dozen is also the only battery-powered option today. 

Dimensions: 36mm diameter, 43mm lug-to-lug length, 9.4mm thickness, and 20mm lug spacing. 

Vario 1945 D12 — $368

The Vario 1945 D12 used to be the most affordable rendition of the Dirty Dozen watches I knew of. That isn’t the case anymore, but it remains the most fun of the whole bunch to me. I like the oversized crown, the black-on-black recessed logo, the polished accents, and the raised central section of the sub-seconds register. All of this endows the Vario 1945 D12 with a light-hearted character I truly appreciate. It’s also a well-built and well-specced option. It offers a 3Hz Miyota 82S5 caliber with 42 hours of power reserve, an ample amount of BGW9 and C3 lume, a sapphire crystal, a 100m water resistance rating, a screw-down crown, and a screw-in case back. Having the logo so subtle makes the Vario the most straightforward of all six models presented here. And if you don’t like black, the 1945 D12 also comes in beige, gray, and green. 

Dimensions: 37mm diameter, 45mm lug-to-lug length, 10.5mm thickness, and 18mm lug spacing. 

Draken Aoraki Milspec — $399

Draken has forged a name for itself for making ultra-solid and well-priced tool watches. The design of the Aoraki Milspec is the least conventional of the six here today, but it deserves to be listed. It’s a cross between the Dirty Dozen watches and the A-11 I gushed over a while back. From the latter, it gets the sans-serif typeface for the Arabic numerals, a pure monochromatic color scheme, and a simplified minute track. But everything else is Dirty Dozen. Spec-wise, we find the same Miyota 82S5 as in the Vario 1945 D12, along with protection against magnetism (up to 20,000 A/m) via a soft iron cage, a flat sapphire crystal, a 100m depth rating, a screw-down crown, a screw-in case back, and insane lume. This lume has a slightly aged tint but does not lean toward fauxtina. Draken offers the Aoraki with four less “Dirty Dozen-y” dial layouts. 

Dimensions: 39mm diameter, 46.5mm lug-to-lug length, 12.35mm thickness, and 20mm lug spacing. 

Kuoe Old Smith 90-009 — $566

While the Vario is the most fun, the Kuoe Old Smith 90-009 is the most elegant of all six thanks to its size, finishing, and case-to-crown ratio. A set of massive and brushed sword hands fly over the finest-textured matte dial. The fully polished case does make this model appear fancier than it should, especially when looking at the small crown (I find small crowns elegant!). There is also an interesting hands-to-markers-to-dial ratio here as the printed Arabic numerals are quite large compared to the dial. These elements create an interesting contrast with the traditional Dirty Dozen layout of the dial. Spec-wise, we once again find the Miyota 82S5 but a domed sapphire crystal, good (unspecified) lume, a 50m water resistance rating, a push/pull crown, and a screw-in case back. 

Dimensions: 35mm diameter, 42mm lug-to-lug length, 12mm thickness, and 18mm lug spacing. 

Praesidus DD-45 — $875

The Praesidus DD-45 is an oddball as it is the brand’s most expensive model to date (by a wide margin). It is so because Praesidus upped its game for this one, first with the design, which is the most modern of all six versions (to me, that is). The printed Arabic numerals are rather small but proportioned nicely with the hands, adding useful negative space. This highlights the finely textured dial, fully brushed hands, and a color-matched minute track. The Tropical version I handled felt special too, a bit ultra vintage but in a good way. Spec-wise, the Praesidus gives you lots for your hard-earned cash. It has a 4Hz Landeron L24 6UHR caliber with a 40-hour power reserve, a double-domed sapphire crystal, raised hour markers, fine polished accents, a 100m depth rating, a screw-down crown, and a screw-in case-back. If Tropical is not your thing, the Praesidus DD-45 comes in Factory Fresh and Patina versions. 

Dimensions: 38mm diameter, 45mm lug-to-lug length, 11.8mm thickness, and 20mm lug spacing. 

Tuul Filthy 13 — $899

Last but not least, let’s talk about the Tuul Filfthy 13 that Balazs reviewed in July. It’s the most expensive of all six models and the one that’s the closest to the Timor Heritage Field WWW (one of the two OG brands.) And while a watch’s price doesn’t always equal its awesomeness, the Filthy 13 offers something interesting. It is the one that looks the most authentic despite being the newest in the game. It borrows the specific design codes of the original Dirty Dozen watches and, therefore, looks modern vintage (it’s a thing; believe me). The brand got the proportions, design, and specs right, making the Filthy 13 a worthy 2024 alternative to the original Dirty Dozen. Indeed, we find a 4Hz Sellita SW261-1 caliber with a 41-hour power reserve, a sapphire crystal, great lume, a 100m water resistance rating, a screw-down crown, and a screw-in case back.

Dimensions: 38mm diameter, 46mm lug-to-lug length, 11.25mm thickness, and 20mm lug spacing. 

Conclusion 

Before writing this article, I thought that price and specs were the main factors differentiating one model from another. However, in reality, the design does that. And what makes one model more expensive than another is the finishing, not necessarily just the movement, the crystal, or the amount of lume. Add a few polished accents and a finely textured dial, and the price goes up. Add a Swiss movement and finely printed hour markers and logo, and the price goes up. Comparing all six models was an interesting experience for me. I’m amazed at how the tiniest of design and technical details can make such a difference. 

Of course, I love tool watches and the Dirty Dozen. And I like each of these six models for what it brings to the table. I do have a couple of favorites in the Draken and Vario, and I would be curious as to which one you prefer and why. Do you have a Dirty Dozen-like watch in your collection? If not, which one of the six listed here would you consider adding? Let me know in the comments!