CASEBACK:
The caseback offers two options: a standard design with your name / service dates. Or upgrade to design a fully custom graphic layout for your story, career highlights and service dates. We will work with you to design the artwork, and we will supply as many design revision mockups as needed until it's perfect for you.
BEZEL RING:
The watch features an Bezel Interchange System, meaning you can swap your bezel-ring with one color insert for another ring in a different color, or custom bezel for special events. The system uses 4 small screws to secure the ring to your watch. Switch up the look & feel.
SPECS:
Classic watch model. 42mm width (46mm with crown), 50mm lug to lug, 14mm thick, 22mm wide strap. The watch case is constructed in 316L surgical-grade stainless steel with scratch resistant sapphire crystal glass, and is water depth rated to 300 meters / 1,000 feet.
MOVEMENT:
The movement is the engine that powers your watch. The watch comes with a Swiss Quartz (2-year battery) movement, and we offer an upgrade to a 10-year battery version, or the Swiss ETA 2824-2 automatic movement.
The automatic is a self-winding Swiss movement powered by your wrist’s motion, helping maintain its power reserve. For optimal performance, it’s recommended to fully wind the watch manually (about 40–50 turns) once a week. This movement type is used by brands like Omega, Breitling, Rolex, and Tag Heuer.
SPECIFICATIONS
• Case Size: 42mm (46mm with crown)
• Case Thickness: 14.20mm
• Lug to Lug: 50mm
• Lug Width: 22mm
• Case Weight: 178 grams
• Depth Rating: 300m / 1,000 ft
• Sapphire Crystal Glass
• Screw-in Crown
• Caseback with Screws
• Bezel Swap System
• Bracelet with pins and safety clasp
The Beginning
From the Halls of Montezuma…the opening line of the Marine Corps hymn. It is the beginning of an anthem, a ballad that commemorates the deeds, valor, and courage that defines every Marine.
And for the last 250 years, the United States Marine Corps, (USMC), has “stood in the gap” whenever our country has called.
The Continental Marines were founded at Tun Tavern, on 10 November, 1775, nearly a year before the United States was declared independent on 4 July, 1776.
The Continental Marines were formed to conduct ship-to-ship fighting, provide shipboard security, and assist in landing forces. A task at which they have performed admirably for two and a half centuries.
Their exploits are truly amazing. They have projected power for the United States of America across the globe, and have fought in every “Clime and Place”. Scorching deserts, tropical jungles, to frozen wastelands.
The first major action involved operations in Libya, while fighting against the Barbary Pirates in North Africa.
A detachment of 8 Marines, commanded by Lt Presley O’Bannon, supported a mercenary army of Greek and Arab soldiers under the command of Consol Eaton. After completing a foot march of over 520 miles from Egypt to Libya, they conducted an assault on the city of Derna on 27 April, 1805.
Lt O’Bannon led the charge of his 7 Marines, Greek mercenaries and Cannoniers, into the city. The resulting battle led to the fall of Derna, where Lt O’Bannon, for the first time, raised the United States flag over a foreign nation in a time of war.
Resulting from this battle are 3 key elements of Marine Corps tradition: the name Leatherneck. Marines were called this for the high stiff leather neck collar on their uniforms designed to protect them from saber slashes.
The Mameluke sword. Tradition has it that Lt O’Bannon was presented this sword by Hamet Karamanli for his courage and bravery in battle. It is now worn ceremoniously by every USMC officer.
“To the shores of Tripoli”. The second line in the Marine Corps hymn, commemorating the battle and sacrifice of the bravery of those who fought and the 2 Marines that died during the engagement.
Battle of Chapultepec, Sept 1847: Mexican-American War
USMC forces consisting of 40 Marines with additional US Army soldiers attacked the fortress of Chapultepec, the Military College in Mexico City.
After taking the “Halls of Montezuma” by storm, the Marines collected their wounded and dead. It is recorded that there were over 90% casualties of the Marine attackers, to include 30 killed in combat.
From this, the tradition of the NCO Blood stripe on the trouser leg was born, as was the opening line for the USMC hymn, “From the Halls of Montezuma”.
Through the coming years, multiple skirmishes and battles took place across the Caribbean, South Pacific, and China.
The next real time that the USMC made its’ mark on the battlefield, was late into WWI, at a lonely wooded area in France in June of 1918.
Battle of Belleau Wood, June 1-26 1918: WWI
The first encounter for the USMC fighting on mainland Europe and the first time facing the German army in a conventional war.
For nearly a month, Marines fought and died in a small wooded area that was heavily defended by the German army. After weeks of artillery shelling, charging into merciless machine gun fire and numerous gas attacks, the Marines finally captured the deadly woods.
Up until this battle, the USMC had suffered 806 killed and wounded since its’ founding in 1775.
During this one month, the Marine Corps suffered:
955 KIA or died of their wounds, 2468 wounded, and another 904 suffering from gas attacks. 4327 total casualties from this one month alone.
From this sacrifice, there would be awarded 4 Medals of Honor, and 152 Navy Cross medals.
It was during the ferocity of the fighting with the Marines, that the Germans dubbed them: Teufel Hunden…Devil Dogs! A title that the Marine Corps holds fast to this day.
From the woods of France to the South Pacific.
From the opening days of the United States involvement in WWII, the Marines have been on the forefront.
As America was reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor, a small island outpost was about to become the source of legends and the first glimmer of hope for the American people.
Wake Island 8-23 December, 1941
A USMC fighter squadron, VMF-211 with 12 F4F Wildcats, and a handful of Marines and civilian contractors held off the Japanese invaders for several weeks starting within hours of Pearl Harbor being attacked.
They sank the first Japanese warship of the war, destroyed numerous aircraft, and held off an overwhelming invasion fleet until finally succumbing to the invaders once resupply/reinforcement efforts were withdrawn.
As the Japanese invasion forces landed ashore, out of serviceable aircraft, VMF-211’s commanding officer, Captain Henry “Hammering Hank” Elrod organized and led the defense of the island and its airbase until he was killed in action. Captain Elrod became the first USMC aviator to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions leading his Marines in battle.
From the fall of Wake, names of exotic Pacific islands began to fill the US news reels.
Midway, Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Bougainville, Tarawa, Cape Gloucester, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa.
The exploits of those Marines who fought on the ground and high above the battlefields reverberate through the halls of military history.
Several Marines set themselves apart based on their leadership, and valor in battle. Names like Joe Foss, Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, Lewis “Chesty” Puller, John Basilone, Ira Hayes, Robert Leckie, and Eugene Sledge all rose to legendary status from the battles and campaigns raging across the South Pacific.
Bloody nose ridge, Henderson airfield, The Slot, Lunga Point, Rabaul, Truk, Lae, Iron Bottom Sound and many other battlegrounds became common American household vernacular of the day.
The Marines developed amphibious assault, jungle warfare, close air support tactics. Island hopping and dog fighting over the Pacific, the USMC helped spearhead the thrust towards the Japanese home islands and an eventual end to the war.
February 1945 found Marines aboard landing craft sailing towards a shell scared island, with a large volcano on the South end, and black volcanic sand beaches. The Hell of Iwo Jima was about to begin.
For the next month the Marines on Iwo Jima would fight under horrific conditions against an enemy that had no acceptance of the concept to surrender. Hand to hand fighting, cave clearing and fighting for every yard of beach became the norm.
Two famous quotes arose from that battle:
"The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years." ~ James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy
"Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.”
Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, USN, 16 March 1945
With the close of WWII, peacetime Marine Corps was quickly called back into action in 1950 from another little-known corner of the world: Korea.
From the landings at Inchon, to the frozen Hell of the Chosin Reservoir, the Marine Corps continued to display the tenacity of their reputation as warriors on the battlefield.
Two classic quotes arose from the fighting at the Chosin Reservoir:“Retreat Hell! We’re just attacking in another direction.”Major General Oliver P. Smith, USMC, Korea, December 1950
“We’ve been looking for the enemy for several days now, we’ve finally found them. We’re surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them.”Col Lewis “Chesty” PulletDuring this time, the Marines pioneered new tactics and equipment, to include the introduction of jets and helicopters on the battlefield, as the Marine Corps moved into the Cold War era.
Following the frozen battlefield of Korea, the Marines next entered the fray in the sweltering jungles of Vietnam.
Da Nang, Hue City, The Rockpile, Khe Sahn, Camp Carrol, Con Thien, Chu Lai, all became the nightly Walter Cronkite headline news topics of the battlefields that spread across South Vietnam.
Humping through the jungle, Claymores, Ontos, Chieu Hoi, Victor Charles, firefights, Arc-Light, Spooky, CAS, Phantom, Scooter, Intruder all became normal vocabulary to those on the ground and in the air over Vietnam.
From Vietnam, the Corps supported a number of missions across the Middle East and Caribbean. Operation Eagle Claw-Iran, Lebanon, Operation Just Cause-Panama, Operation Urgent Fury-Grenada,
Following the invasion of Kuwait, USMC forces participated in Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm, January 1991.
USMC ground and air forces took the fight decisively against the Iraqi army, and following the ground invasion, accomplished a cessation of hostilities within 100 hrs.
The next decade found the Corps responding to numerous hotspots around the globe. Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Somalia, with airpower and boots on the ground.
With the events of 9/11, the mission of the Corps changed once again, as the US military transitioned from Peace Time operations to “The Global War on Terror”. For the next 20 plus years, the Marine Corps would respond to the call for operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and anywhere else they were needed.
Operations OIF, OEF would fill the news for the next 2 decades.
The Marine Corps once again set themselves apart with distinction from the opening days of the invasion of Iraq (OIF), to follow on engagements in Mosul, Ramadi, and Fallujah.
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan theater of operation was not slowing down either. With fighting against the Taliban in the Helmand province.
The battles of Garmsir, Sangin, Marjah, and Ganjgal, highlighted the Corps dedication to destroying the enemy and saving the lives of allied and host nation lives resulting in another Medal of Honor for their actions.
In a bizarre twist of history, VMA-211, The Wake Island Avengers, now flying AV-8B Harriers (squadron heritage links back to VMF-211, Wake Island, December, 1941) were based at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. Nearing the end of their deployment, they were planning their return to the United States in the following weeks.
The night of 14 September, 2012, 15 Taliban fighters, dressed in US Army uniforms, infiltrated the base and began an attack on the flightline with RPG’s, grenades, and small arms fire. Blowing up aircraft, fuel bladders, and support equipment up and down the flightline.
In the core understanding that Every Marine is a Rifleman first, the squadron commander, LtCol Christopher “Otis” Raible, ran to Maintenance Control to gather up his jet mechanics and maintenance specialist and ensured they had “dropped their tools and picked up weapons”, and began setting up a defensive plan for their position. In an attempt to rally a defense, the CO and another Marine, Sgt Bradley Atwell were struck and killed by an RPG.
The Executive Officer, Maj Robb Mc Donald, running into the night wearing only his green silkies and a pistol, stepped up and took command in directing the counter attack against the insurgents. His actions included personally engaging in a firefight with 4 insurgent fighters at close range, calling in orbiting gunships attack helicopter for gun runs on his own friendly positions in a Danger Close attack, and then engaging and killing an additional attacker. Following a 4-hour battle, USMC aviators, maintenance Marines, and British security elements beat back the attackers, resulting in the demise of all but one attacker who was captured.
In that moment, for the second time within 71 years, the pilots, mechanics, logistics specialist, and admin Marines of VMA-211 did what Marines do when the call comes:
They took up weapons and charged towards the sound of gunfire. They embodied the true character that defines them and sets them apart from all other services.
That is that Every Marine is a Rifleman first.
The squadron now holds the names of: Wake Island Avengers, and Bastion Defenders.
Since that day, the United States Marine Corps has continued to perform the tasks its’ nation assigns with excellence and unwavering success. Whether on the battlefield, or providing humanitarian assistance, the Marine Corps has continued to be “America’s 911 Force.”
Holding onto the values of: Honor, Courage, Commitment, the Marine Corps will continue to answer its’ nations call to action for the next 250 years holding fast to its motto derived from the Latin: Semper Fidelis…Always Faithful
United States Marine Corps
Semper Fidelis
The Marines’ Hymn
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country’s battles
In the air, on land and sea;
-----
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine.
-----
Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in ev’ry clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
-----
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes;
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines.
-----
Here’s health to you and to our Corps
Which we are proud to serve
In many a strife we’ve fought for life
And never lost our nerve;
-----
If the Army and the Navy
Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded
By United States Marines.
1775
2025
Honoring 250 Years of Honor, Courage, and Commitment
IWO JIMA FLAG RAISING:
"The raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years."
~ James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy
The raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi is one of the hallmark images of WWII, because of all of the significance that image holds, it has been made the focus for this memorial timepiece.
The famous Rosenthal image is captured on the watch face in addition to the celebration of 250 years of service.The primary weapon used during the battle was the M-1 Garand battle rifle.
Chambered in 30-06, ammo was supplied by numerous factories during the war.With it’s characteristic “Ping” when firing the last round and the empty clip ejects, we wanted to focus on the sacrifices of those that made the rounds in addition to those who pulled the trigger.
There were multiple factories that produced 30-06 ammo during WWII. Included on this watch face is the cartridge with its Head stamped codes memorializing the factory that produced the ammo that made this moment possible.
Clock codes:
8: WRA- Winchester Repeating Arms
9: 250 Years memorial
10: RA- Remington Arms
11: EV- Evansville Ordnance Plant
12: EGA
1: SL- St Louis Ordnance Plant
2: TW- Twin Cities Ordnance Plant
4: FA- Frankford Arsenal
Outer Face: Scroll: FROM THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA
METAL BRACELET
The 22mm metal bracelet for the 42mm Classic watch is comprised of solid links and is secured to the watch with solid end-pieces. The links use pins, and the buckle is equipped with a safety clasp.
WATER DEPTH RATING
The Classic watch features a screw-down crown and caseback which seals the watch and enables a water depth rating of 300 meters (1,000 feet) and secures the inside of the watch from the elements.
MOVEMENT / ENGINE
The movement driving your timepiece is a Swiss engine. Power your watch with your choice of quartz-analog 2-yr battery movement, included in base price, or upgrade to 10-yr Quartz movement, or the automatic self-winding mechanical movement with 25 jewels (shown here).
CASE MATERIAL
The 316L steel material is ideally resistant to environmental corrosion and provides an optimum hypoallergenic function for contact with your skin. So regardless if you have a desk job, are engaged in covert spec-ops missions, or you’re just an avid sportsman, your timepiece will survive whatever you throw at it.
DIAL FABRICATION
The dial fabrication is done in-house; produced either in a metallic gold application, or in color using a traditional manual Swiss dial printing machine building up one color at a time to create the design. Your watch is handcrafted and made-to-order.
BEZEL RING
The watch features a swappable bezel system (uni-directional), secured with 4 retention screws. Select from 4 standard bezel ring colors; or upgrade to Custom Bezel in your choice of cerakote coating color and engraved numbers & graphics.
Honor Your Journey
Your military career spans a lifetime of dedication and sacrifice, inherited from the men that came before, and passed on to those that follow. A proud tradition built on commitment and triumph, on honor and support.
This timepiece is a blend of style and function to encapsulate your heritage, and the milestones you achieved along the way.