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Rscmaine · 8 April 2010, 09:45 PM

http://mygshock.com/wiki/Trivia

Cost and RSC turnaround time was the big reason they stopped issuing Rolex.

Is it true that Seals used to be issued Rolex's to be used as cash if they ever got stuck somewhere? If so, do they still issue them. If not when did they stop? "Sooner or later this subject was bound to come up why and who was responsible for the discontinuation of the issue of the Rolex watches.

First, it is TRUE that Navy Frogmen were issued Rolex watches. While I have never heard of a Frogman using his watch for barganing, that is probably an ole Navy handme down joke. Each Frogman was responsible or accountable for his Rolex. Sometimes a watch would be lost during training, or a mission. But when you left the Teams, you turned in the watches.

In 1981, while I was the Diving Officer for UDT-11, I was tasked with operating the diving locker budget. Needless to say, it was my responsibility to ensure the budget was used effectively. Unfortuantly the high costs to repair a damaged Rolex, which by the way, stood up to nearly impossible treatment, was too high and at that time, and the advent of the new digital watches was making its name on the Diving Industry.

The Navy rules stated that a "Divers Watch" must have a sweep second hand", which was elimiated the new digital watches. I placed a phone to NAVSEA, who made the rules for equipment used in the Navy. I asked the simple question, "why must an authorized Navy watch have a "Sweep Second Hand"? I obviously knew the answer, but needed the answer to come from NAVSEA.

The answer: "TO MEASURE LAPSED TIME". So, I asked another question: IF that is THE REQUIREMENT for a DIVING WATCH, why not just say that the watch mush have a means to measure lapsed time, instead of a sweep second hand?

Problem resolved. I submitted a letter to NAVSEA, the rule was changed, and I started issuing the Casio G-Shock Watches instead of the Rolex. Sorry Rolex!

This change enable the diving budget to focus on much needed new diving equipment and there you have it.

Blame me for being efficient and effective with the UDT/SEAL diving budgets.

When a Casio watch was lost or damaged, the costs to replace was minimum and compared to the costs to repair a Rolex and the time it took to get the Rolex back, made all the difference.

By the way, the Casio G-shock watch did more than just measured lapsed time. Stopwatch, countdown timer..etc

Let me make a comment about the watches sold on NSC. You will find that these watches have been used and tested by SEALs. NSC does not compromise its integirty nor it's commitment to provide the very best. So have confidence if you do get a watch from NSC, you will also have a watch that has my SEAL OF APPROVAL too! Hooyah!

AP

Lieutenant Commander, USN (Retired)

Navy SEAL" -frogman80

__________________

"When I checked into the TEAMS we were not issued dive watches! Almost all the guys used iron man watches because of the stop watch and the ability for it to light up under water so you could see your time! We swam 100 meters every 3 minutes....so we could manage our dive plan based on time! Around 1992 Casio came out with the G-Shock Circa 92 (DW-6100C) http://www.gshock.com/history/ that had the larger button in the middle/bottom of the watch...and it stayed lit for 5 seconds without holding it down!! So you could just reach over and touch it....or just touch it once on your attack board...and be able to continue to kick hard and regain total control of the board....the more you kept your elbows on your side...the more accurate swimming the board was/is...so if you didn't have to hold a button down....then you could manage the attack board better!! The G-shock also had a larger face....so easier to see the time!!! Everyone at our TEAM began buying them....because there was no comparison.....and it is still the watch of choice of TEAM guys!!" -bud/s 184

padi56 · 8 April 2010, 10:26 PM

The French Navy (among others) opted for the Tudor Submariner,instead of the Rolex Sub.The French Navy demanded rigorous testing and tested several brands These watches were tested to carefully calibrated abusive tests in an attempt to destroy them to see how much abuse it could take before losing accuracy or malfunctioning .After testing,they choose the Tudor and the only thing the French navy didn't order was the Oyster bracelet.They chose a nylon strap because it would be much more easy to change,and easily replaced if broken.Additionally the same Tudor model was used by the US Navy for its UDT and Navy Seals.And I believe the US Army Ranger Battalion (2/75 RGR) there SCUBA teams were issued with the Rolex Tudor Dive watches and worked well in some very tough conditions.And today Tudor military Subs are very sort after, especially the early ones with stick hands.And now have quite a high market value,for genuine military watches and now very collectible and I expect far more collectible than any G-shock.

Rscmaine · 8 April 2010, 10:44 PM

and I expect far more collectible than any G-shock.

I expect that the GShocks are classified as "expendables" like fuel, ammo, and food.

Had a chat with a local cop yesterday who spent 3 combat tours in Iraq...his Timex Ironman quit in the second month...his Gshock is still on his wrist to this day. (7 years and counting)

padi56 · 8 April 2010, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rscmaine

and I expect far more collectible than any G-shock.

I expect that the GShocks are classified as "expendables" like fuel, ammo, and food.

Had a chat with a local cop yesterday who spent 3 combat tours in Iraq...his Timex Ironman quit in the second month...his Gshock is still on his wrist to this day. (7 years and counting)

Would agree when I first started scuba diving my first diving watch was a Casio 200m G-shock.But that was quite a long time ago,still got the watch it had a very hard life and still works fine today.

escudoturbo · 9 April 2010, 12:47 AM

Are Luminox not also 'official' Navy SEAL watches?

padi56 · 9 April 2010, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by escudoturbo

Are Luminox not also 'official' Navy SEAL watches?

There have been many over the years.

Doug507 · 9 April 2010, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by escudoturbo

Are Luminox not also 'official' Navy SEAL watches?

No. Luminox has never been an issued watch - it's all marketing hype from Luminox. They are really good watches, but all that SEAL crap really turns me off of them.

Lion · 9 April 2010, 01:06 AM

Very interesting information, thanx.....as I have an Ironman, G-Shock and a Luminox but they do not see wrist time anymore do to my GMT Pepsi!!!

Hawk99 · 9 April 2010, 01:30 AM

Interesting thread.
So what's the deal with JLC's new Master Compressor Alarm produced in collaboration with the US Navy Seals?
Is this a watch that will be issued some day? Kinda $$$$$$.

t e x · 9 April 2010, 01:37 AM

Hi LCDR,

Great post and thanks for the share. I wonder how many of the issued Rolex/Tudor Subs used by the UDT's/Seals were not returned?

I'd venture a guess, alot.

Joel

Rscmaine · 9 April 2010, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t e x

Hi LCDR,

Great post and thanks for the share. I wonder how many of the issued Rolex/Tudor Subs used by the UDT's/Seals were not returned?

I'd venture a guess, alot.

Joel

Thanks, Joel, but I'm not the LTCDR - just lifted his post from someone else who lifted his post...

gmaines · 9 April 2010, 02:23 AM

I was a Navy Hard Hat Diver in the early 70's.. we were lucky and issued Tudors... but I got smart, when I did a dive, I would take my Tudor off and put on a Sieko. Still have the sieko almost 40 years later and it still ticks..

t e x · 9 April 2010, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rscmaine

Thanks, Joel, but I'm not the LTCDR - just lifted his post from someone else who lifted his post...

Ah, cool... great re-post.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmaines

I was a Navy Hard Hat Diver in the early 70's.. we were lucky and issued Tudors... but I got smart, when I did a dive, I would take my Tudor off and put on a Sieko. Still have the sieko almost 40 years later and it still ticks..

Question is, no other references to the Tudor after mentioning you'd take it off prior to a dive....

....any reason why and were you suppose to have returned it?

Browining · 9 April 2010, 02:34 AM

Fantastic information..........thanks!!!!

Browning

Ken Cox · 9 April 2010, 03:12 AM

I served in the early Force Reconnaissance (the Marine Corps version of SEALS) in the mid-1960's.

We had a very tight budget and the Corps did not issue watches to us, nor, to my knowledge, did the Navy issue watches to its divers.

However, several Marine and Navy divers of my acquaintance saved their nickels and dimes and bought Rolex 5513 watches.

Wearing this watch in those days carried a lot of credibility and prestige with it.

Today the Sub no date most closely resembles the 5513.

8 April 2010, 09:45 PM	#1
Rscmaine "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Real Name: Nat Parkinson Location: Maine, USA Watch: me pull a rabbit.. Posts: 1,196	US Navy Seals and Rolex watches - crosspost from GShock Wiki http://mygshock.com/wiki/Trivia Cost and RSC turnaround time was the big reason they stopped issuing Rolex. Is it true that Seals used to be issued Rolex's to be used as cash if they ever got stuck somewhere? If so, do they still issue them. If not when did they stop? "Sooner or later this subject was bound to come up why and who was responsible for the discontinuation of the issue of the Rolex watches. First, it is TRUE that Navy Frogmen were issued Rolex watches. While I have never heard of a Frogman using his watch for barganing, that is probably an ole Navy handme down joke. Each Frogman was responsible or accountable for his Rolex. Sometimes a watch would be lost during training, or a mission. But when you left the Teams, you turned in the watches. In 1981, while I was the Diving Officer for UDT-11, I was tasked with operating the diving locker budget. Needless to say, it was my responsibility to ensure the budget was used effectively. Unfortuantly the high costs to repair a damaged Rolex, which by the way, stood up to nearly impossible treatment, was too high and at that time, and the advent of the new digital watches was making its name on the Diving Industry. The Navy rules stated that a "Divers Watch" must have a sweep second hand", which was elimiated the new digital watches. I placed a phone to NAVSEA, who made the rules for equipment used in the Navy. I asked the simple question, "why must an authorized Navy watch have a "Sweep Second Hand"? I obviously knew the answer, but needed the answer to come from NAVSEA. The answer: "TO MEASURE LAPSED TIME". So, I asked another question: IF that is THE REQUIREMENT for a DIVING WATCH, why not just say that the watch mush have a means to measure lapsed time, instead of a sweep second hand? Problem resolved. I submitted a letter to NAVSEA, the rule was changed, and I started issuing the Casio G-Shock Watches instead of the Rolex. Sorry Rolex! This change enable the diving budget to focus on much needed new diving equipment and there you have it. Blame me for being efficient and effective with the UDT/SEAL diving budgets. When a Casio watch was lost or damaged, the costs to replace was minimum and compared to the costs to repair a Rolex and the time it took to get the Rolex back, made all the difference. By the way, the Casio G-shock watch did more than just measured lapsed time. Stopwatch, countdown timer..etc Let me make a comment about the watches sold on NSC. You will find that these watches have been used and tested by SEALs. NSC does not compromise its integirty nor it's commitment to provide the very best. So have confidence if you do get a watch from NSC, you will also have a watch that has my SEAL OF APPROVAL too! Hooyah! AP Lieutenant Commander, USN (Retired) Navy SEAL" -frogman80 __________________ "When I checked into the TEAMS we were not issued dive watches! Almost all the guys used iron man watches because of the stop watch and the ability for it to light up under water so you could see your time! We swam 100 meters every 3 minutes....so we could manage our dive plan based on time! Around 1992 Casio came out with the G-Shock Circa 92 (DW-6100C) http://www.gshock.com/history/ that had the larger button in the middle/bottom of the watch...and it stayed lit for 5 seconds without holding it down!! So you could just reach over and touch it....or just touch it once on your attack board...and be able to continue to kick hard and regain total control of the board....the more you kept your elbows on your side...the more accurate swimming the board was/is...so if you didn't have to hold a button down....then you could manage the attack board better!! The G-shock also had a larger face....so easier to see the time!!! Everyone at our TEAM began buying them....because there was no comparison.....and it is still the watch of choice of TEAM guys!!" -bud/s 184 __________________ When the alien spaceships actually landed, to everyone's surprise, it turned out that the world's governments had not been hiding anything. They were just as clueless as the rest of us!

8 April 2010, 10:26 PM	#2
padi56 "TRF" Life Patron Join Date: Jun 2005 Real Name: Peter Location: Llanfairpwllgwyng Watch: ing you. Posts: 53,063	The French Navy (among others) opted for the Tudor Submariner,instead of the Rolex Sub.The French Navy demanded rigorous testing and tested several brands These watches were tested to carefully calibrated abusive tests in an attempt to destroy them to see how much abuse it could take before losing accuracy or malfunctioning .After testing,they choose the Tudor and the only thing the French navy didn't order was the Oyster bracelet.They chose a nylon strap because it would be much more easy to change,and easily replaced if broken.Additionally the same Tudor model was used by the US Navy for its UDT and Navy Seals.And I believe the US Army Ranger Battalion (2/75 RGR) there SCUBA teams were issued with the Rolex Tudor Dive watches and worked well in some very tough conditions.And today Tudor military Subs are very sort after, especially the early ones with stick hands.And now have quite a high market value,for genuine military watches and now very collectible and I expect far more collectible than any G-shock. __________________ ICom Pro3 All posts are my own opinion and my opinion only. "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop. Now is the only time you actually own the time, Place no faith in time, for the clock may soon be still for ever." Good Judgement comes from experience,experience comes from Bad Judgement,.Buy quality, cry once; buy cheap, cry again and again. www.mc0yad.club Second in command CEO and left handed watch winder

8 April 2010, 10:44 PM	#3
Rscmaine "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Real Name: Nat Parkinson Location: Maine, USA Watch: me pull a rabbit.. Posts: 1,196	and I expect far more collectible than any G-shock. I expect that the GShocks are classified as "expendables" like fuel, ammo, and food. Had a chat with a local cop yesterday who spent 3 combat tours in Iraq...his Timex Ironman quit in the second month...his Gshock is still on his wrist to this day. (7 years and counting) __________________ When the alien spaceships actually landed, to everyone's surprise, it turned out that the world's governments had not been hiding anything. They were just as clueless as the rest of us!

9 April 2010, 01:06 AM	#8
Lion "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Real Name: Leo Location: Midwest Watch: GMT-II 16710 PEPSI Posts: 21,461	Very interesting information, thanx.....as I have an Ironman, G-Shock and a Luminox but they do not see wrist time anymore do to my GMT Pepsi!!! __________________ SS GMT-II 16710 PEPSI(Z-serial#) THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND BOYS IS THE PRICE OF THE TOYS!!! MontBlanc Meisterstuck Doue Silver Barley MontBlanc Meisterstuck Solitaire Doue Signum Proud Card Carrying Member of the Curmudgeons.....Yikes!!!

9 April 2010, 01:37 AM	#10
t e x "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Real Name: Joel Location: Renton, WA Watch: 16610LV Posts: 2,990	Hi LCDR, Great post and thanks for the share. I wonder how many of the issued Rolex/Tudor Subs used by the UDT's/Seals were not returned? I'd venture a guess, alot. Joel __________________ ___/ /_/ /_____ 16610LV; Ball Diver EMT II \:::::::::::::::/ ~~~~~~~~~~

9 April 2010, 12:47 AM	#5
escudoturbo "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Real Name: Baz Location: U.K Watch: Explorer II Posts: 364	Are Luminox not also 'official' Navy SEAL watches?

9 April 2010, 01:30 AM	#9
Hawk99 "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: BC Posts: 388	Interesting thread. So what's the deal with JLC's new Master Compressor Alarm produced in collaboration with the US Navy Seals? Is this a watch that will be issued some day? Kinda $$$$$$.

9 April 2010, 02:23 AM	#12
gmaines Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Riverside, CA Watch: Submariner&SDDS Posts: 306	I was a Navy Hard Hat Diver in the early 70's.. we were lucky and issued Tudors... but I got smart, when I did a dive, I would take my Tudor off and put on a Sieko. Still have the sieko almost 40 years later and it still ticks..

9 April 2010, 02:34 AM	#14
Browining "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	Fantastic information..........thanks!!!! Browning

9 April 2010, 03:12 AM	#15
Ken Cox "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Real Name: Ken Cox Location: Bend, Oregon, USA Watch: GMT Master II Posts: 469	I served in the early Force Reconnaissance (the Marine Corps version of SEALS) in the mid-1960's. We had a very tight budget and the Corps did not issue watches to us, nor, to my knowledge, did the Navy issue watches to its divers. However, several Marine and Navy divers of my acquaintance saved their nickels and dimes and bought Rolex 5513 watches. Wearing this watch in those days carried a lot of credibility and prestige with it. Today the Sub no date most closely resembles the 5513.

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