he Swiss Armed Forces are unique in the entire world. Under the militia system employed by Switzerland, only about 5% of the country’s land and air forces are professional soldiers. The remainder is ordinary citizens.

Swiss law stipulates that these citizen soldiers keep all their personal equipment, including weapons, with them at home. This unique provisioning requirement, coupled with Swiss precision and ingenuity, has resulted in a wide variety of military equipment becoming popular with Switzerland’s citizen soldiers, who in turn introduced their favorite tools to the world.

Everyone knows about Swiss army knives. These versatile tools were invented by Karl Eisner in 1891, when he discovered to his dismay that the pocketknives supplied to the Swiss army were actually made in Germany. To remedy this embarrassing situation, Eisner came up with a better knife, putting blades on both sides of the knife using a special spring mechanism that allowed him to add additional features like corkscrews and screwdrivers.

The Swiss military forces also took advantage of Switzerland’s watchmaking heritage and adopted a uniquely durable and functional wristwatch for their citizen soldiers.

These Swiss military watches were distinguished by a large readable dial with oversized numbers and a simple, durable case. Like the Swiss army knives, these Swiss military watches quickly became popular with hikers and outdoorsmen around the world, because of their practical functionality.

Today’s Swiss Military Calibre brand wristwatches pay homage to the original Swiss Military designs with a wide variety of functional styles that prove once again the value of form following function.

Swiss Military Calibre men’s watches feature genuine Swiss quartz movements, with case diameters from 41mm to 45mm to accommodate today’s desire for a larger, more substantial case. The collection is available in many styles, including popular diver and chronograph models. Swiss Military Calibre watches are water resistant to 100 meters and feature a durable mineral glass crystal and hardened stainless steel case. Each watch is fitted with a stainless steel or silicon rubber band, depending on the style.