Ollech & Wajs Swiss Automatic P-101 Field Watch #OW-P-101

The OW P-101 exemplifies the rugged, utilitarian design that has characterised Ollech & Wajs watches for over seven decades. It is functional, legible and durable – all the attributes that made OW watches so popular with pilots and skin divers, and with thousands of US military personnel during the Vietnam conflict.

The OW P-101, military in essence, takes design elements from multiple references made between 1960 and 1970 — OW’s most prolific period of production.

The P-101’s bi-direction, 12-hour friction bezel is a throwback to one of OW’s best-known combat watches, the ref. 105. Its elongated lugs and oversized crown can be evidenced on several historic models from OW’s back catalogue. The tritium-tone Super-LumiNova® indexes – baton hands under a semi-domed sapphire glass wall – evoke a bygone era of watchmaking.

The P-101’s robust mechanical movement ETA 2824-2 OW3, adjusted in five positions, ensures it can be relied on to perform consistently in the most critical of moments. The movement’s mainplate is engraved with ‘Ollech & Wajs Zurich 1956’ and fitted with our own machined rotor, bearing the famous OW propellor monogram.

In keeping with all Ollech & Wajs Vietnam-era military and dive watches, the P-101 is extremely water-resistant, with a 300 m / 30ATM depth rating. The watch is assembled and adjusted in Haute-Sorne in the Swiss Jura, at the historic workshop that has served OW for over 60 years.

The P-101 comes on a 20 mm-wide Italian Cognac leather and natural linen strap, unpolished to give it a soft, tactile, vintage feel. Alternatively there is a 20 mm-wide Italian black leather and natural linen strap, lined with a soft tan underside and debossed with the OW marque. Both straps are hand-finished in Switzerland with a brushed stainless steel thorn buckle, signed ‘OWZ 1956’.

The P-101 S has an optional Mark II beads-of-rice, stainless steel bracelet. This bracelet was inspired by those found on past Ollech & Wajs models of the 1960s. Its links are individually machined in a solid block of 316L stainless steel, before being carefully brushed and screwed together by hand. This process prevents the usual stretching common among pressed steel bracelets, ensuring both longevity and comfort to the wearer. The bracelet’s double-lock deployant clasp prevents accidental opening.

The P-101 comes on a 20 mm-wide Italian Cognac leather and natural linen strap, unpolished to give it a soft, tactile, vintage feel. Alternatively there is a 20 mm-wide Italian black leather and natural linen strap, lined with a soft tan underside and debossed with the OW marque. Both straps are hand-finished in Switzerland with a brushed stainless steel thorn buckle, signed ‘OWZ 1956’.

The P-101 pays tribute to the thousands of soldiers, sailors and airmen who placed their trust in OW watches when their survival might have depended on it. You can be confident it will not let you down when you need it most.