The Ollech & Wajs OW MK-102 Unveiled: A Timepiece Reissued from the Vaults of Military Horology

The Ollech & Wajs OW MK-102, a newly released numbered reissue bears a telling past fueled with significance and poignant military history. This remarkable timepiece hails from the revered Swiss watchmaker, Ollech & Wajs, a brand that has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the military, having produced watches for soldiers, including for the United States military. This watch uniquely embodies an homage to the courageous American soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War (1965-1975). The OW MK-102 is a modernized reiteration of the K-101 watch, meticulously designed and produced by Ollech & Wajs’ special ‘Department 000’. These watches were exclusive, as each carried division insignias on the dial, with a majority issued during the Vietnam War years. During the late 1960s, these timepieces found their wrists among American soldiers stationed in Korea’s Demilitarized Zone.

The history of the Ollech & Wajs OW MK-102 cannot be separated from the critical events that marked the 1940s and 1950s. A brief recall of this epoch sees Korea split into North and South along the 38th parallel following the Second World War in 1945, while the Soviet Union occupied the North and the United States the South. Not long after this administrative bifurcation, the North invaded the South in 1950, marking the onset of the Korean War. The 2nd Infantry Division of the American army was the first unit to reach the Korean peninsula, and their contribution during the war is both exceptional and commendable.

The K-101 watches were originally produced in 1969, serving as unit timepieces for the members of the 2nd Infantry Division. The reissued OW MK-102 continues to weave this critical narrative and personifies the commemoration of the division’s extraordinary service. It masterfully bridges the bygone era to the modern, carrying the rich essence of a military memorial yet embracing the sophistication of contemporary horology.