The white dial Mark XI might be the most fascinating — and most controversial — “obscure legend” in watchmaking history.
If you know vintage military watch specifications, you know the classic RAF Mark XI came almost exclusively in a sober, pure black dial. Yet among collectors, one mysterious story has never stopped circulating: the White Dial “Albino” Mark. Legend has it that in the 1950s, the Royal Navy commissioned a very small batch of white-dial navigator watches for submarine tactics and deep-sea survey work — prized for their exceptional legibility under certain lighting conditions.
True or not, one thing is undeniable: set against the Mark XI’s rigorously precise geometric architecture, the white dial reveals a “modern minimalist aesthetic” that black simply cannot offer.
While preserving the soul of the classic military watch, we have brought this legend-steeped white dial back to the present day:
Core Elements, Faithfully Restored
The classic flat-tipped hands, the tactical triangle marker at 12 o’clock, the Broad Arrow and the circled-L ① mark — industrial-design order at its purest.
High Contrast: White Dial, Black Track
An off-white / cream dial paired with a hard-edged black numerals track. It sheds the usual sombre feel of military watches — cleaner and crisper with shirts and jackets for everyday wear.
Fine Brushed Case
A delicately all-brushed stainless steel case, paired with a black tactical NATO strap — ruggedness and refinement in equal measure.
It is more than a military watch. It is a piece of “obscure romance” that belongs to the watch-design enthusiast.
デザインは最終的には手首に生き生きと生きているべきだ。
