PHG Field 36 – COSD-44

Description

01 — THE DESIGN

Some designs catch your eye first with colour. What makes them memorable, though, is the story behind that colour. COSD-44 draws from a distinctive chapter of British military watch design of the Second World War: crisp black Arabic numerals paired with a striking red 24-hour scale on a warm ivory dial.

Watches produced to the requirements of the British Combined Operations Command (COSD) — the organisation that coordinated commando raids and airborne operations — carried this signature layout, and the same red 24-hour language went on to mark British paratrooper watches of the period. That scale was never decoration. It was part of the military’s time-reading language: a way to read the day’s hours at a single glance, without mental conversion, under stress and in a hurry.

• Red 24-hour scale — the WWII airborne time-reading language, kept fully functional
• Warm ivory dial — black Arabic numerals, C3 Super-LumiNova on hands and indexes
• 36mm 316L case, Seiko VH31 — the same case and movement as the MK-1949

This is what we find fascinating about military watches. Numerals, scales, hands — even a seemingly out-of-place touch of red — can all originate from real usage requirements. Removed from their original environment, they keep a character that ordinary design struggles to replicate.

With the COSD-44, PHG turns its attention to this red-24-hour paratrooper layout. We are not interested in simply cloning the look of an era; we keep the design language that time has proven, and re-express it with today’s manufacturing capability.

02 — THE DIAL

The dial is a soft matte ivory — not the flat white of a modern watch, but the warm, slightly creamy tone that vintage dials reach after decades of ageing. Black Arabic numerals in PHG’s hand-adjusted 1940s lettering sit on a clean railroad minute track, while the vivid red 24-hour scale runs around the inner circle — the visual signature of the piece, kept exactly as functional as it was in service.

In daylight it reads like an old watch. In darkness, C3 Super-LumiNova on the hands and indexes performs like a new one.

03 — THE CASE

316L stainless steel, 36mm diameter, 11.3mm thick. The case features horizontal brushing — a directional grain that runs parallel to the wrist — distinct from the standard vertical finish on other PHG models. The horizontal lines catch light differently, giving the steel a subtle, rippled character that changes with the angle. This is the same case architecture used on the MK-1949: 36mm across, 46mm lug to lug, 18mm between the lugs — proportions that sit easily on a smaller wrist while keeping full military legibility. Box-style K1 crystal with double-sided coating — anti-reflective on the inside, scratch-resistant on the outside. Push-pull crown, 50m water resistance.

04 — THE MOVEMENT

Powered by the Seiko VH31 mecha-quartz (Central Seconds) — sweeping seconds hand at 4 beats per second, quartz accuracy (±20 sec/year), no ticking, no winding. The long, slim central seconds hand sweeps across the red 24-hour scale: a calm, mechanical-looking motion that matches the character of the dial, with none of the servicing a mechanical movement demands.

05 — THE STRAP

18mm black NATO, olive NATO, or brown leather strap with brushed stainless hardware.

About the Crazy Horse Leather Strap

If you’ve selected the leather strap version, your strap is made of crazy horse leather — a material prized for its rugged, vintage character.

Crazy horse leather (also called pull-up or oil-tanned leather) is full-grain cowhide with a waxed finish. It naturally develops light scuffs with use — this is the signature pull-up effect, a feature of the material, not a defect.

Scratches are easy to restore: gently rub with a fingertip or a barely damp cloth, and the mark will fade back into the leather. Over time, the strap develops a unique patina all its own.

Care: avoid alcohol-based cleaners; a dry cloth wipe is all it needs.

---

06 — SPECIFICATIONS

CASE
Diameter	36 mm
Lug-to-lug	46 mm
Thickness	11.3 mm
Lug width	18 mm
Material	316L stainless steel, horizontal brushing
CRYSTAL
Crystal	Box-style K1 crystal, double-sided coating
MOVEMENT
Movement	Seiko VH31 mecha-quartz
Function	Central Seconds — sweeping seconds at 4 beats per second
DIAL
Dial	Matte ivory, black Arabic numerals, red 24-hour scale, railroad minute track
Lume	C3 Super-LumiNova
WATER RESISTANCE
Water resistance	50 m / 5 ATM
STRAP
Strap	18mm black nylon NATO, olive NATO or brown leather, brushed stainless hardware

07 — PHG PROMISE

Every PHG watch carries a two-year global warranty covering movement malfunctions and manufacturing defects in the case, crown, and crystal — waterproofing failure under normal use included. Accidental damage, normal wear, and battery replacement are not covered; full terms are set out in our Warranty Policy.

Each watch is inspected before it leaves our workshop.

PHG Watch Co. designs and builds this product independently from historical design languages. It is not affiliated with, authorised by, or connected to any other brand or reference.