Militaria
Developed at the end of the 1950s to accompany soldiers of the sea in their missions and an army with a rich history of adventure, Grands Fonds 300 is dressed in khaki green to pay tribute to the United States Army and the courage of the heroes of the Second World War.
The first glimmers of dawn on June 6, 1944 mark D-Day, the amphibious and airborne assault phase of Operation Overlord called Neptune. Among the Allied forces that landed on the Normandy coast, about 150,000 soldiers of the U.S. Army were deployed on the land in order to allow almost a year later the liberation of France and put an end to the Second World War. These courageous men who came to defend Europe during this immense conflict were accompanied by a complete military equipment easily recognizable thanks to its khaki green color decorated with a white typography, particular and perfectly identifiable. Made with the stencil from which it takes its name in English, the Stencil USA police force now appears on the dial of ZRC's new GF300 Militaria watch.
Among the vehicles that rode on French soil more than 75 years ago was the famous Jeep Willys, an off-road utility vehicle that is now synonymous with freedom and adventure. This historic monument was designed in 1940 according to strict specifications imposed by the U.S. Army, a fact that brings it close to the legendary Grands Fonds 300, also developed in 1958 by ZRC after responding to a complex call for tenders issued by the French Navy, for which it became the official watch in 1964. Robust, reliable and equipped with technical assets including its famous 300-meter water-resistance, its crown at 6 o'clock equipped with the Crown Protection SystemTM and the ECS patent for the bezel, which eliminates the risks of pollution and corrosion, this watch icon has accompanied soldiers of the sea, as well as sportsmen and explorers, embodying freedom and adventure for more than five decades.
To pay homage to the heroes who came from a nation across the Atlantic to deliver an entire continent and an important chapter in the history of mankind, the Grands Fonds 300 features a military green dial, a luminous khaki that is enhanced by white hour markers punctuated with central dots for this Militaria version, a name borrowed from military relics prized by collectors. Complemented by arrow indexes, the four Arabic numerals at the cardinal points are based on the traditional Stencil USA typography of the U.S. Army. The design, inspired by soldiers' uniforms, is swept by two magnum style hands filled with Super-LumiNova® X1 that indicate the hours and minutes. The powerful luminescent material, indispensable for optimal information capture in the dark of the sea depths, also appears on the lozenge that ends the central lollipop-type second hand and the markers on the bezel in matte black DLC. Like all ZRC watches, the bezel is rotating and equipped with ECSTM (Easy Clean System).
The 40.5 mm-diameter monobloc case machined in 316 L non-magnetic steel with a unique silhouette extended by two massive beveled lugs houses the ETA 2824 2 caliber, a renowned mechanical self-winding movement manufactured in Switzerland, vibrating at the standard frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 hz) and delivering a 38-hour power reserve.
Because "life is adventure", the new Grands Fonds 300 Militaria watch is equipped with a solid khaki rubber strap matching the dial. Held on the wrist by a sand-blasted steel pin buckle, it is an ideal tool for trips at sea, on land or in everyday life.
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES...