THE ORIGINS OF THE OLONGAPO BRACELETS

THE ORIGINS OF THE OLONGAPO BRACELETS

Before proceeding and going into the topic, it’s necessary to make a little historical excursus on an tragic event of the 20th century: the Vietnam War.

The Vietnam War was an armed conflict fought in Vietnam between 1955 and 1975.
The conflict mainly took place in the territory of South Vietnam and saw the pro-communist insurrectional forces contrasted with the governmental forces of the so-called Republic of Vietnam.

This conflict, as everyone knows, also saw the direct involvment of the United States of America, which progressively increased their military forces in aid of the government of South Vietnam according to the escalation strategy.

A war image taken during an air and ground attack
Everyday scenes during the tragic Vietnam War
Make War, Not Love.

To support such a massive war effort, the United States quickly established a dense network of military bases across the South Pacific in friendly countries geographically close to the Vietnam war front.
It was unimaginable to manage crucial aspects of the war—such as logistics, vehicle repairs, and staff training—entirely from the USA.
One of the most well-known and significant bases was “Subic Bay,” located on the east coast of the Philippines, about 150 km from the capital, Manila.

Subic Bay, photograph from Google Earth

Subic Bay occupied a highly strategic location, protected by a large bay and overlooking the South China Sea, making it relatively close to Vietnam itself.

Subic Bay during the Vietnam War

An interesting fact for our research is that this important military base was geographically close to a small city called “Olongapo”

Olongapo city Center

At the time, Olongapo was well known in the Philippines for its goldsmithing tradition, especially for the exceptional skills of local craftsmen in metalwork.
Among the U.S. troops stationed at the Subic Bay base, a trend began to spread: soldiers had their watch bracelets modified by these local artisans. This was not only out of personal preference but also because it was convenient to have a sturdy, custom-made metal bracelet for their watches.
These bracelets were unique, tied to the local traditional craft, and entirely handmade. They typically consisted of two pieces that wrapped around the wrist, with a closure secured by a metal clip.
Soldiers began requesting the craftsmen to engrave their favorite logos on the bracelets, often featuring military symbols related to their squadron, unit, or section. This is how the famous and coveted “Olongapo” bracelets were born, named after the town in the Philippines where they originated.
Due to the variety of military insignia, Olongapo bracelets have been found with a wide range of engravings and embellishments over the years.

This picture show an original Olongapo bracelet with military markings, courtesy of Cortez Ramon – O&P Forum.

It is already quite rare to find an original vintage “Olongapo” bracelet, and even more difficult to find one still attached to the watch it was made for. However, it is almost impossible to find a well-known brand’s watch in exceptional, untouched condition with its original “Olongapo” bracelet still attached.

Detail of the Olongapo bracelet mounted on a Tudor reference 7928 (Courtesy of Jatucka)

These watches were worn daily and used in harsh war conditions in the dense jungles of Vietnam and Cambodia.

This is why we are so proud to present this rare and highly significant Tudor Submariner 7928, complete with its original “Olongapo” bracelet, a beautifully patinated dial, an unpolished case, and even its original box and papers.

Spectacular Tudor 7928 with Olongapo Bracelet (Courtesy of Jatucka)

Although this is not a military-issued watch, since it was acquired from the former owner’s widow, we are confident that it was worn by a brave American soldier throughout the Vietnam War, which he fortunately survived.

The watch was purchased during the war at an American post office in the Philippines, chosen by the original owner for the renowned durability and water resistance of Tudor and Rolex watches. For those unfamiliar, it’s worth noting that American post offices (the so-called PX) were places where military personnel could buy imported goods from the USA and Europe, including watches.

The set coming with the Watch (courtesy Jatucka)

The bracelet is an original “Olongapo,” featuring the engraved and applied logo “US NAVY MASTER DIVER,” a typical designation for U.S. military divers.

Stemmi della Marina Militare USA

This Tudor Submariner ref. 7928 with its original “Olongapo” bracelet, complete with the full set of box and papers, a beautifully warm patinated dial, and an untouched case, is truly a remarkable find for anyone passionate about watches with military history.

We hope you enjoyed this article. We’ll leave you now with some photos of this beautiful watch.

See you next time!

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