BENRUS Watches

Benrus is one of those quietly influential American watch brands with a story that spans nearly a century. Founded in 1921 in New York by the Lazrus brothers, it built its early reputation on Swiss-made movements cased and assembled in the U.S., quickly earning wrist time with figures like Babe Ruth, Charles Lindbergh and famously sharing the silver screen with Steve McQueen in the 1968 classic Bullitt. After WWII, Benrus hit its stride with pieces like the Sky-Chief chronograph, beloved by pilots, and later carved a place in military history with rugged field and dive watches such as the Vietnam-era DTU-2A and the now-legendary Type I and II divers made for special forces. Like many mid-century makers, it faltered in the quartz era, but its designs never lost their cult appeal. Today, Benrus is enjoying a thoughtful revival, leaning on its deep military and aviation heritage to reissue classics that feel just as purposeful now as they did in their prime.