Micromilspec Milgraph
Why Bespoke Designs Cost More
There is a sub-genre of watches within the toolwatch category which is gaining a lot of traction as of late, or maybe it has always been this way but yours truly never noticed. I’m talking about modern military watches built for those who serve in the military or those, like yours truly again, who are fascinated by those who serve. And there is yet another level of horological wonder within this category, the one for high-end military watches which cost more than the salary of a private might be able to cover*. These watches are not quartz-powered G10’s, but bespoke creations boasting rare complications, unusual materials, or sci-fi-like case shapes. In a way, what a MIL-SPEC military timekeeping device might look like in 2025 and made, I would assume, for soldiers who have a serious inclination towards horology.
So today I’m not going to be telling you about a G-Shock or Luminox, but about the Micromilspec Milgraph. Micromilspec is a Norwegian independent watch brand created by two friends, one of whom is in the Norwegian Special Forces. And the two friends love watches. The Milgraph is their vision for the ultimate action-ready military tool watch which is built robustly and equipped with a long list of impressive specs and functionality. (The kind of watch I picture the new James Bond—whoever that might be—wearing instead of a white dial Speedmaster.) Aesthetically, we know it’s a tool watch thanks to the monochromatic dial, matte-finished case, and noticeable wrist presence. And retailing for $3,850 (including VAT,) this watch isn’t destined to be worn by a private. Or me. But maybe you?
*According to this article, a Private in the United States Marine Corps earns $2,017 per month whilst a Master Gunnery Sergeant with 10+ years of experience earns at least three times that. Just thought you might find this helpful.

Specifications
There are indeed a lot of things to discuss regarding the Micromilspec Milgraph starting with its specs. After posting a few photos on Instagram many folks (you) commented that it wears pretty well on my French chicken wrist despite its dimensions. (Actually, nobody described my wrist this way but that’s just me adding a little bit of narrative drama.) This watch has indeed quite an imposing figure coming in with a diameter of 42mm, a lug-to-lug of 50.3mm (cough cough), a thickness of 15mm (cough cough) and a lug width of 20mm. Important to know: the strap tapers to 17.4mm at the buckle. (Phew.) Thanks to its integrated case design the Milgraph actually wears well on my 6.50”/16.5cm wrist as the strap naturally flows out from the case, and the fact that the case is made of Grade 5 Titanium (the watch weighs 100g.)

What immediately drew me in when I first saw the Milgraph is its functionality. As a tool watch nerd I could tell it has GMT and chronograph complications, but what I didn’t know was the fact that these complications were powered by a LaJoux-Perret L121 Soignée caliber (4Hz/60 hours of power reserve.) “Soignée” means the movement has some decoration but more importantly, it is regulated in five (5) positions to run at +/- 4 seconds per day. (Note that there is an unfortunate ghost date position, boo.) But you are assured to have a solid movement which runs accurately for when you’re jumping off a helo or marinating steaks for this weekends’ BBQ. (These activities are not mutually exclusive.) Moreover, the case has a screw-down case-back and crown, giving this model 100 meters of water resistance. A cool fact given the nature of this watch.

The Grade 5 Titanium case received a microblasted treatment to increase the alloy’s resistance to scratches and shocks, again something that makes sense here. What also makes sense is the domed sapphire crystal (a domed crystal is allegedly more resistant to shocks than a flat piece of sapphire) and the 120-click unidirectional count-up bezel which features a bespoke design and construction the brand calls QuadGrip. The latter was designed to make it easier for operators wearing gloves to operate the bezel. The clicks are purposely stiff to ensure one doesn’t accidentally turn the bezel out of tune for safety or strategic purposes. All in all, the Micromilspec Milgraph does have a lot to offer spec-wise which aids in explaining the $3,850 retail price.

Design
But no amount of awe-inspiring specs will make a tool watch a practical timekeeping device if its design doesn’t support its intended function. So first we must acknowledge the fact that the LaJoux-Perret L121 was flipped vertically to put the crown and pushers on the left side for comfort reasons. This means the sub-dials are also flipped and so the 30-minute counter is at the 12, the 12-hour totalizer at the 6, and the running seconds at the 3. This doesn’t shock me at all but it needed to be mentioned. Therefore, also, the chronograph pushers were inverted, meaning it is the bottom pusher at the 8 which starts and stops the chronograph whilst the pusher at the 10 resets it. This change of operation only took my little brain two minutes to adapt to it. (I am therefore mission ready!) And Micromilspec labeled each sub-register in case you need constant reminders.

Sarcasm aside, the labels are actually useful since the paired down/minimalist design of the sub-registers doesn’t make their inherent function self-evident. Especially the minute and hour totalizers which could have been mistaken for being the other and not what they are. So, the 30-minute sub-register is composed of a juxtaposition of thin and thicker hash-marks to mark each minute and put the emphasis on the 5-minute increments. The 12-hour register has dots and long hash-marks to mark each hour, looking like an airplane’s gyroscope gauge. The running seconds sub-register for its part has an even simpler design as it only displays four markers at the cardinal points. All sub-registers have the same lumed hand design, akin to a rounded pencil tip. (Or maybe I should get new glasses.) The genius in the design here is already becoming evident as we know that displaying lots of information in a coherent way is not an easy task.

The rest of the dial is equally cleverly designed as we find large, partially skeletonized hour and minute hands, lumed as well, hovering over a finely grained black and matte dial. As you probably know, matte dials absorb light making reading the hands and markers easier. (The microblasted treatment of the case, in addition to making it stronger, also aids in cancelling light reflections so that the watch wouldn’t give away your position to the enemy.) A fourth GMT hand doesn’t command too much visual presence thanks to having a mostly blacked-out stem but an orange, lumed arrow-shaped tip. The GMT hand points to the GMT scale printed in small on the angled rehaut. Moreover, the hour markers are small pencil-shaped pieces applied to the raised minute track on which we also find printed hash-marks for the minutes.

And finally, the case. Man, it’s quite something! To me it's akin to the hulls of Atreides transport ships in Denis Villeneuve’s live-action interpretation of Dune, therefore looking straight from an epic sci-fi movie. A detail I adore. The integrated lugs curve down towards the wrist and are endowed with a thin chamfer which runs all across the case. The integration of the rubber strap into the case is superb, and a small detail you perhaps haven’t picked on, is the fact that the top side of the strap has a diamond-shaped pattern we also see on the bezel knurling. Just another design detail which helps in making the Milgraph stand out. Lastly, the rectangular chronograph pushers perfectly fit within the thin crown-guards. A well balanced and interesting case design indeed.

The Heart of the Matter
At the heart of the matter is the fact that the Micromilspec Milgraph seems to be more of an exercise in haute utilitarian horology rather than the brand’s vision for a commonplace tool watch. And that is fine as this is what it is. The Milgraph defies the common wisdom that utilitarian timekeeping devices should cost $200 and be made with a rubber case that can bounce off the surface of Mars unscathed. (Sorry I don’t know how outer space gravity works.) Or be made in a way that anyone would feel comfortable throwing in the trash after one tour of duty. No, the Milgraph is a high-end piece of horology which doesn’t look like your typical high-end piece of horology. It’s masculine, dark, tough, and the only accents of colors are those found on the GMT hand and the model name painted at the 9 o’clock. You see, it’s badass.

But it is bespoke and this fact alone certainly explains part of the asking price. As what is unique isn’t cheap as the factory has to custom-make the cases, bracelets, hands, and dials just for the brand. Here nothing is off-the-shelf which is why it cannot cost $200 or even $1,000 but $3,850. And even though in the introduction I said the Milgraph is not for me—purely from a financial standpoint and not from technical or design ones—it could be for you. Though the catch is that Micromilspec only makes 50 of these each year and that one has to sign up to claim a spot for the next drop. The latter fact further emphasizes the nature of what this watch is—one for utilitarian horological nerds with a budget and time—and not for the impatient and budget-conscious collectors like myself.

Conclusion
Coming in at $3,850, the Micromilspec Milgraph won’t fit in everybody’s watch purchasing budget. It doesn’t fit mine although to be frank with you, I wish it did. In the introduction I indicated that this watch is not meant for me and perhaps now you understand that I meant from a financial standpoint only. And although I love (am obsessed with) military tool watches, my lifestyle is such that I couldn’t easily justify pulling the trigger on the Milgraph. If I were in the military and I was a Master Gunnery Sergeant in the USMC, perhaps I could justify acquiring this fabulous timepiece as it would be, perhaps, a necessary part of my equipment for the job. But nah, who am I kidding? You and I don’t need watches in the first place so fuck this, just buy what makes you happy and I will do the same.
I suggest taking a closer look at Micromilspec’s full catalog to discover more of their military-specific timekeeping devices.
Thanks for reading.