Exploring the Benrus DTU Phantom
By Ricoswatches
There are certain names that when you think of specific eras and events in time always come to mind. Doxa and Jacques Cousteau, Omega and the moon landing, Rolex and exploring are all examples of watch brands that have attached themselves to a moment in history. Benrus has done the same with midcentury US military conflict, specifically the Vietnam War. The conflict in Vietnam has always captured the imagination and minds of watch collectors as it represented really the peak of mechanical watches in conflict just prior to the Quartz Crisis imploding the entire watch industry. You had Rolex, Omega, Tudor, Zodiac, Seiko and many others all in the same theatre of war and either issued or available for purchase at your base PX.
Benrus was there then, Benrus is a part of that story and they are here now to revive those watches and stories in the modern era. I can say they are doing a damn fine job of it too. When Benrus reached out to do some work together, I was instantly interested and intrigued to get hands on with some of their modern issues. I chose to have them send me the DTU Phantom. I felt that it was a meaningful recreation of their military spec field watches from the past but with all the modern upgrades and specs from today. It feels like they created a restomod of a watch. All the vintage elements that make the watch something special and all the modern ones that make it convenient and capable for today's warrior. The price of the Benrus DTU Phantom as reviewed is $1595 USD.
Before we get into the review, let's first get into some history of Benrus as a brand. Benrus was founded in 1921 in New York City by three Romanian-American brothers (the Lazrus brothers), notably Benjamin Lazrus; “Benrus” is a combination of Benjamin + Lazrus. Initially, they ran a watch-repair shop, but soon moved into manufacturing and assembling watches using Swiss movements and their own cases. During World War II, Benrus shifted part of its production to support the war effort (making timing systems, fuses, etc.).
In the 1960s, Benrus became deeply connected with U.S. military contracts. Notably, Benrus won the MIL-W-3818B contract; this spec called for a rugged, reliable field watch. These watches, predominantly worn by US Army personnel during the Vietnam War, were disposable by design. No excessive jewels, no decorative finishes, just legible dials, reliable movements, and cases meant to survive heat, humidity, mud, and neglect. Those Vietnam-era Benrus watches weren’t built to be heirlooms. They were built to get soldiers through a deployment. Many were lost, broken, or discarded, and the ones that survived did so by accident rather than intention. That historical reality is what gives the modern DTU Phantom its authenticity, simply put, it doesn’t romanticize the past, it respects it. Their classic “DTU-2A/P” model stems from this era. Benrus also made dive / UDT (Underwater Demolition Team) watches later (Type I, Type II) that achieved iconic status among military watch collectors. Those being asymmetrical Para diver watches with sterile dials that are most often associated with Benrus.
Benrus suffered financial difficulties following the quartz crisis, like many brands, and filed for bankruptcy in 1977 and again in 1981. The brand changed hands several times. Eventually, in 2017, a new ownership group acquired the brand and began to produce watches again. In recent years, Benrus’ revival has leaned heavily into its military heritage, relaunching legacy models such as the DTU, Type I and Type II.
What’s in a Name? The DTU Moniker Explained
The “DTU” name refers to a line of field watches originally made by Benrus to meet the MIL-W-3818B spec in the 1960s. The 3818B specification required a dependable wristwatch: 17-jewel, hacking seconds (so you could synchronize time precisely), durable case, legible dial, easily serviceable/disposable, etc. The DTU-2A/P was the first model to fulfill this contract. Because of its MIL spec lineage, the DTU-2A/P is considered very important in military watch lore. According to Benrus’ own historical narrative, this design later inspired their Type I dive/military watches. The original DTU watches were production tools: meant for service, not for style. That gives the modern reissues a lot of credibility among enthusiasts who care about authenticity. In its vintage form, the DTU-2A/P used a movement based on the ETA 2370 (Benrus’s DR 2F2) modified for hacking.
Initial Thoughts, Impressions and Unboxing
Upon unpackaging the DTU Phantom, I am greeted by a full sized black Benrus outer box with the brand name featured in white in the lower righthand quadrant of the lid. After opening up the outer box, inside is a white box with nicely rounded corners and the Benrus name in the lower right-hand quadrant again but this time in black. On you open the inner box, proudly displayed is your watch on the left and on the write, a short write up that's printed right on to the suede lining. The write up details a brief bit of history of the brand and explains the ethos of the brand. This was something that I had not seen before and honestly felt was a great touch. It immediately makes the customer feel proud of their watch and gives them a brief bit of information around the brand to start them down the Benrus rabbit hole.
The Benrus DTU Phantom is a watch that feels like it was built with institutional memory. It doesn’t try to seduce you with shine or overwhelm you with storytelling, rather, it assumes you already understand why restraint matters and what the watch is for and trying to accomplish as a statement. This is a watch that lives in the overlap between issued equipment and personal choice, where form follows function and credibility is earned through use, not marketing.
To understand the Phantom, you have to understand Benrus. This is not a brand that built its reputation in boardrooms and boutiques. Benrus made its name supplying watches that were meant to be worn hard and trusted implicitly. That philosophy is baked into the DTU line, and the Phantom is its most stripped-down expression.
Specs at a Glance
Case: 38 mm, sandblasted 316L stainless steel, black PVD coating, screw-down crown.
Lug Width: 20mm
Lug to Lug: 44.90mm
Thickness: 10.7mm
Crystal: Double-domed sapphire, with double anti-reflective coating.
Dial & lume: Matte black dial, Old Radium Super-LumiNova on hands and hour markers.
Movement: Swiss-made ETA 2892 with a 42-hour power reserve
Water resistance: 10 ATM
Strap: Fabric strap with PVD pin buckle.
Case back: Closed, PVD black.
Swiss Made
The DTU Phantom and it’s Modern Improvements
The DTU Phantom isn’t a reproduction, and that’s important. Instead of chasing exact dimensions or period-correct quirks, Benrus reinterprets the duty watch concept through a modern lens. Sapphire crystal replaces acrylic, water resistance exceeds historical requirements, and materials are upgraded where it makes sense, all without diluting the original mission of the historic design. The matte black case immediately communicates intent. This is a finish chosen for discretion, not drama. It absorbs light, hides wear, and looks better the longer it’s used. The case proportions are large enough to read instantly and compact enough to remain comfortable over long stretches of wear.
Nothing here feels accidental or hype driven. On the wrist, the Phantom feels like a piece of issued kit. It sits flat, wears balanced, and doesn't feel fragile. The lug geometry works exceptionally well with the green nylon fabric strap that is included with the watch. The choice of colors and material really echo the watch’s military roots. This is a watch that encourages wear, not preservation. It wants to be worn and put to the test. In my extended use of the DTU Phantom it is revealed how thoughtfully it is designed. It doesn’t snag on sleeves, doesn’t shift awkwardly, and doesn’t fatigue the wrist. These are the kinds of qualities that don’t show up in spec sheets but matter more than almost anything else. The Case back is nicely lasered with the Benrus Shield logo and displays the watches 100m water rating and Swiss manufacturing. The screw down crown is secure and winds nicely. It is unguarded against the PVD case but sits thin and unobtrusive when screwed in. The case has been scaled up to a more contemporary 38mm that I think works great. I found the watch highly legible and comfortable on the wrist. Being a vintage inspired field watch, the case is exceptionally simple. Benrus still manages to make the case feel premium and well put together. It’s perfectly proportioned and meant to fit on anyone's wrist and perform well.
The dial continues that no-nonsense lineage. It’s clean, simple and highly legible. With large stark white Arabic numerals around the dial marking 1 to 12 and then an inner ring of smaller numerals marking 13 to 24 that allows the wearing to obtain the 24 hour time at a glance. The numerals are fainted on the clean matte black dial. The dial features one line of text, that being the BENRUS name printed boldly above the hand stack and under the 12/24 marker. Along the perimeter of the dial are white hash marks to denote each minute. Each marker is designated with a faux patina inward facing triangle. The paint used for the triangles also matches the faux patina on the hands of the DTU Phantom. Generally speaking, I am not a huge fan of faux patina but in this instance, I find it works as it breaks up the monochromatic nature of the black and white dial and provides a bit of additional contrast that makes the watch seem a bit more complex to look at. All in all, the watch is highly legible at a glance. The SuperLuminova lume used as well glows well and long. It is nothing spectacular but it is there and it works well at night especially when your eyes have adjusted to the darkness. The lume is applied with purpose, not excess. It’s there when you need it and gone when you don’t. The hands glow cleanly, the markers remain readable, and nothing overpowers the dial.
Inside, the Phantom runs on the well documented and proven Swiss-made ETA 2892 with a 42-hour power reserve. This movement is selected for durability and serviceability. This choice aligns perfectly with Benrus’ historical role as a supplier rather than a showpiece manufacturer. The movement isn’t here just to impress collectors, it’s expected to run consistently and reliably, survive abuse, and be maintained without drama.
In many ways, the Phantom feels closer in spirit to its Vietnam-era predecessors than most modern reissues of similar watches. Those watches were tools first and personal objects second. The Phantom carries that same DNA forward ,updated where necessary, restrained everywhere else. The Benrus DTU Phantom isn’t trying to be collectible, rare, or prestigious. It’s trying to be dependable. That philosophy is what made Benrus relevant during the Vietnam War, and it’s what makes the Phantom relevant today. If you’re looking for a watch that feels like it belongs in the field rather than the display case, this one understands the assignment.
Benrus’s revival (under new leadership) leans hard into its military roots. The DTU line is central to that revival narrative. By offering modernized versions with quality Swiss components, Benrus is bridging its vintage-military legacy with contemporary expectations. This has helped them re-establish themselves as a “tool watch” brand rather than just a nostalgic or lifestyle label. Among watch enthusiasts, the DTU Phantom (and DTU line) appeals to those who like real, functional heritage, not just retro styling. For military-watch collectors, it’s a more accessible way to own something very close to what was historically field-issued, without needing to source vintage originals.