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Benrus

Re-editions of Vietnam-era and 1970s US military watches at mid-range prices. Buyers pay for the military-issue story and the Steve McQueen association.

Status: Watchlist
Founded
2017
Website
benrus.com
HQ
USA
Manufacturing
Switzerland
Ownership type
Investor-owned
Acquired
2017
Status since
2026-10-30

Ownership

The original company filed Chapter 11 in 1977 and again about four years later. The name passed to Gruen in 1995, then M.Z. Berger, a licensee in 2014 and an investor group in late 2017, which relaunched it in January 2020.

Why Watchlist

Benrus markets a 1921 New York founding. JCK reports the original company went through two Chapter 11 filings from 1977 and the name has since passed through at least four owners or licensees, the latest an investor group in 2017. Current models reviewed in 2025 are marked Swiss Made.

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