I have helped a friend to get this Heuer Valjoux 72 restored and also wanted to uncover some of its history. What I know (or think I know) is the following:

Issued to the Danish Military. It says K.B.F. 342 on the caseback. K.B.F. is short for KostBeFaestingen. They took care of the coast fortresses and other defence buildings along the Danish coastline.

From the 1.st July 1961 K.B.F., together with other units formed SOK (Navy Operative Comando). So watch must be from before then.

Watch is fairly big. Ø 38 and using 20 mm straps.

In the book “Mastering Time” from TAG Heuer there is a picture of a Leonidas V72 that has much the same dial layout. My watch has metal (gold?) numbers and not painted numbers as the Leonidas. Leonidas and Heuer merged in 1961.

When the Military replaced mechanical watches with Quartz the equipment people was instructed to destroy the old watches in a vice. But a watchmaker in Copenhagen, that was servicing the watches, made a deal where I bought the watches that was then smuggles out. He sold some directly from his own shop and others to college vintage watchmakers (I have this story directly from the watchmaker himself). My friend bought his watch from Copenhagen watchshop owner Michael Woolhead, who closed his workshop after he in 2007 shot and wounded two robbers! He got 6 month for possessing of weapons.

I have looked through the catalogues here OTD but have not been able to find anything like this watch.

If any of you have info that can help me along I will be very pleased.
- What year is it?
- Used in other army’s?
- Is it a rebadged Leonidas?

Peter, Denmark
www.watchsite.dk