For anyone familiar with the words “my name is Michael Westen and I used to be a spy” you would have surely been a fan of the show ‘burn notice’. The watch worn by the main character, a burned spy, is this Chase Durer Special Forces 1000XL UDT.

Is it a spies watch you ask? Let’s find out. The movement is a 27 jewel precision ETA 251.262 quartz movement. The movement allows the functionality of a date, chronograph with split laps and split second timing and dual time zone function. Handy for a travelling spy who requires precise timing for when you plant a lazy explosive on your arch enemies lair.

The Chase Durer Special Forces 1000XL UDT has a 44mm wide case made from a PVD coated stainless steel making it heavy, really heavy. I’m sure Jeffery Donovan’s left arm is slightly longer than his right after shooting 7 seasons of the show…….. The watch is rated at 1000ft water resistance and has a screw down crown and screw down pushers. Handy when you need to snorkel to an under water tunnel to surprise the enemy. (Dive tank not included). The crystal is an anti-reflective sapphire. You can see the blue tinge of the anti reflective coating at certain angles. The hour markers and hands are coated in a super luminova. Great for the modern spy, no more risking self combustion by holding your lighter to your watch to check the time like another spy I know……

The bracelet is a 3 piece oyster style that is PVD coated as well. The pins are a standard push out style. There is a dive extension and the clasp is milled with 3 micro adjustment points. The clasp has a double lock security clasp. The example I have is 15yrs old but hardly worn. What is the only thing about the Chase Durer Special Forces 1000XL UDT that plays on my mind? The durability of the PVD coating. So to summarise, is it a spies watch? I’d say it has potential, it’s a definite eye catcher and they are becoming hard to find.