The Jakkal

It hunts again.

For many lovers of history, we look back to the late 50's and 60's as a pivotal time in history. Empires waxed and waned, and the world order would quickly flip on its head as nuclear powers now redefined the global stage.

Rhodesia / Zambia Borders 1965

Many conflicts mark this time period. The Bush Wars would quickly become some of the most confusing and tumultous ones. European and African identity would be challenged within itself as well as the very human concept of belonging and birthright. The story of Rhodesia and its eventual transition to Zimbabwe through conflicts and political meanderings would be both a tale of loss and a tale of reclamation.

Rhodesian Selous Scouts

During the Bush Wars, warfare was redefined— not for novelty— but as a necessity of geography, scarcity, and technology. From launching squads of 32 men out of Alouette Helicopters and Douglas DC-3's to encircle and repel ZANLA/ZIPRA, to the use of FN FAL rifles and the Mamba self loading pistol— the methodologies, training, and gear made these wars unique.

I'm a watchmaker though... So let's talk watches.

One of the most well known watches during this period was the Roamer Anfibio. A simple and well designed field watch that was, like its namesake, "Amphibious.” It boasted reasonable water resistance afforded by its three piece case design. It was a simple and durable option. It was fairly widely adopted, although international embargoes meant that despite its popularity it was never quite standard issue. It was instead given to units that operated closer to the frontlines.

Vintage Roamer Anfibio

The Anfibio teaches us an important lesson. The Bush Wars were hard fought and the soldiers who had to be active and kinetic. There were rarely long marches and long term encampments so familiar to current and past wars. Each acre of land was in dispute and each side moved fast to capture and hold territory. Having clunky and heavy equipment got in the way of waging war. No heavy dive watches here. A simple field watch, short shorts, and a FAL was all you needed.

We live in a world where equipment takes precedence. People love gear, and sometimes this obsession leads to companies creating products that feed into that obsession rather than being designed for requirements of the task. Watches epitomize this. Quick! Think of a "tactical watch.” There— hold that image in your mind. What does it look like? Is it a 44mm watch with a pronounced bezel and a thick chunky band? Does it maybe look like something overdesigned for the simple task of telling the time? The warriors of yore might agree.

Introducing the Jakkal

First, let’s start with the name. The word “Jakkal” is the Afrikaans translation of the word “Jackal.” We chose to tie this watch to the region that inspired us. Secondly, we named it after an animal that shares the traits that we designed into this watch. Jackals are quick and cunning. They do their work at dusk and dawn, swarming their prey in coordinated groups. Jackals are not heavy animals— they travel fast and their build allows them to quickly scale hills and valleys.

Jakkal Field Watch

The Jakkal watch is designed to be thin. At 9mm thick, this is a watch that sticks close to your wrist, not allowing itself to become a snag risk. The contoured case hugs the wrist and is comfortable on one piece and two piece straps. The face of the watch is mostly sapphire glass— showcasing the simple but legible numerals— all dusted in Swiss C1 blue luminous material. C1 Luminova is perfect for providing subtle visibility at night without blowing out the contrast on your night vision goggles. Is it "amphibious?” With a screw down crown, and a dual gasket system, the Jakkal is dive ready to 100 meters.

Behind the curtain

The watch movement (the most important part) is the highest grade in performance and durability we could source from Switzerland. The Ronda 713 is a five jewel Swiss Quartz movement with modular components for repair, gold plated bridges, and a five year battery life. Your watch isn't disposable, so why use the cheapest quartz movements that are not repairable? We meant for this watch to be an trusted part of your kit for decades ahead. With proper servicing, the watch is a good contender for itemization in your last will and testament.

For us, the Jakkal is RWC at our best. We take great things that have been lost to the history books and give them a second chance. The Jakkal is here to prove to you that despite how the world might change, a timeless design will always be relevant. Sure, after reading this, you might be enticed to grab one just to wear a piece of history on your wrist— but despite the callback to the watches and events in the past, the Jakkal is ready to hunt again.

Good hunting.

Check out the Jakkal Product page Here.