Mk II Hellion-BAKU Honors Heroes and Aids Recovery
Mk II Hellion-BAKU at life in classic
A modern tool watch with a wartime soul, the Mk II Hellion-BAKU is more than a nod to history. It is a purpose-built collaboration with Project Recover, the nonprofit dedicated to locating, recovering, and repatriating American service members still missing in action from past conflicts. Proceeds from each watch help fund that mission, while the design pays tribute to three members of Underwater Demolition Team-10—Black, MacMahon, and Roeder—who remain unaccounted for.
The Hellion-BAKU blends two pillars of U.S. military watchmaking: the World War II-era A-11 field watch and the Navy’s first underwater wristwatch, the so-called “canteen” watch. The result is a compact, capable field watch with a deliberate sense of history. Its 39mm case is crafted from brushed 316L stainless steel with drilled lugs for easy strap changes. An oversized crown, modeled after the canteen design, allows confident operation even with wet or gloved hands. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters, sports a double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on the inside, measures 13.55mm thick, and spans 48.5mm from lug to lug—dimensions that balance presence with all-day wearability.
The dial and hands are equally considered. Inspired by WWII UDT-issued watches, the handset is widened for clarity and treated generously with Super-LumiNova for strong low-light performance. The palette of gray, black, and white echoes the wartime camouflage of the USS Burrfish, a submarine integral to the era that shaped this watch’s design language. The sweep seconds hand carries a lumed tip and an asymmetrical triangular counterweight that references Project Recover’s logo, placing the mission literally at the heart of the time display.
Turn the watch over and the story deepens. The caseback design draws from a WWII canteen watch once issued to UDT-5, complete with the period-correct “USN BUSHIPS” stamping. Additional markings—“UDT-10” and the individual production number—are acid-etched, producing a deliberate misalignment that mirrors the irregularities of original wartime pieces and underscores the human element behind the project. At the center are the names Black, MacMahon, and Roeder. The Mk II and Project Recover logos sit around them, a subtle compositional choice that puts the men and their sacrifice first.
Inside is the Seiko-produced TMI NH38, a reliable, time-only automatic movement chosen for straightforward serviceability and robustness. It’s a fitting engine for a watch that prioritizes legibility, resilience, and purpose over frills. The black dial uses printed Arabic numerals and clean typography, with a nearly tone-on-tone logo treatment that keeps the focus on function. A Haveston canvas strap completes the package, reinforcing the field-ready aesthetic and nodding to military practicality.
Mk II is offering the Hellion-BAKU in two donation-based sets. The Standard Package is priced at $649 and includes the watch in an Mk II travel case, a BAKU mission patch, and a project zine. The Premium Package, priced at $765, adds a customized Toyo box, a Project Recover x Mk II challenge coin, a Project Recover cap, a Balao-class submarine poster, and the zine. Each purchase includes a built-in donation to Project Recover: $80 per watch for the Standard Package and $135 for the Premium Package. Availability begins November 24 at 10 a.m. ET, with a total production of 200 units—180 Standard and 20 Premium—underscoring the watch’s limited, commemorative nature.
The Hellion-BAKU speaks to a specific audience—enthusiasts who appreciate heritage design executed with restraint and practical detail—yet its story gives it broader appeal. Field-watch staples are present and accounted for: a robust steel case, drilled lugs, 100 meters of water resistance, and a domed sapphire crystal. The 39mm size is a sweet spot for many wrists, landing comfortably between vintage presence and modern expectations. The gray-black color palette, the black-on-black dial text, and the careful proportion of the hands and numerals suggest an eye for typography and balance that will satisfy design-minded collectors.
While some might see the price slightly above the usual time-only field-watch bracket, the value proposition is strengthened by the specification list and—importantly—the transparent donation baked into every sale. This isn’t a generic “charity edition” stamp; the caseback inscription, the counterweight motif, and the mission materials integrated into each package keep the watch grounded in the cause it supports.
Arriving on the cusp of the holiday season, the Hellion-BAKU feels timely as a gift with meaning: a capable, everyday-wearable watch that contributes to a continuing effort to bring missing service members home. It is a thoughtful tribute designed to be used, not shelved—a modern field watch that remembers where it came from and why it exists.
