Powering the watch is a Japan-made Seiko Cal. NH36 automatic movement, an upgrade over the very basic Seiko Cal. 6119 automatic that powered the original. The 1960s movement had 17 jewels, beat at 18,000 bph and didn’t hack, while the modern NH36 boasts 24 jewels, a higher 21,600 bph beat rate and, most importantly, a hacking function.
The movement has also received a custom day-date wheel, replacing the Japanese/English version of the original. The days are now exclusively in English, while the dates can be switched between Arabic and Roman numerals. The Roman numerals run in cycles of seven and are intended to track reconnaissance missions, which could last up to a week.
The CISO M38 features a closed caseback with the inscription “‘You haven’t lived until you’ve almost died…’ — MAC V SOG ’64-’72,” which references the beginning of the SOG motto and is done in the style of Vietnam-era Zippo lighter engravings.
Pricing and availability
Tornek-Rayville didn’t just work with MACV-SOG veterans in producing the CISO M38. The brand has also partnered with the Special Operations Association (SOA), a nonprofit organization founded in the 1970s to support SOG veterans after the war. Its work continues today, and a portion of each CISO M38 sold — at least $105 per watch — will be donated to SOA.
The watch is available in two versions, one with a mostly sterile dial that simply says “SOA” at 12:00 and “24 Jewels” at 6:00, and another that adds the MACV-SOG’s infamous skull patch insignia at 9:00.