Benrus

Benrus was founded in New York City in 1921 by Romanian-born Benjamin Lazrus and his two brothers, starting as a watch repair shop; the name joins "Ben" and "Lazrus." The company supplied watches to the U.S. military from World War II through the Vietnam era, and a civilian Series #3061 field watch was worn by Steve McQueen in Bullitt (1968). The original business was sold to Victor Kiam in 1967 and went bankrupt in 1977 and again in 1981.

A New York investment group led by Michael Sweeney acquired the rights in late 2017 and relaunched the brand in 2020. The relaunch models were 41mm: the Field and Classic with Miyota 9015 automatics at $1,095 and $1,195, and the quartz Air Chief chronograph at $895. Later reissues include the DTU-2A/P field watch and the Type I-C diver, generally priced between about $600 and $1,100.