REVIEWS

MTM Falcon Hawk Watch
9 March 2010
Frank Borelli...Editor-in-Chief, Officer.com

There was a point in my life where I didn't care much what time it was and being on time for an appointment or late by a few minutes didn't matter much. Then came the Army and a couple decades of police work and fatherhood, etc. Time matters. Being on time matters. Having a device on your wrist that keeps accurate time and will take all the abuse you throw at it matters. At several trade shows I'd seen the MTM (Multi-Time-Machine) watch booth and the watches looked cool but I'd never had the opportunity to test one out. I've had that opportunity now and am suitably impressed. Here's why.

First off you need to understand that while watches are designed these days to perform a great many functions, to me they - first and foremost - have to keep accurate time. How accurate? Well, the more accurate they are the better, but truth be told most of us can live quite easily with a watch that is off as much as a minute per month. While that sounds like a lot to many watch enthusiasts, it's realistic. Reality is also that modern quality watches usually have no trouble keeping time within a few seconds each month - or even each year. So, how do you measure the watch's accuracy?

When I first received it for testing I made sure it was charged (more about that in a minute). Then I got online to The Official U.S. Time Clock website. I selected my time zone and the website provides the current correct time to within 1/10th of one second. I set the watch to that time when I got it more than a month ago. As I prepared to write this review after all the other testing was done (detailed momentarily) I checked the watch's time against that website time. The watch was off less than a second as far as I could tell. Just prior to publishing this I checked again and it's still within one second of The Official U.S. Time Clock. That's accurate enough for me.

Now let's talk about some of the down and dirty design features of the Hawk. First off, it ain't little. I mean, this is a pretty big watch. The case size is 42mm not including the crown and it's 13mm thick. I don't have delicate wrists and this watch is almost as long top to bottom - pin to pin - as my is wide. Weighing in at 3.5 ounces it isn't particularly light either - I mean, that's almost a quarter pound - for a watch! It is listed as water resistant to 330 feet or 100 meters (however you prefer to say it) although I didn't test it to that depth. The "glass" of the watch is listed as tempered scratch resistant crystal (and everything I put it through didn't scratch it). There is a uni-directional ratcheting bezel that has large numbers marked for 15, 30, 45 and 60 minute time passage. I consider it more than suitable for diving. The watch was delivered on a nylon strap in a water tight box with its recharging stand. Let me talk about that for a minute.

Because of the other features of this watch - which we'll discuss momentarily - it is impractical to have to replace the battery in this watch. It is FAR more practical to have to recharge it. That presents a challenge. I mean, think about it. How do you charge your digital camera? You plug it in. That port in the camera prevents it from being water tight. If you bypass that challenge by putting in a rechargeable battery pack that you have to take out to recharge you solve the problem, BUT... how practical is that in something the size of a watch? I don't know about you all but I'm not comfortable taking apart my watch every 30 to 90 days to charge it and then count on my own abilities to get it back together water tight.

The MTM solution is rather revolutionary: the watch is charged electromagnetically by placeing it on top of the charging stand which does plug in. I like that a WHOLE lot better than having to plug in the watch or recharge a battery pack or - as is the case with some watches - returning it to a service center for a battery replacement. Can you imagine doing that quarterly? Me neither.

Now, why would this watch need to be recharged so frequently? Probably because of the nine LED lights mounted in the face. Six of them are hidden behind / under the markers at 12, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. These specific-shade-of-blue LEDs illuminate the watch face and hands so that you can see the time in low / no light conditions. The blue light is also the exact proper color to best recharge the luminosity of the hands and numbers. The other three LEDs are white and mounted in a triangular fashion on the face at the 12, 4 and 8. With a second push of the light button (which is locked by a small screw down sleeve to keep you from pushing it accidentally) these three white LEDs illuminate for 20 seconds. The light they produce is enough to read a document by or to navigate by in low / no light conditions. Remember this: Those lights are also bright enough to be targeted on a dark night and a good sniper can probably range you and fire on you in 20 seconds - especially with today's technology. Always remember your light discipline.

As a final point about the design features, the watch is available in a brushed steel or black finish on a steel band, a rubber wrist strap or a ballistic nylon band (the one I got for testing).

So, now that we've covered all the design features and I've pre-tested that it keeps time, let's look at how well it kept time while I tried to break it (within reason). When I spoke to the rep at MTM about these watches he related to me a story about someone who had taken the watch off the band and used it as a hockey puck. I'm not a big fan of hockey, don't have a rink handy, don't own a stick and can't imagine I'd have a hope of slapping the watch hard enough to go any distance. So instead, I did what any good redneck would do.

I was feeling abusive so I tied it to the bumper of my Jeep Cherokee and drove down my gravel street with it back and forth three times. That's a 1/4 mile drive each way for about 3/4 of a mile of dragging on gravel, being bounced along. My average speed was about 15 MPH because the road simply doesn't support going any faster than that. The watch still worked when I was done. It was kind of dirty though so I rinsed it off and took a look. A few minor scratches in the case were there but the glass was still scratch free. What next?

Taking my fishing pole and the watch I headed down to our local beach (on the Chesapeake Bay), tied the watch strap to the line (making sure it was very secure because I didn't want to gift the bay with the watch) and then proceeded to cast and reel in the watch 25 times. With no floater on the line the watch was dragging the bottom each time I reeled it in, being dragged through the sand and whatever refuse was on the bottom including some gravel and shells (of course). It survived. No issues.

Hmmm... for a lack of anything better to do I tied and taped it around one of my dog's tennis balls that we play fetch with and threw the ball a couple dozen times for him to bring back. Admittedly it was only in the yard but I managed to hit a tree a few times and the dog unceremoniously dropped the ball on the concrete at my feet each time he brought it back. Thoroughly saturated with dog spit and dirt from the yard, the watch still worked. I took it off the ball, rinsed it off and took it inside to check the time against The Official U.S. Time Clock. Yep, it was still less than one second off. The next time I go to the range I think I'm going to mount it on a target and shoot it with some 8-shot from 7 and 15 yards. If I do, I'll keep you advised.

Needless to say I'm suitably impressed with this time piece. Sure, if it's on a soldier's or cop's wrist it might get shot or blown up, but short of that I can't imagine what it's going to go through that would be more abusive than that which I put it through. So, I can recommend this watch. MSRP is $595 but I bet if you search around you can find one for a tad less.

Happy Trails!


The MTM Special Ops watch was once only available to the military and to law enforcement agencies but now they are making it available to the general public. It’s a big heavy watch with very masculine, tough-guy styling. One cool detail about the watch is that it comes with a hex key so you can remove links yourself. The reviewer noted that it wasn’t amazingly accurate (it gains or loses around 20 seconds per month) but that it is easy to reset. Features include both dial illumination and external illumination that lets you use your watch as a mini-flashlight. It also has a rechargeable battery, a rotating bezel, a double locking clasp and a lower power indicator. It is water resistant to 330 feet and sells for $450.

… Deidre Woollard on Luxist.com


The MTM Special Ops watch is a nice-looking, rugged, functional timepiece. Apparently having previously only been available to the military and to law enforcement agencies (the Secret Service, Navy Seals, Air Force, Delta Force, Army Rangers, Special Forces, Swat Teams, FBI, DEA, Police Officers, SAS, and Special Forces worldwide), Multi Time Machine, Inc. is now making the Special Ops Watch available to the general public.
The fist thing you will notice about the MTM Special Ops Watch is its weight. If you prefer light-weight, inconspicuous timepieces, the Special Ops is not for you. If you like your watches substantial and solid, keep reading. The watch isn't so heavy that you will eventually lose the use of your left arm, but the Special Ops is a dense and solid piece of stainless steel.
The next thing you will notice, after removing the watch from its packaging, is that the MTM Special Ops is a pretty nice-looking watch. It's not Rolex or Breitling good-looking, but it's unique and handsome. All three hands are easy to see against the black dial, and the Arabic numeral hour markers are large and clear. The 12, 4, and 8 are interrupted by the watch's lighting system (more on this topic below), but if you don't know where the 12, 4, and 8 are on your watch, you should probably just be wearing a digital, anyway.
The next thing you should notice about your new watch is that you won't have to take it to a jeweler to get it resized. This is something I really have to commend MTM for. Having to get a watch sized at a jeweler is extremely inconvenient. More and more watches are available over the internet, so having to take them somewhere to get them sized after they arrive in the mail can be a huge downer. And I've found jewelers can be compete jerks about sizing watches that weren't purchased in their shop, or they will charge ridiculous amounts of money (or both). The MTM Special Ops Watch, on the other hand, is simple to size right at home. It comes with a small hex key that you use to easily remove pins from links. And if you gain or lose weight, give the watch away, or eventually sell or trade it, it can easily be readjusted…I should also say that I can resize most watches myself, but that's because I've had no choice but to learn. Unless the watch is designed to be sized at home, I always recommend taking it to a nice and cooperative jeweler, if you can find one.
One subtle characteristic of the MTM Special Ops watch that I like is that the second hand stops when you set the time. It drives me crazy when second hands don't stop when the crown is fully extended because I like to set watches down to the second. The Special Ops watch is not amazingly accurate (±20 seconds per month -- pretty standard for a mid-range quartz watch), but I don't mind resetting a watch each month or so to keep it accurate to within a couple seconds. I was also impressed with how easy the crown is to unscrew and pull out. The crown is large and textured, making it easy to grip and maneuver, most likely so that it can even be operated while wearing gloves. Features of the MTM Special Ops Watch
• Dial illumination. Press the button above the crown once, and the three LEDs at the 12, 4, and 8 o'clock positions bathe the face of the watch in a gentle blue hue, allowing you to easily read the time in complete darkness for about 5 seconds until it fades out. The hour and minute hands of the watch, and the hour markers, are coated in luminescence paint for additional readability in low light, but the dial illumination feature is really the way to go for quick and easy reading in the dark.
• External illumination. This is really the feature that makes this watch special. Press the illumination button above the crown a second time, and the LEDs at the 12, 4, and 8 o'clock positions turn orange and increase massively in intensity to turn the face of your watch into a miniature torch which can be used for reading things like maps or notes, or for signaling other parties up to a full mile away. In this mode, the watch will remain illuminated for up to 20 seconds, or until you press the button again. Make sure you aren't looking directly into the face of the watch while in external illumination mode or you will be seeing three bright orange dots whenever you close your eyes for hours. In fact, an undocumented use of this watch might be for blinding assailants.
• Rechargeable. The MTM Special Ops Watch contains a rechargeable battery. The watch recharges by being placed on a sort of pedestal or a dock where the back of the case rests on the charger, and the bracelet hangs down below. The watch does not charge through metal contacts, but rather through an elegant electromagnetic charging system, which means the battery is actually charged through the case back… It takes about 8 hours to fully charge (plan ahead and charge it while you sleep), and will run for approximately one month on a single charge, assuming you use the dial illumination and the external illumination systems an average of once per day.
• Rotating bezel. The MTM Special Ops Watch has a unidirectional rotating bezel to allow you to use the watch for timing purposes.
• Double locking clasp. The clasp on the MTM Special Ops Watch has a double locking mechanism which feels very secure and robust.
• Low power indicator. The Special Ops Watch uses the second hand to indicate that the watch needs to be charged. When the second hand starts jumping ahead 2 seconds (every two seconds, which means it is still keeping accurate time), your watch is telling you that you have a few days worth of juice left. Once the second hand starts jumping ahead in increments of four, you have a matter of hours to get the watch recharged. Once the watch stops, well, I think that's pretty self-explanatory. You waited too long.
• Water-resistant to 100 meters, or 330 feet. The crown screws down and the case back locks down to keep the case water-tight.
If you like what you have been reading, you are probably wondering how to get an MTM Special Ops Watch. They are only available online, and only from Specialopswatch.com There are two models available: The Thunder Hawk, and the Black Hawk and both models go for $450.00, or $459.95 after shipping. If you have a need for the external illumination feature, and you want a nice, solid, heavy stainless steel watch, I think you will be very pleased with the MTM Special Ops.

…Christian Cantrell on WatchReport.com


Hello to all from around the world… and especially you “Documentally” for this post. Here I am once more to complete another review, thus far on the -’BLACK WARRIOR TITANIUM’.

I have posted four readings on this site in regards to the BLACK WARRIOR TITANIUM: One on 6/8/2008, 13/8/2008, 21/9/2008 and on 26/2/2008. In this review I will discuss the over all wearing of this time-piece and some comments about this watch to date.

Please keep in mind that I could care non-the-less on weather you (Our Readers), or for that matter the company,(M.T.M.) might regard on this said review of this most wonderful time piece.

The purpose here is to inform you on its particular performance thus far, ie. the “BLACK WARRIOR TITANIUM,” since its purchase over one year to date. With this said… lets proceed shall we?

First off I do not work for M.T.M. rather; I am a human being that likes to play. Having a time piece of any sorts is a must for me, as I need to tell time.

After some lengthy reviews of popular watch designs nationally and internationally in the past before M.T.M.’s purchase; the choice was made.
I questioned exactly as to the function of my intended use of a dynamic watch. That simple.

I was honest with my ideal purchase of a watch and the required desire of a time piece to suite my high levels of an active life style. I could have chosen another just as easily; but I chose this one instead.

It would be difficult to say anything negative about this watch thus far. Unless… those of you who warrant its cultivation by the hands of mere-mortals imperfect… well; it is what it is. -And it is an absolute “Hulk” of a dive watch and so much more to boot!

It is currently on my wrist as I type this page and it looks absolutely Fantastic! -No Joke.

So far it has seen the floors of the Pacific Ocean @ a level depth of 140′ (French Polynesia) and scraped its sandy bottom on many occasions while diving. Rip Curls on the shores and sandy beaches for a month long vacation.

Bazaar’s too Bush Hunting for Elk and Black Tail Deer in the Pacific North West Region where I reside. Trail running and hiking; working in hospital using plaster-of-paris (which contains lime). And yet, the dial has literally not a scratch on its face. Not a glimmer of a hint of a scratch.

The ‘TRITIUM GAS TUBES’ are here to stay in the watch world. There is no doubt that any watch maker will discontinue using these wonderful little self sufficient gems for electrical lighting in this class of watch design. They are perfect in this class of design and function. Kudos M.T.M. -Well Done!

I take it that if the lighting makes you more visible on enemy radar; well then I guess you could just purchase a Velcro -strap with a hoodie to go over the face of the watch if your worried about being spotted by your foe. Seriously, they claim 25 year life on the gas tubes? Darn! I guess I would be dead and gone by then mates. Kidding… I would just buy another and then be gone after it wears its self out. All this for under 1200.00 USD. Sold!

Accuracy in telling time:

This watch takes a lithium battery that lasts 10 years. Free from dial up’s……………. I’ll say that again for those of you who missed it: “-This watch takes a lithium battery that lasts 10 years”. Accuracy is mute.

I have two atomic clocks; one @ my residence and the other here @ hospital. Never have I ever lost a second during the testing phase that is still ongoing of this watches accuracy to tell proper time. I only change the date then set it once more. Pure simplicity!

Like I have said before in prior posts: With over 6,000 hours diving under my belt I see no need for the more expensive watch other than conventional looks and pricing. Remember to keep in mind exactly what it is you are after in a watch before committing your dollars towards its purchase. Life is all too short and dollars are all too precious these days for many.

Choose wisely and until the next review… enjoy life to the extent of your imagination.