The Kommando Spezialkräfte (special forces command, or KSK) was officially formed on 20 September 1996. Since then, the global operations carried out by this special forces military unit have been of political, strategic and operational significance. A key priority of the KSK for example is to rescue and evacuate German citizens from crisis situations.To mark its 20th anniversary in September 2016, the Gemeinschaft Deutscher Kommandosoldaten e.V. (association of German commando soldiers) has collaborated with Sinn Spezialuhren in designing a special watch, the K212 Special Forces Command, a special 70-piece limited edition exclusively for KSK members.To enable members of the public to share in this special watch, too, we are delighted to be able to present the 300-piece limited edition 212 KSK, a retail version of the K212 Special Forces Command anniversary watch. The design is based on the anniversary edition, which is not available for retail. A commando sword surrounded by oak leaves, the KSK emblem, thus adorns the dial.Guided by our conviction, special attention has also been given to making sure this edition is suitable for everyday use in KSK military service, too. For this, we chose a robust, resistant case material and set the pressure resistance correspondingly high at 100 bar. The 212 KSK also features a second time zone on 24-hour basis, thus taking into account the global operations of the KSK.In keeping with the unconventional spirit of the KSK, the design of the rotating bezel features the rather unconventional 64-mil ratcheting of a German army compass, which facilitates orientation in KSK field operations. This military-style ratcheting shows east at 16 milliradians, south at 32 milliradians, west at 48 milliradians and north at 64 milliradians. The rotating bezel can thus be turned to mark the direction of north – ascertained using the time and position of the sun – and aligned north. The numbers marked on the rotating bezel subsequently enable the direction and azimuth of the destination to be read. This special rotating bezel represents the determination and ability of the KSK to fulfil their mission even when all modern equipment fails.
