Smith & Bradley Sans-13 Review: U.S.-Made Tactical Watch

In today’s article, Randall Chaney reviews the Smith & Bradley Sans-13 tactical watch. If you are someone who goes into harm’s way and need a rugged wristwatch that isn’t glowing so bright as to make you a target, the Sans-13 is worth a look. This watch is personally owned by the author.

A few years back, I was scouring the 12-plus miles of vendors at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas when some eye-catching watches halted my progress. I spoke with the founders of a little-known brand, Smith & Bradley Watches. Jerommie Smith was a deputy sheriff in Illinois. His partner, Ryan Bradley, was an attorney. Together, they co-founded a real Made-in-the-USA watch company.

In this Smith & Bradley Sans-13 review, the author details the years of hard use his tactical watch has gone through.

Jerommie was tired of timepieces breaking during his time as a K9 handler, SWAT team member, and patrol officer. He told me he began collaborating with hundreds of military and law enforcement personnel to channel their needs through his experience building thousands of watches in his off-duty time.

The Flagship

The Sans-13 is the flagship tactical watch of the Smith & Bradley company and was their initial product. Jerommie designed it to be rugged under the demands of his former profession, for those who defend our nation, adventurers heading into the backcountry, and the rest of us who admire a sharp wristwatch.

Smith and Bradley Sans-13 watch review Randall Chaney — Timekeeping with purpose. The Sans-13’s bold, legible dial stands out against the tactical gear, ensuring precision when every second counts.

Regardless of what is inside, a chronometer will always be judged by its outer appearance. The Sans-13 case is made from 316L stainless steel. It measures 42mm in width and is 22mm at the lugs. Part of what gives this case its square jawline is its thickness of 12mm. Overall, including the case back and crystal, mine measures an imposing 15mm. S&B’s black PVD coating is wear-resistant and attractive.

swat watch — Resting on the author’s SWAT uniform, the Sans-13 proves its place among the essential gear trusted by law enforcement professionals.

For water resistance, the Ronda movement has a screw-down crown protected on the Sans-13 by a pair of lugs on the case. Current Sans-13 watches have a water resistance of 300 meters. When I bought mine, it was only 200 meters WR, which has clearly improved.

The next noticeable part of a wristwatch is its dial and bezel. The dial of the Sans-13 has both 12- and 24-hour markings and hash indices for each second. Its black face with white markings is stand-out and legible. And here’s where the name comes in. According to Smith, dual 12 and 24-hour time displays normally have a “13” under the “1” for 1300 hours. Since that has been omitted, the S&B is “sans 13.” He said it was purely for good luck for the wearer. Roger that.

dial on Smith Bradley Sans-13 review — The robust crown and protective lugs highlight the Sans-13’s commitment to durability, ensuring performance when it matters most.

Sans-13’s black bezel is marked off with bright white recessed numerals. In nearly a decade of use, my numbers are still fully intact. The bezel’s scalloped ring is readily manipulated with or without Nomex or duty gloves, but is not easily turned by incidental contact. The uni-directional bezel ratchets counterclockwise at 120 clicks for precision.

Smith said his thoughts on watch illumination differed from some industry trends. Instead of bright tritium vials, Smith opted for a more muted lume on the Sans-13. As he states, “Only you should see your watch.” To that end, the S&B uses Swiss C3 Super-LumiNova, a non-radioactive paint made with strontium aluminate for glow. Super-LumiNova is charged by sunlight or a handheld flashlight.

luminous dial on Smith and Bradley watch — A short burst of light charges the Sans-13’s lume, giving a reliable glow without compromising your position in critical situations.

For the Sans-13, there is luminous glow on the hands, at the hour indices and high noon on the bezel. When you need to see the watch in the dark, a short burst of your torch will give enough phosphorescence to operate. Don’t worry about the light hitting the watch’s face. Sans-13 has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal.

Ruggedly Built

The heart of the Sans-13 is a Swiss-made Ronda movement, which is a three-hand quartz mechanism with an analog display and the date at 3 o’clock. My watch has a 6003.D Ronda, which is also found in other upscale watches like Tag Heuer. An economical movement, any 373 batteries I have had installed in the watch have lasted for years.

watch band size for Sans-13 — The robust buckle and reinforced strap keep the Sans-13 firmly on the wrist, no matter where the mission takes you.

Bracelets are important and the Sans-13 has gone through an evolution of sorts. My watch came with 20mm width lugs, which I thought were a bit narrow for a band on this sized case. If you acquire a new Sans-13, it will have a beefier 22mm band which is more of a natural fit.

The types of bands have also changed. I was originally sent a thick black silicone band on my Sans-13. I later upgraded to a black stainless steel bracelet. S&B now ships the Sans-13 with a thick black nylon NATO-style strap with subdued buckle and retainers. The design ensures that if a spring bar fails, the case will still be attached by the remaining spring bar to the strap and thus your wrist. No lost watch.

Smith & Bradley Sans-13 Watch Specifications

Movement: Ronda Swiss Quartz
Lume: C3 Super-LumiNova
Case: 316L Stainless Steel
Water Resistance: 300M
Crystal: Anti-Reflective Sapphire
Origin: USA Built & Designed
Case Size: 42mm
Lug Width: 22mm
Case Material: 316L Stainless Steel
Strap: NATO
Crown: 7mm Screw Down
Case Thickness: 12mm
Bezel: Rotating One Directional, 120 Clicks
Warranty: Two Years

In Practice

My Sans-13 worked with me in our detective division and on high-risk SWAT calls. In these disparate arenas, the watch looked great and functioned as Jerommie intended. Nowadays, a smartphone is always present, but to determine time on a clandestine stakeout or a tactical operation, sometimes you can’t just fire up that cell phone. A discreet glance at the Sans-13 can be necessary in the darkness.

SWAT team member wearing Smith & Bradley watch — Time matters in every mission. While gripping his Springfield Armory Echelon, the author checks the time on his Sans-13.

Smith & Bradley began in Sidney, Illinois, but like many northerners migrated south to Winter Springs, Florida, where their watches are now built. S&B prides itself on their collaborations with the Special Operations Charity Network and UDT SEALS Association.

stainless steel back of Smith & Bradley Sans-13 watch — The stainless steel case back of the Sans-13 reinforces its rugged construction. The author’s early watch has a 20mm lug width, while new versions have a beefier 22mm band.

The MSRP for the Smith & Bradley Sans-13 is $295.00. That is fully a hundred bucks less than I paid nearly 10 years ago. That’s added value. With their Discount for Heroes Program, active duty and veteran law enforcement, military, and fire service personnel also get a special discount. This is a great timepiece for under $300 in my opinion.

Conclusion

After the Sans-13’s entry into the market, the National Tactical Officers Association, a non-profit that strives to enhance LE performance and professionalism, gave the Sans-13 a “Member Tested and Recommended” rating. As a long-time NTOA member, I can enthusiastically second that coveted endorsement.

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