21,076 articles · 222 videos found · page 6 of 710
Time+Tide
This field watch celebrates the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII and will generate lovely patina in the decades to come.The post Patina focus brings a new perspective to Vario’s 1945 D12 line appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
Have you ever considered what it would take to start a microbrand? I was deep in an instagram doom scroll when a field watch I’d yet to see abruptly stopped my thumb. “I love this watch. My good friend made this by hand and it’s incredible. He makes them in Brooklyn from scratch. Check out his work” my buddy Greg’s caption read. I was digitally introduced to Giles Clement. Raised in the Catskills, he was always a tinkerer. It probably started with him putting old lawnmower engines on wheels as a makeshift go-kart, but he has always had the gift of creating something from nothing. A decade ago he stumbled upon a massive petzval lens at a thrift shop outside Chicago. This launched a years-long endeavor of building his own large format camera and teaching himself wet plate photography. Before he knew it, he was in a tent at a music festival in Rhode Island taking a portrait of Kris Kristofferson with a giant camera made of plywood and trash bags. The rest is history. Photo by Jonah Markowitz He went on to have a successful photography career, capturing portraits of folks like Nick Offerman, Fiona Apple, Channing Tatum, Questlove, Roger Waters, Elvis Costello and various other high profile figures, as well as several fine art series. Suddenly in 2020, like many others in the film and photography industry (myself included), work disappeared and he found himself on a forced hiatus. Never one to have idle hands, he began repairing watches. Ebay offered access to...
Fratello
There’s no shortage of Seiko releases these days, but few pique our interest quite like a new Alpinist. The rugged field watch has earned cult status over the years, balancing quirky charm with real-world capability. Now, with the introduction of the Seiko Alpinist SPB531, the brand adds a Europe-only edition in a deep, moody blue. […] Visit Introducing: The Seiko Alpinist EU Limited Edition In Blue to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Is there a contemporary field watch as beloved and versatile as the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical? At this point the illustrious military history of the Khaki Field watch has been thoroughly explored (and if you’re not familiar with it, our resident historian Mark Bernardo has written an encyclopedic guide here). In short, Hamilton produced over a million watches for the United States military during World War II with its field watch in specific garnering praise for its universally consistent quality. This predecessor to the Khaki Field was a 34mm-wide field watch done in a chrome-plated metal case with radium lume dials and a manual-wind Caliber 987 movement. The modern Hamilton Watch Company was bought by the Swatch Group in 1974 with much of the production already having moved to Switzerland in 1969. The brand’s reassertion as a bonafide, authentic maker of military tool watches with historical provenance proliferated as an entire collection under the “Khaki” umbrella. While it was still producing watches for actual military units in the 1980s and ‘90s, Hamilton had done well by marketing to civilians once again in the wake of the Vietnam War. These early post-war civilian Hamilton Khaki watches were co-branded with retailers like Brookstone, Orvis, and L.L. Bean. This was also the time during which the “Khaki” logo began popping up on their dials. In 2018, Hamilton released the Khaki Field Mechanical which has gone on to be one of the most popular and b...
Monochrome
French brand Baltic has really been on a roll lately with several standout models, including the best-selling MR micro-rotor series, and the popular Hermétique Tourer field watch just got a fresh dose of summer colours inspired by the 1970s California vibe. While the design and specs haven’t changed, the new dial and strap colours really […]
Video
This Watch Caught Me Off Guard
Teddy Baldassarre
Field watches are among the most straightforwardly utilitarian of timepieces, deriving their design and functionality from early 20th century timepieces worn by soldiers and other military operators “in the field,” hence the umbrella term. While they will vary in their design elements and details, field watches (earlier models were also called “trench watches,” a reference to their usage in the trench warfare of World War I) are recognizable for a handful of elements that are mostly omnipresent: clean, highly legible dials with few if any superfluous subdials (some use a small seconds display); luminous hands and numerals; big, readable hour markers (mostly Arabic numerals, occasionally indexes; the "purist" version of a field watch dial likely includes a 12-hour scale with an additional 13-24-hour ring for military time, as you'll note in many of the models here); and a general sense of toughness and reliability while being understated in both size and design (the smaller and lighter the watch, the less burden on a soldier already loaded with gear). Many of these qualities also define the style elements of early pilot's watches, with which field watches share many MIL-SPEC similarities, hence the occasional crossover model. Here are 25 modern-day field watches (or watches that tick the "field watch" boxes nicely) that are on the market in 2022. For browsing and shopping convenience, we list them in ascending order of price, from everyday models around $200 to luxu...
Time+Tide
These three Elliot Browns - a field watch, a diver and a unique GMT - epitomise the British indie's robust offerings.The post A three-pronged assault: a trio of our favourite Elliot Brown watches in the Time+Tide Shop appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Monochrome
In 2022, following the launch of the Reef dive watch and the casual-sporty Essence, Formex expanded into the field watch segment with the release of the Field Automatic. Housed in a 41mm titanium case with 150m of water resistance, the first iteration featured a range of dial colours, including Charcoal, Petrol Blue, Ash Grey, Mahogany […]
Monochrome
Serica began its journey with a classic field watch, and since its launch in 2019, the young brand has quickly carved out a strong identity with a lineup of retro-inspired, adventure-ready timepieces, spanning field, dive, and GMT models, and something else a bit dressier. Designed with durability, precision, and style in mind, every Serica watch […]
Worn & Wound
Sometimes, no matter how many hours we spend scrolling on Instagram and monitoring various watch-focused group chats, things slip through the cracks. Watches that check all the right boxes to rise above the noise of a crowded market go unnoticed and become sleeper hits instead of hits, and creativity that deserves widespread celebration instead receives a splattering of quiet applause. For collectors that enjoy witnessing brands evolve and develop distinct design DNA in real time, it can be a bummer to discover your radar missed something great. But on the bright side, this scenario allows for instant gratification and the opportunity to speed run a brand’s evolution to the present day. This was my experience when Italian microbrand echo/neutra released the Rivanera at the end of last year. Like many of you, I was pleasantly caught off guard by the rugged take on the classic rectangular dress watch, but didn’t recognize the name divided by a distinct slash on the dial. This sent me digging through surprisingly sparse reviews and forum threads where I discovered that the Rivanera was far from beginner’s luck, and was actually the result of a year’s long evolution that began in the way many do, with a safe and somewhat generic field watch on Kickstarter. Watching aging YouTube videos, this actual first release called the Averau (which later included a very cool moon phase) looks like exactly the type of watch I would’ve chased in 2019 when specs and MSRP were my pr...
Video
At the time of recording, the exchange rate was 1 GBP = 1.33 USD. Please note that exchange rates fluctuate, so the conversion may differ when you view this video. Always check current exchange rates for the most accu...
Teddy Baldassarre
Before I get into my owner's review of the Seiko Baby Alpinist, I want to talk about field watches as a category. What makes a field watch? Is an explorers' watch the same as a field watch? Is a mountaineering watch? I wouldn’t necessarily call this, or rather these, age-old questions. Instead they illustrate an intellectual conundrum I’ve personally faced, being a fan of a certain format of watches. Many who know me will also be sure to know I have a certain proclivity toward Rolex watches. I once wrote some of a definite treatise on the Rolex Explorer Ref. 14270 - the now neo-vintage version of the watch that was born right at the start of the 1990s and which has since served as the template for all Explorers to come. Its 36mm size, legible dial, and overall no-nonsense field-watch format have made it one of the best watch designs of all time. But it’s also not really a field watch, is it? It was born as a marketing exercise in the wake of Sir Edmund Hilary’s summiting of Everest alongside Tenzig Norgay. It’s an explorers watch, one with alpine roots. The Seiko Baby Alpinist SPB155 Speaking of alpine, we cannot mention the word without invoking one of the most well-known attainable icons of the 1990s and 2000s: The Seiko Alpinist. But let’s go back even further, to the late 1950s and early ‘60s, when Seiko launched the small, 35mm Laurel Alpinist – a design that was revived by the brand in 2021. Fast-forward to 1995, when Seiko released a familiar forma...
Worn & Wound
Bremont, Bremont, Bremont. What are we to make of Bremont? It’s been a year now since Bremont first announced their Terra Nova collection alongside a complete corporate rebrand, and while we’ve seen the brand expand the Terra Nova line a few times since then with new colorways and materials, Bremont had - until now, that is - kept the lineup of their field watch fairly restrained. Now, we’re seeing them break away from the trio of models they released last year with a pair of jump hour models; one in bronze, the other in steel. Built around a “unique and exclusive” jumping hour movement developed by Bremont with Sellita, the Bremont Jumping Hour 40.5 Steel and Jumping Hour Bronze are a fun take on what has been a fairly down-the-middle field watch by integrating what is a surprisingly long-standing wristwatch complication. Jumping hour wristwatches have been around since at least the 1920s - Cartier introduced, by way of example, the Tank à Guichets in 1928 - and have remained a constant in the century since. Here, Bremont is offering up two distinct takes on the concept, each in the rough format of the Terra Nova. The stainless steel Bremont Terra Nova Jumping Hours 40.5 Steel takes after watches like the Fears Brunswick jump hour, with a traditional sweep seconds hand, and a jump hour and minute window sitting at 9 o’clock. All this is supplemented by a black lacquer dial, with luminous material throughout and the minute track off of a standard Te...
Fratello
Here’s a scenario you may be able to relate to: you have a diver from your favorite brand, and you would like to add a field watch. You wonder whether the brand has one in its catalog. Luckily, it does! You buy it, receive it, and love it. Two months later, you decide you want […] Visit Traska: A Go-To Brand For All Your Watch Needs Under $1,000 to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
From their distinctive lower-case name to their cohesive brand aesthetics, echo/neutra has upheld a reputation of stylized simplicity since their founding in 2019. With the Averau 39 Moon Phase, released in 2022 as a follow-up to the original Averau field watch, the young Italian brand proved that they could introduce complications without sacrificing the clean design ethos they’ve since become known for. A “Big Moon” version with both black and white dial options would follow in 2024 and become arguably the brand’s most recognizable watch, due to its strikingly photo-realistic moon disc. For the new Averau 39 Moon Phase Noctilum, however, echo/neutra has plucked the traditional double-moon phase indication from the first Moon Phase model and given it a new minimalist look. A limited edition project joint-helmed by echo/neutra and Ace Jewelers of Amsterdam, the Noctilum emphasizes bold legibility-while the subdial at the 6 o’clock position remains, the realistically-textured moons have been replaced by contrasting black and luminous white alternatives. Continuing with the paring-down of design elements, the hands and 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock indices are the same matte black as the dial, but feature luminous white borders, creating an impressively emotive and legible “inverted lume” effect in dark conditions. Further deviating from the original, the Noctilum deletes the Arabic hour numerals and the “2649 MSLM” script between 7 and 8 o’clock. The r...
On Episode 99 of A Week in Watches, Zach takes us through a few new releases and ends on a brand-obit. First up are a few new models from Grand Seiko that, shocker, are inspired by nature. Next is a look at a new take on the Hermétique sport/field watch by Baltic with added functionality. After, it’s over to Germany to check out the new and very impressive watches by Jochen Benzinger. Finally, it’s time to bid farewell to Carl F. Bucherer. The DIY Watch Club sponsors this episode of A Week in Watches. Building a watch will elevate your appreciation for timepieces. Perfect bezel alignment? Blued steel hands? Mind-blowing lume? With DIY Watch Club, you get to experience the craftsmanship firsthand and gain a whole new level of appreciation for your watches. Learn more here The post A Week in Watches Ep. 99: Grand Seiko, Baltic, and More! appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Video
At the time of recording, the exchange rate was 1 GBP = 1.33 USD. Please note that exchange rates fluctuate, so the conversion may differ when you view this video. Always check current exchange rates for the most accu...
Worn & Wound
It’s hard to deny the outward appeal of a field watch. Tactical but not overly macho, mature but not boring-the traditional field watch “style” is eminently wearable for combatants, explorers, mountaineers, and the regular old civilian crowd. Classics like the Hamilton Khaki Field, Bulova A-11 “Hack”, Seiko Alpinist, Rolex Explorer, and many, many more, are icons of the category, and it’s hard to feel like there’s much more to be innovated or improved upon. The TUUL Filthy 13 is keenly aware of the history of the field watch. Its very name is a derivation of the “Dirty Dozen”-both the 1967 war movie about a squad of delinquent soldiers, and the twelve Swiss watchmakers commissioned to build a watch to help win World War II for the Allied forces in 1945. The Filthy 13 is a reference to Private Jake McNiece, the thirteenth member of the real-life military unit, left out of the film based on the squad’s feats-a cheeky signal of the Brooklyn-based company’s dedication to preserving the history and resilience of the field watch, while carving their own convention-breaking niche. I was given the opportunity to test out the Filthy 13, and was immediately drawn in by the well-laid out history and inspiration behind the watch. My first field watch was a Timex Weekender Indiglo given to me by my grandfather-a watch I still have and wear frequently-and I regularly pine after the Hamilton and Seiko 5 lineups. At first glance, the Filthy 13 is a well...
Worn & Wound
Veteran-owned Prevail strives to redefine what a military-inspired watch can be. With a unique contemporary design language and capable specifications, the young brand is unafraid to chart its own path. The Tampa Bay-based brand donates a portion of its profits to the Heart and Armor Foundation, a charity supporting scientific research and community programs for veterans’ health. The Onward, Prevail’s freshman offering, is the brand’s contemporary update of the classic field watch formula. Housed in a uniquely shaped 42mm matte stainless steel case with 200m of water resistance, it takes the century-old formula and modernizes it for the 21st Century. Underneath the recessed sapphire crystal are three dial colors - standard black, compass green, and shovelhead - with a 12-3-6-9 “Explorer” version and a broad skeleton marker variant called the “Tactical.” With its fixed strap bars, the Onward Future is purpose-built to hold up to any adventure. Inside the Onward is the Ronda Calibre 513, a Swiss-made quartz caliber. It features three hands, one jewel, and hacking with an expected accuracy of -10/+20 seconds per month and a battery life of approximately 45 months. Veteran-owned Prevail strives to redefine what a military-inspired watch can be. With a unique contemporary design language and capable specifications, the young brand is unafraid to chart its own path. The Tampa Bay-based brand donates a portion of its profits to the Heart and Armor Foundation, a ...
Time+Tide
Everyone's favourite field watch brand had a lot more going for it in 2024.The post Our favourite Hamilton watches of 2024 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Worn & Wound
In this video, we take a look at some of the best field watches on the market priced under $1,000. We look at 21 different watches in both a modern and traditional format from brands like Timex, Seiko, Citizen, and Formex, just to name a few. While the definition of field watch can be a little bit murky, we tried to pick a bit of a variety of watches to fit any personal preference while staying true to the core values of legibility, durability, and a sense of simplicity. Deep rooted in military tradition, the field watch tends to fit a certain bill though I am sure a few on this list will surprise you. We will be creating more content like this in the future, so be sure to follow along on our Windup Watch Shop YouTube channel for more! The post 21 Of The Best Field Watches For Under $1,000 appeared first on Worn & Wound.
Monochrome
Founded just eight years ago by Etienne Malec, Baltic has gone from strength to strength with its attractive designs. Relying on outsourced movements assembled in France, Baltic sells its watches directly online at genuinely competitive prices. Baltic’s neo-vintage models are particularly successful, including the Hermétique Tourer, a field watch with compact dimensions and a surprising […]
Video
Instead of a Date Window This Dive Watch Gets a Martini Glass with a Drink Counter
Fratello
Watches can be striking in different ways. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Hybris Mechanica Calibre 362 and the Parmigiani Fleurier L’Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse are striking watches that sound the time on demand. The Bremont Terra Nova 38 “Pink” is a field watch that steps out of its comfort zone with an unexpected, striking pink dial. You’ve seen […] Visit Striking In Different Ways: Minute Repeaters From Jaeger-LeCoultre And Parmigiani Fleurier Plus A Banging Pink-Dialed Bremont to read the full article.
Worn & Wound
The eagle-eyed watch enthusiast may have noticed a theme shift on the Circula website very recently. A new layout, new graphics, even a new logo. No, this is not some quarterly refresh, but rather a sign of things to come. Enter the Facet. A new flagship model from the brand positioned as an elevated everyday or dress watch following in the integrated bracelet sport watch wave that has swept throughout the industry. Now, the Facet may not technically have an integrated bracelet (it’s available on a strap as well), though it certainly leans into a similar look and feel. While this might be an introductory piece for a portion of this audience, Circula is a brand that has been on my radar for a while now with the Protrail Field watch making its way into my collection. I can honestly say too that I was a fan of the former direction of the brand, aiming to provide good value in the roughly $1,000 sports watch segment of the market. So, does this departure from the previous trend towards another signal my exit from the bandwagon or blow a signal for full steam ahead? Let’s face it, the landscape of the watch industry has changed creating a more crowded and competitive market than we have ever seen before. In an effort to stand out, Cornelius Huber, the current caretaker of Circula and 3rd generation at the helm, has partnered with designer Guy Bove, previously of TAG Heuer amongst others, in designing the Facet to stand out in the pack. Utilizing new finishing techniques, a ...
Monochrome
The leading watch of the brand’s transformation, the Terra Nova collection was launched earlier this year at Watches and Wonders as a brand new line for Bremont. A retro-inspired take on the field watch, it was first presented as an instrument with classic colours and purposeful complication, including a chronograph and a version with a […]
Worn & Wound
Whenever a new brand pops up I’m always intrigued. And while I’ve got nothing against a good ol’ dive or field watch, my interest is always piqued if it’s something with a more classic vibe. Especially if there’s some real watchmaking pedigree involved. Buser Fréres is a newly revived brand originally dating back all the way to 1892. It survived the quartz crisis but initially seized all activities in the year 2000. Twenty-three years later German brand Dekla – who’s been designing and manufacturing watches under their own name for 10 years – revived the brand and launched the first models earlier this year. I’ve been a happy Dekla owner for the last 4 years, so naturally I was thrilled to see the line expanded with the Buser Fréres brand. While some would rush to categorize Buser Fréres as a micro brand – and nothing wrong with that in particular – I’d just like to point out a couple of facts before we do just that. When I hear the term “micro brand” I tend to associate it with outsourced components brought together into a final product. Once again I’d like to stress: nothing wrong with that. But Buser Fréres offers something of a different recipe as they produce almost everything but the movement themselves. For 10 years Dekla has been making watch dials, cases and hands in a wide array of materials, sizes and configurations, and that’s what sets Buser Fréres apart from many others in the space – and price bracket. From Grand ...
Time+Tide
A smaller take on the British military-inspired field watch makes for a wonderful week on the wrist from Vertex.The post A mid-sized military watch from Vertex makes the M36 a touching tribute appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
At the time of recording, the exchange rate was 1 GBP = 1.33 USD. Please note that exchange rates fluctuate, so the conversion may differ when you view this video. Always check current exchange rates for the most accu...
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