Field Watches · Page 18

MICRO MONDAYS: The William Wood Fearless is the brand’s first field watch

There’s a romanticisation that surrounds firefighting that’s been around since the profession’s inception. Firemen are mentioned by wide-eyed children in the same breath as astronauts and secret agents, and sometimes the glorification of the job can overshadow the genuine danger and sacrifice it actually involves. William Wood have built their brand upon honouring these legends, … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The William Wood Fearless is the brand’s first field watch appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

There’s Something Very Strange About the New Timex Collaboration with Pop Trading Co.

When you were a kid, did you ever attempt that prank where you’d move the clock in the classroom ahead in an effort to trick the teacher into letting you out of class early? I feel like that’s a thing that almost every kid has tried, or at least it feels that way. It’s one of those activities that’s burned into our collective consciousness from sitcoms, comic strips, and stories told in the school cafeteria whether or not you were an active participant. This is what the latest release from Timex immediately made me think of. It’s playful and almost subversive in the way it taps into your inner juvenile delinquent.  The new watch is a collaboration with Pop Trading Co., a Dutch apparel company I was heretofore unfamiliar with that is deeply rooted in skateboarding culture. The watch, dubbed simply the Timex MK1 x Pop Trading Co. takes the familiar 36mm Timex field watch design and shifts the hours such that the “1” is at the 12:00 position, “2” is at 1:00, and so on around the dial. Pop’s unique wordmark, a grouping of the letter “P” in a square with an “O” at the center, is recreated on the dial with the hand stack standing in for the “O.” A black resin case matches the tone of the dial and keeps the focus on the unusual layout.  There’s no other way to say this, but looking at the dial of the Timex x Pop collab is an immediately disorienting and disconcerting experience. It really reminds you, if you look at watches everyday, like we do...

Todd Snyder and Timex Take a Crack at the Chronograph with the MK-1 Sky King

Todd Snyder and Timex have this long standing partnership that dates back to 2016 with the release of the MOD watch. Like many of their collaborative pieces, the designs lean strongly on military field watches, vintage cues, and design-forward decisions that are clearly being made by Mr. Todd Snyder himself. The latest collaboration from the two established American brands marks the first time they step into chronograph territory. The new release is dubbed the MK-1 Sky King and comes in two different variations – a coated steel case with a matching black dial and a traditional steel case with what Todd Snyder x Timex is calling a ‘blaze orange’ dial. The MK-1 Sky King has all the hallmarks of a tried and true pilot’s watch. The main one being legibility, and that is highlighted by a bold upright triangle marker at twelve o’clock and accompanying circular hour plots of the same magnitude. Looking closely, you’ll notice that the hour plots get shifted in closer to the center of the dial, and do not reside on the same track as the triangular marker. This decision compresses the dial visually and also offers a bit of a distinctive dial trait. What does reside on the same track as the twelve marker is a fully indexed minute track that encircles the dial with corresponding Arabic numerals at intervals of five. The addition of hash marks between each minute marker gives the appearance of a solid line around the dial at glance and tightens up the dial aesthetically. Th...

Hamilton Khaki Field Collection: A Comprehensive Buying Guide for 2024

When it comes to being a vital thread in the American historical tapestry, few watch companies can compare with Hamilton. Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892, during an era in which the United States was a world leader in timepiece production, the Hamilton Watch Company has played a role in building and growing the young nation since its earliest days. And though the company has for several decades been making its watches in Switzerland rather than the United States, its American heritage, and its particular association with the American military, is evident in several of its modern-day collections, perhaps most plainly in the Hamilton Khaki Field collection, which channels the martial aesthetics of the 1940s in a stye that few other modern timepiece families can match.  From Railroads to Battlefields In 1912, as railroads began spanning and connecting the sprawling reaches of the country, it was Hamilton that produced the uncommonly sturdy and precise pocket watches that railroad conductors used to keep the trains on time and on schedule; in those days before an established international system of time zones, a poorly running watch could initiate a disaster on the rails. Just two years later, as the United States entered the First World War that was besieging Europe, Hamilton shifted its focus from being the acknowledged “Railroad Timekeeper of America” to building compact timekeepers that American G.I.s could wear and depend upon in the trenches and battlefie...

[VIDEO] Tudor Black Bay Retrospective, A Watch The Launched An Era

Much has been said about the Tudor Black Bay, here and elsewhere, and it’s ushering in of a new era of heritage inspired watches that’s taken hold throughout the industry. The Black Bay family has grown to include a broad range of watches, from GMTs and chronographs, to two-toned 36mm field watches, but the charm of the classic divers remains as strong today as when they were first released more than 10 years ago. Most of us here, and presumably many of you reading, have seen a Black Bay or two come through our collection at some point over the years, and each year we hold out hope for a particular spec or version of the watch we’d like to see released. It’s just had that kind of an effect on enthusiasts.  As luck would have it, we recently found ourselves with an abundance of Black Bay watches in the office, so we took the opportunity to get them together and discuss the impact it’s had on each of us over the years. Below find a selection of our Black Bay reviews that we’ve published, including some of our favorites like the Black Bay 58, the Black Bay Pro, and the Steel & Gold Chrono. How has the Black Bay impacted your collecting? Which examples have you owned or do you hope to own? Let us know in the comments and be sure to share your ideal Black Bay that you’d love to see Tudor release this year. Hands-On with the Tudor Black Bay Fifty-Eight Navy Blue The Black Bay 58 in blue was a bright spot in an otherwise tumultuous 2020. This was the second version...

MICRO MONDAYS: The RZE Ascentus GMT delivers serious bang-for-buck in a titanium case

RZE cemented themselves in my mind as one of the best value microbrands when they released their Valour 38 field watch for under US$300, and their latest release only solidifies that title with some exciting new features. The RZE Ascentus GMT merges their well-established design style with sensible dimensions, and bang-for-buck features with a little … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The RZE Ascentus GMT delivers serious bang-for-buck in a titanium case appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Hamilton Khaki Field Murph is now available in 38mm

Hamilton is an industry leader for watch cameos in film. Their timepieces have been interwoven into many silver screen narratives, with recent Christopher Nolan movies like Interstellar and Tenet a prime example of a watch not just simply being placed on an actor, but also a core element and story device of the plot as well. In Interstellar, the … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Hamilton Khaki Field Murph is now available in 38mm appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Entry Level: A Quick Coast-To-Coast Trip With Tutima's Most Affordable Offering

The Tutima M2 Coastline nods to the brand's military ties with a modern titanium field watch.

The LeJour Brooklyn throws its hat in the ring for best affordable Datejust alternative

LeJour is one of those rare success stories of an extinct Swiss brand being revived with a modern catalogue, and they continue to move from strength to strength with the LeJour Brooklyn collection - putting some unique twists on much-loved elements from dress and field watches. If you’ve been looking for an interesting and reliable … ContinuedThe post The LeJour Brooklyn throws its hat in the ring for best affordable Datejust alternative appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Spec Sheet: Strap In! The Hamilton Khaki Field Is On A Bracelet And Ready For Anything

The Khaki Field sang on a strap; with a bracelet it soars.

Attention! Bausele goes US Army Mil-Spec with their latest creation

What is a field watch? What is a diver? Those two questions can be answered in so many ways, depending on who you ask. Yet, there are instances when the answers to such questions are highly defined and set in stone. Such is the case when dealing with Mil-Spec watches. Mil- Spec, short for military … ContinuedThe post Attention! Bausele goes US Army Mil-Spec with their latest creation appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Introducing the William Wood Fearless Field Watch

The Dirty Dozen: History’s Most Legendary Field Watches

When it comes to collectible vintage military watches, there are the famed “Dirty Dozen” and then there is everything else. Twelve field watches from twelve different Swiss watchmakers, all made within the last two years of World War II and issued to British servicemen, the Dirty Dozen watches represent a rare confluence between horological and military history, while also claiming a coveted spot in the annals of war memorabilia. What brands and watches make up the Dirty Dozen, what is their story, and why are they so legendary today? Read on. Wristwatches came into general usage for men during World War I. While pocket watches were still in vogue for social situations, they proved impractical for troops on the battlefield, who needed the use of both hands in combat situations, such as for loading one’s rifle while simultaneously checking his watch to determine the distance of incoming artillery fire. Watchmakers at the time responded to the demands of warfare in a rather makeshift way at first, re-engineering pocket watch cases with soldered strips of wire to connect them to straps of leather or canvas for wrist wear. While these “trench watches” were effective at the time, advances in military equipment, technology, and strategies in subsequent years necessitated a more purposeful approach to watchmaking as a Second World War erupted in Europe, barely two decades after the end of the so-called War to End all Wars. According to some historical accounts, it was ...

MICRO-MONDAYS: The Circula ProTrail is a high-tech field watch combining toughness and style

There’s little that can beat a field watch when it comes to day-to-day wear. Divers are often too chunky, and dress watches too delicate, but the mix of practicality and aesthetics on offer with a field watch remains versatile and comfortable. Circula already impressed me with their Supersport, but now they’re back with the ProTrail … ContinuedThe post MICRO-MONDAYS: The Circula ProTrail is a high-tech field watch combining toughness and style appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

MICRO MONDAYS: The Hemel HFT20 Series delivers affordable pilot’s watches with a real attention to detail

As a microbrand, Hemel have very much found their niche and stuck to it. Regarding military watches as the forefront of horological development throughout history, Hemel have chosen to evoke some of the most important field, diver, and pilot’s watches, particularly from the WWII era. Today we put a spotlight on the expansive Hemel HFT20 … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The Hemel HFT20 Series delivers affordable pilot’s watches with a real attention to detail appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

IN-DEPTH: The Bulova Hack watches and their military history

Bulova's A-11 "hack" watch is often called "the watch that won the war".The post IN-DEPTH: The Bulova Hack watches and their military history appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

The Best Seiko 5 Sports Watches

The Seiko 5 watch series traces its roots all the way back to 1963, when the Japanese mega-brand introduced the original Seiko Sportsmatic 5, a groundbreaking timepiece that ushered in the emblematic “five attributes” that define the vast collection today. These include automatic movements, day/date displays in a single window, water resistance, a recessed crown at 4 o’clock, and a case and bracelet made of durable materials. Stylistically, the watches run the gamut from dress pieces to field watches to divers, with all kinds of variations in between (the current shorthand descriptions are Sense, Specialist, Sports, Suits, and Street). Seiko 5 watches still adhere to those five principles initially laid out more than half a century ago while still retaining the famously inexpensive price points that have made them so desirable - from under $100 to the neighborhood of $500 for the more exclusive editions. Seiko 5 watches - rebranded in the collection’s relaunch in 2019 as Seiko 5 Sports, despite offering this diversity of styles - have a worldwide fan following, with many JDM (Japan Direct Market) models highly sought after by American collectors due to their scarcity. And for many a budding watch collector of modest means, a Seiko 5 watch is the gateway drug to a full-blown timepiece obsession. Here we spotlight some of our favorites.  SRPC65 “Bottlecap” Reference: SRPC65, Price: $150-$250, Case Size: 45mm, Thickness: 13mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Lug-to-L...

MICRO MONDAYS: The RZE Valour 38 delivers a titanium field watch for under $300 USD

It’s hard to believe RZE have only been around for two years, but they are one of the ultimate microbrand success stories. Having released their first watch in the heart of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic, nobody particularly expected the emerging business to survive, but during that period, online watch sales skyrocketed. In particular, RZE found … ContinuedThe post MICRO MONDAYS: The RZE Valour 38 delivers a titanium field watch for under $300 USD appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

HANDS-ON: The Bulova Classic HACK Military is a handsome field watch for under $500 USD

Bulova reminded the world what they’re capable of when they released the MIL Ships watch towards the end of 2021. But there was another military-focused reissue that seemed to fly a little undeservedly under the radar. The Bulova HACK was first shown earlier that year, honouring the Bulova watches that were issued to American troops … ContinuedThe post HANDS-ON: The Bulova Classic HACK Military is a handsome field watch for under $500 USD appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Weekend Edition: What Makes For A High-Quality Field Watch?

A tool watch is, in fact, a watch that is a tool.

Hands-On: Tudor Re-Establishes Its Territory With The Ranger Ref. 79950

Solid sizing, great specs, and a fair price to boot? The new Ranger is what field watches are all about.

Vintage Watches: A 1969 Hamilton Field Watch, A 1970s Longines Ultra-Chron, And A 1960s Longines Time Only

For when time only (and maybe a date) is all you need.

Gerd R. Lang Returns with the Lang 1943 Field Watch

Once synonymous with Chronoswiss which he founded in 1983, Gerd-Rüdiger Lang is now almost 80 but returns with an all-new brand, Lang 1943. Created in partnership with entrepreneur Georg Bartkowiak, the brand’s inaugural watch is the Lang 1943 Field Watch Edition One. Modelled on the wristwatches issued by the British army during the Second World War, the Field Watch is a modern watch with a vintage flavour that’s powered by a restored 1960s movement. Initial thoughts A military-inspired time-only watch is not a novel concept, and the Field Watch sticks to the traditional design, resulting in a watch that is recognisably similar to the Second World War watches made by the likes of Cyma, IWC, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. Lang 1943 isn’t the only brand offering such a watch at the moment; the revived Vertex brand has a similar offering with the M100A and it has the added advantage of being one of the original suppliers during the war. But the Lang 1943 Field Watch is attractively detailed, which is likely due to its founders’ decades of experience, both as horological entrepreneurs and watch collectors. The smoked dial is appealing and sets this apart as a modern watch as oppose to an exact remake. Oddly enough the smoked finish does well with the faux-vintage Super-Luminova and together they give the dial a pleasing palette. One detail worth pointing out is the crosshair on the subsidiary seconds, which was not found on the Second World War originals but is a perfect fit ...

MICRO-MONDAYS: The Biotic Formicidae delivers an original field watch inspired by (wait for it…) ants!

Microbrand releases can often be just an eclectic mix of design trends thrown together, or a wild attempt at doing something different without considering what people actually want. The Biotic Formicidae is a rare example of an original watch design that has a clear aesthetic vision without second-hand trend-hopping, and of all things, it takes … ContinuedThe post MICRO-MONDAYS: The Biotic Formicidae delivers an original field watch inspired by (wait for it…) ants! appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.