The 8 best field watches for everyday expeditions

Jamie Weiss

What makes a field watch a field watch? Basically, it’s a simple, rugged watch with military roots (see the “Dirty Dozen” or ATP watches), with a no-nonsense look that pairs with almost anything… Sort of a Levi’s 501 of the watch world. The archetypical field watch has a black dial with Arabic numerals and highly visible hands (ideally luminous), in a smallish round stainless case. These days, the definition of a field watch is much broader than it used to be. The Seiko Alpinist, Sinn 556, and even the Rolex Explorer could all be considered field watches, even if they don’t adhere to that strict original formula. What follows are some of our picks from this versatile category.

Boldr Venture Sandstorm

Boldr is an insider’s pick among microbrand aficionados, with a winning formula of daring designs, great build quality, and sought-after specs, all at value-forward prices. The Venture field watch is one of their best-loved models: it cuts a modernist profile when compared to more conventional-looking field watches, with angular lines and a hooded-lug look. It offers a 38mm titanium case that’s tough yet lightweight, a full 200 metres of water resistance, and a clean dial with broad hands, sharp san-serif Arabic numerals, no date window, and a hearty application of Japanese Superlume. Powered by the microbrand favourite Seiko NH35A automatic, the Boldr Venture is available in four colours, including this Sandstorm variant, which features a well-considered combination of black and aged lume against a pure white dial. A desert-tan nylon fabric strap with titanium hardware also comes standard. Price: US$449, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Unimatic Modello Due U2 Classic – UC2

Hypey Italian brand Unimatic is renowned for its stark, minimalist interpretations of classic tool watch tropes, winning fans with its takes on ready-for-anything divers. The Unimatic Modello Due, however, applies the aesthetic to the field watch concept, and it’s a winner. The 38.5mm case features a brushed finish, flat drilled lugs, and a beefy, grippy screw-down crown, offering 300 metres of water resistance. The matte black dial allows the wide, lumed handset and oversized markers to really pop, rendering the whole exercise supremely legible. The thick, double-domed sapphire crystal is a nice vintage touch, and everything hums along thanks to the venerable Seiko NH35A movement ticking away inside. Price: €425 (~US$470)

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze

If I were to draw a picture of the definitive field watch, it would probably look a lot like the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. With its 38mm rounded case, bold dial markings, antique lume, and hand-wound movement, it’s a callback to the historic look of the field watch’s origins. While the normal steel version of this watch is arguably the most ubiquitous field watch on the market, this bronze variant is even field-ier, sporting an antique-look brown leather strap. The daily ritual of handwinding your watch’s H-50 movement can’t be overstated, and every time you do, it only adds to the warm, softly glowing patina that makes it yours and yours alone. Price: US$895, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Studio Underd0g 02 Series Field

Field watches are meant to be the least flashy of all watches. If you’re a soldier in the field, the last thing you want is an eye-catching watch giving your position away to the enemy. But let’s be real: how many of us are actually wearing our field watches in the, well, field? You may as well have some fun with your field watch, and that’s exactly what the Studio Underd0g’s Field offers. The 02 Series Field design features a unique take on a sandwich dial, where a base layer is topped with a transparent 1mm thick sapphire crystal dial, attached via two prominent screws, upon which the numerals and minute track are printed. Three of the four models in the collection (like the Pink Lem0nade pictured above) feature full lume dials, which aren’t very stealthy but produce an intriguing 3D effect as the printed numerals hover above. Price: US$900, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Zodiac Olympos

A slightly more offbeat take on a field watch, the Zodiac Olympos is a highly competent field watch from a brand better known for its dive watches. Inspired by watches made for the British Royal Navy in the late 1960s, its “bullhead” case and 2 o’clock-mounted crown give it a distinctive appearance, as does its attractive grey-grained dial. Water-resistant to 200 metres, it’s powered by an STP-11 movement, which features hacking seconds and a 44-hour power reserve. Price: US$995, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Serica ref. 6190 Field Chronometer California

I could’ve picked any of the three dial variants of the Serica ref. 6190 Field Chronometer for this buying guide, but I thought I’d go with the California dial variant as I find it the most idiosyncratic – and therefore, kind of the most ‘Serica’ of the three. As its name implies, this vintage-styled watch has a COSC-certified Soprod M100 movement for accurate timing out in the field and comes mounted on a comfy and retro Bonklip-style bracelet. It can even be optioned with the crown either at the normal 3 o’clock position or 9 o’clock for southpaws. Price: US$1,105, available from the Time+Tide Shop

Tudor Ranger

Now we jump up slightly in price, but remain in the attainable leagues. Released in July 2022 to mark the 70th anniversary of the British North Greenland Expedition, the modern Ranger is a welcome update from the discontinued 41mm model from 2014. With a versatile 39mm case and a COSC-certified manufacture movement, the Ranger is a pretty strong value play. Much like the vintage Ranger (and the original Rolex Explorer that provided much of its DNA), it’s a fantastic daily driver, with a fully satin brushed finish and 100 metres of water resistance. And if you crave a more authentic tool watch experience than the luxe Explorer of today, it’s a no-brainer. Price: US$3,150 (leather or jacquard strap), US$3,475 (steel bracelet)

IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Mark XX

Now we reach the summit of field watches. In many ways, the IWC Mark XX is the Platonic ideal of a field watch (even though IWC themselves describe it as a pilot’s watch). It’s not exactly cheap, but it features IWC’s typically peerless build quality, as well as the Calibre 32111 that boasts a class-leading 120 hours of power reserve. Ultra-legible with flieger-style hands and a small, subtle date window, it comes in a variety of dial colours – there’s even a titanium-cased, turquoise-accented Mercedes F1 model. And if you’re in the mood to change things up from the contrast-stitched brown calf strap, IWC makes it simple with their toolless EasX-CHANGE system. Price: US$5,250 (leather strap), US$6,150 (steel bracelet)