The endless quest for the perfect field watch

[brown dog]

1 hour ago, MarinePMI said:

Simple, rugged and easy to read.  Resco "Hooper" (on the left) or the "Patriot Gen 1" (on the right).  Honestly, the Patriot gets the most wear (and beating).  No batteries to go dead on either of them, so they see pretty much continual use, unless I have a formal function I have to attend.  Then other, more "dressy" watches get the nod.

The watch on the left is a lovely vintage style diver, but - to me- the antithesis of simple - a really busy dial with white lines everywhere. Superb 'toolwatch', but not what I think of as a 'field watch'; this is more what I would visualise as 'field' - a US brand- simple and small:

[Webley]

https://automaticwatchesformen.com/seiko-snzg15-review

A touch over size at 42mm.

https://www.victorinox.com/uk/en/Products/Watches/Mens-Watches/I-N-O-X-/p/241682.1

Again over sized at 43mm but worth a look?

A friend of mine had a titanium Omega speedmaster and found it was easily knocked out of sync. It could have been just his one, but it seemed the lack of mass meant that any impact affected the mechanisms ability to keep good time. He got rid of it after getting it fixed yet again. For a working watch it may be worth looking in to to see if it is typical if you want to go the Ti route.

Matt

[brown dog]

Matt, thanks, not looking for purchase ideas, wondering how others with the field watch 'itch' have solved it 😊😊

[One on top of two]

I had a similar situation last summer, I have a couple of nice automatic watch’s ( moon watch / Longines HydroConquest Ceramic) yawn 🥱 

but I wanted an everyday watch to cover Life / range / hunting /stalking and just being in the thick of it 
I went for a Gamin fenix 6 Pro complete with ballistic software .

i can’t fault it ! Absolutely love it ! Never comes off my wrist , and it takes 40 mins to charge from flat and that will last 3 and a bit weeks . 
100 % accuracy all the time . 
without doubt the best watch I have ever owned!
 

[MarinePMI]

1 hour ago, brown dog said:

The watch on the left is a lovely vintage style diver, but - to me- the antithesis of simple - a really busy dial with white lines everywhere. Superb 'toolwatch', but not what I think of as a 'field watch'; this is more what I would visualise as 'field' - a US brand- simple and small:

How about this? (A bit reminiscent of the "canteen" style watches, but nice none-the-less)

[brown dog]

21 minutes ago, MarinePMI said:

How about this? (A bit reminiscent of the "canteen" style watches, but nice none-the-less)

Well, that prompted me to google RESCO!   Now I 'get' the trident!!  Great back story.  Love the legibility on the Patriot line - I obsess about legibility! 

... but all too big! 😊  ... original field watches were 34 or 36mm -  I think Bond's first Rolex was 38mm -  I think 36mm is the field watch sweetspot, with 38 getting towards maximum.

[MarinePMI]

2 minutes ago, brown dog said:

Well, that prompted me to google RESCO!   Now I 'get' the trident!!  Great back story.  Love the legibility on the Patriot line - I obsess about legibility! 

... but all too big! 😊  ... original field watches were 34 or 36mm -  I think Bond's first Rolex was 38mm -  I think 36mm is the field watch sweetspot, with 38 getting towards maximum.

Oh I hear you.  I too think watches have gotten much too large in diameter.  Here in the States, the bigger faces/diameters still seem to be en vogue.  At least for the time being.  All things go in cycles though, eh?

[brown dog]

3 minutes ago, MarinePMI said:

Oh I hear you.  I too think watches have gotten much too large in diameter.  Here in the States, the bigger faces/diameters still seem to be en vogue.  At least for the time being.  All things go in cycles though, eh?

Definitely, it's like flared trousers.  One day, people will look at old photos and wonder why they were wearing watches that made them look like an 8 year old wearing their father's watch 😂

[Popsbengo]

35 minutes ago, MarinePMI said:

How about this? (A bit reminiscent of the "canteen" style watches, but nice none-the-less)

That's a very cool watch - apart from the date which looks like an afterthought to me.

[TSG]

Omega Railmaster or Citizen ecodrive Promaster Tough (without the RM badge) 

this is an original from around 1996

[Popsbengo]

The Citizen is certainly clear and unfussy

 

[brown dog]

Tim,

That Citizen looks about spot on. Beautifully legible. Stunning Seiko/Citizen Lume, even titanium....but they're massive: 44mm.

And ..love the railmaster, it's an Omega 1016.... but it's got 'railmaster' written on it 😂😊

[brown dog]

1 hour ago, One on top of two said:

I had a similar situation last summer, I have a couple of nice automatic watch’s ( moon watch / Longines HydroConquest Ceramic) yawn 🥱 

but I wanted an everyday watch to cover Life / range / hunting /stalking and just being in the thick of it 
I went for a Gamin fenix 6 Pro complete with ballistic software .

i can’t fault it ! Absolutely love it ! Never comes off my wrist , and it takes 40 mins to charge from flat and that will last 3 and a bit weeks . 
100 % accuracy all the time . 
without doubt the best watch I have ever owned!
 

I bought a Suunto GPS watch recently - got an awesome price on it - but when it turned up, although nice and light,  it was almost bigger than my head - onbthe wrist, it looked like the wrist altimeter my Red Devil action man had when I was a kid! 😂

[One on top of two]

BD , 

the Fenix 6 pro is a massive step up from ....... well everything else to be honest. 
And  comes in different sizes too. 
My big heavy auto watches are exactly where they belong , on a winder !

 

[brown dog]

Yup, they have their place, but they're not 'field watches'. 

[brown dog]

Anyone playing with field watch microbrands?

Read something the other day saying that the top-end watch industry in Hong Kong is the new Switzerland:

[Popsbengo]

10 minutes ago, brown dog said:

Anyone playing with field watch microbrands?

Read something the other day saying that the top-end watch industry in Hong Kong is the new Switzerland:

Hints of Rolex in the hands

 

[TSG]

 

I have one and it is like the old Explorer 1 although not quite right on the dial! ( I have the Rolex  Bloodhound Air King which is very fussy on the dial but is essential a Milgaus without the disco glass an double clasp.

 

[meles meles]

How about a 38mm, manual winding Poljot ?  Possibly made from melted down Kalashnikovs

[Kalahari]

Omega de Ville, complete with George Daniels co-axial movement and 39.5 mm.

 

David.

[TSG]

5 minutes ago, TSG said:

 

Timefactors Smiths Everest

I have one and it is like the old Explorer 1 although not quite right on the dial! ( I have the Rolex  Bloodhound Air King which is very fussy on the dial but is essential a Milgaus without the disco glass an double clasp.

 

rr

 

[Woodlander]

I like my Animal Titanium. Small, light and tells the time. 

[Tikka 260]

I've had this on my wrist since 1972, A Rolex Sea Dweller 1665, it been to 310 metres with me in a DDC, and to 215 metres in the N Sea ( back in the day), dived it in Korea, Taiwan, Middle East, Antigua, Brazil, Barbados, Indonesia, Oman. Its not a perfect watch for deer related activities, but .... it is extremely robust, and keeps good time. OK, granted that I wouldn't pay current prices for the modern version, but this old thing has served me well. Its up for sale with original papers and some Comex Dive Logs etc. from the 1970's.

 

[meles meles]

If you prefer a watch made from recycled Migs, then maybe a Molnija ? 

[Popsbengo]

13 minutes ago, meles meles said:

If you prefer a watch made from recycled Migs, then maybe a Molnija ? 

Like that !