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‘Field watches’ refers to a specific genre of watches, rather than simply referring to watches that one might take to the field. The best field watches not only look like their Vietnam-era counterparts but can also stand up to everything that’s thrown at them in a field environment, hailing from a time when the mark of a military man or woman was the plain, utilitarian, easy-to-read watch that kept time, every time. Brands that became famous for this were Hamilton, Glycine, Marathon, Seiko, Rolex, and Elgin, among many others, gracing the wrists of U.S. service members up until the advent of cheap digital watches like the Casio G-Shock in the 1980s. Modern-day field watches are a nod to this history, often featuring plain black dials with white indices or numerals. These watches are also often utilitarian in design, slim, lightweight, and use mechanical movements for maximum reliability.
All of the field watches featured in this article were tested and evaluated based on a number of features and by multiple military volunteers of varying levels of watch affinity in order to provide first thoughts. Here’s why one of these watches deserves a place on your wrist.
How we tested
For the watches on this list, we relied on privately purchased watches, such as our best overall and best unisex, but we also were kindly loaned watches by Long Island Watch and Jomashop, who provided us our budget pick, our editor’s choice, and our dress pick with no editorial constraints whatsoever. This allowed us to get hands-on time, see how these watches fit on a variety of people, and evaluate factors that you can’t get from simple measurements, like how it feels in the hand, or how gritty the winding of the movement feels.
Best Overall
Hamilton Khaki Field Green Dial
Best Value
Islander Automatic Field Watch
Editor’s Choice
Orient Star Outdoor
Best Automatic Field Watch
Hamilton Khaki King II
Best Field Watch for Women
Vaer A-12 Dirty Dozen
Best Titanium Field Watch
Boldr Venture Field Medic Chronograph
What to consider when buying a field watch
When shopping for a field watch, it should be assessed on how durable it is, how legible it is in all conditions, and how well it keeps time. There’s a reason why many field watches look very similar, and that’s because there’s a formula that just works, usually including a dark-colored dial with illuminated numbers and hands, and usually in a compact package. In general, these watches will have a military appearance, and be less stylish than dress watches, but also more suited for casual occasions.
Key features of field watches
High contrast dial
Field watches need to be legible in all conditions, meaning that the dials will usually be the polar opposite of the numerals in terms of coloration, to make them stand out as much as possible. This cuts down on reading time and makes the watch more legible in both the low light of a jungle canopy and the glaring desert sun.
Luminescence
When moving from bright to dark environments, the numbers and hands of a field watch need to be legible, which necessitates luminescent paint or other materials to ensure that the hands and indices are still visible. Some watches may use SuperLuminova or other phosphorescent paint, while others use higher-tech solutions like tritium to provide long-lasting, albeit less bright, low-light visibility.
Crystal
The crystal, or glass of the watch, needs to protect the dial, but not interfere with the legibility of the watch. More modern options will use scratch-resistant sapphire, which necessitates an anti-reflective coating to cut down on glare in direct sunlight, but the classic option is acrylic plastic, which while prone to scratches, can be easily cleared up using polywatch rubbing compound, or replaced for cheap.
Field watches pricing
Budget
From $50-$150, budget field watches will often feature quartz or Chinese mechanical movements, acrylic or mineral crystals, and lower-quality materials. However, some gems can be found in this price range, but buyers beware, since the low cost comes from cutting corners somewhere.
Mid-range
From $150 to $500, this is where most of the watches on this list fall, being expensive enough to offer the quality features that many users want, while also being affordable enough to take into the field, since, after all, they’re called field watches. Watches in this price range will feature quality movements, good finishing, sapphire crystal, and you’ll find the beginnings of Swiss watches with time-honored brands like Hamilton
Premium
From $500 up, the sky’s the limit. This category can include tritium watches from brands such as Marathon, all the way to luxury watches like the famous Rolex Explorer, which is a field watch in style, but not often in practical use. These watches know no bounds in terms of finishing, features, and designs, but are often too expensive for many users to feel comfortable taking afield.
FAQs on field watches
You’ve got questions. Task and Purpose has answers!
Q: Can you wear a field watch with a suit?
A: Absolutely! Watches like the Hamilton Khaki King are almost specifically designed for this use, featuring field watch DNA, but with upgraded styling. Any of these watches on a quality leather strap will look fantastic and can serve as a nice nod to the wearer’s outdoorsy tendencies when in more genteel environments.
Q: Why is it called a field watch?
A: Field watches come from a long lineage of timepieces worn by military men and women, explorers, and workers, and are therefore usually designed with durability, legibility, and affordability in mind.
Q: Should field watches be small?
A: Field watches are generally smaller, generally for the stated reason that they need to be wearable for many different body types, and need to not snag on anything while in use, given their heritage as general-issue military watches. However, larger options like the Orient Star Outdoor are fine and are just as much a field watch as a 36mm Vaer or 38mm Hamilton.
Q: What watch do the Navy SEALs wear?
A: Whatever they want. Historically, the frogmen in Vietnam would often be seen with watches from Hamilton, Glycine, and Seiko. However, they generally preferred dive watches like the Seiko 6105, Seiko 62MAS, and the famous Rolex Submariner, owing to their amphibious mission.