Field watches, which are typically inspired by military designs, are often fairly affordable, and for good reason: originally manufactured en masse to equip military forces, they simply couldn’t have a high unit price, or issuing them would’ve been cost-prohibitive. That being said, these days the true “military watch” is the G-Shock, and the the “field watch” has been experimented with and expanded upon by brands large and small. Sure, you can still find a decent field watch for a couple hundred bucks — a good one, even — but you can also spend a bit more and get yourself something truly refined.
And not all such designs scream “army chic,” either. Watches from American brands such as Monta and Oak and Oscar, for instance, are simply highly well made, time-only watches that aren’t quite divers, but also aren’t quite dress watches. Sometimes, it’s only the time-only quality and the smooth, non-rotating bezel that categorize these as “field watches” — and it’s a loose categorization, at that.
Below are some of our favorite such field watches, ones that clock in between $1,000 and $2,500. Again, you don’t have to spend nearly this much to get yourself a decent field watch these days, but when you do, you’ll be rewarded with better movements, interesting dials, comfortable straps and bracelets, and more.
Christopher WardChristopher Ward C65 Sandhurst
If you’re a military watch aficionado, you’re no doubt familiar with the Smiths W10, the last watch with a serially produced movement that was actually made entirely in Britain. Christopher Ward’s C65 pays tribute to that watch, though in 2021 that means you’re getting a chronometer-certified Swiss movement, a sapphire crystal, “Old Radium”-colored lume and a brushed steel bracelet.
Diameter: 38mm
Movement: Sellita SW200 automatic Chronometer
