Field watches are perhaps the least understood category of tool watches, partially because there are no precise requirements. The first versions were pocket watches converted to wrist pieces by soldiers in the trenches and on the battlefield during the first World War—grunts had a hard time trying to pluck a watch from inside their jackets while aiming down a barrel.
By WWII, the wristwatch had become an essential piece of frontline gear and a number of makers around the world were creating simple, functional pieces specifically for military use, which is a tradition that continues to this day. That’s why the Rolex Explorer is our best overall pick for the best field watch—it’s one of the most rugged and capable timepieces ever made.
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What Is a Field Watch?
Field watches are essentially tough as nails and easy to read. Most examples deploy large numbers and hands coated in luminous paint for low light visibility. Another key feature is a stop-seconds function for synchronizing with others or against a reference time ala an atomic clock. Some display a 24-hour ring for tracking military (a.k.a. Zulu) time. Typically, they don’t offer delicate complications (extra functions) since they can be easily damaged and difficult to repair.
It’s that simplicity coupled with their rugged, utilitarian nature as well as their minimalist design that make field watches great for wearing day to day, whether you’re climbing a via ferrata or just hiking off to work.
So, for anyone looking for a great field watch to add to their collection, here are 10 of our favorite options to consider.
Why You Should Trust Me
I’ve been collecting watches for nearly as long as I’ve been able to tell time. Around the age of 10, I started disassembling pocket watches to see what makes them tick. Today, I feel naked if I accidentally leave the house without a watch on my wrist—so I’ll go back and get one. (Is it horology or is it OCD, only my shrink knows for sure.) Currently my cache includes a variety of vintage and contemporary pieces from micro brands to G-Shock. Most days I wear an Explorer II (Ref. 226570) but my grandmother’s Mickey Mouse watch will always be my favorite.
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Best Overall Field Watch: Rolex Explorer
Probably the most important quality in a field watch is reliability, something the Rolex Explorer has in spades. The bidirectional self-winding 3230 movement is accurate to -2 and +2 seconds per day and is protected from impact by high performance shock absorbers. The Explorer is available in both 36mm and 40mm sizes and like the other Rolex professional models, the Oystersteel case and bracelet are highly corrosion resistant. It will keep on keeping even in the toughest of environments. All in all, it’s one of the most rugged, capable timepieces ever made and perhaps the ultimate go anywhere, do anything watch.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Rolex 3230
- DIAL: Black
- SIZE: 36mm, 40mm
- STRAP: Stainless-steel bracelet
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Best Automatic Field Watch: Tudor Ranger
Sure, Tudor’s Black Bay banks more hype but don’t sleep on the Ranger. It’s a boss-level field watch from the house of Wilsdorf. Want to go swimming? No problem, it’s good for 100 meters, which is deeper than most of us will ever go. The self-winding, in-house MT5402 caliber is good for 70 hours on the nightstand and it comes with a five-year warranty, just like big brother Rolex. Trust us, it’s handy. While field watches aren’t typically worn on a bracelet, Tudor makes a great one. We’d buy it that way and throw it on a strap when we head into the great outdoors.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Tudor MT5402
- DIAL: Black
- SIZE: 39mm
- STRAP: Nylon, leather, stainless-steel bracelet
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Best Military-Style Field Watch: Christopher Ward C65 Sandhurst Bronze Series 2
The cool thing about bronze is that it will develop a unique patina over time whether you wear it hiking through the woods or camped out at your office desk. Christopher Ward got the sign off from the British Ministry of Defense for this 38mm tribute to the 1969 Smiths W10 field watch of yore. The updated piece features arrow hands coated in gold and filled with Super-LumiNova while old radium BL grade X1 lume is applied to the indexes and dots above the Arabic numerals as well as the triangle at 12 o’clock. Inside beats a Swiss-made, chronometer-certified version of the Sellita SW200-1, which means it’s good for a 0 and +5 seconds per day variance. A screw down crown helps give the watch 150 meters of water resistance and the back is stamped with the British Army’s logo.
- CASE: Bronze
- MOVEMENT: Sellita SW200-1
- DIAL: Black
- SIZE: 38mm
- STRAP: Canvas
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Best EDC Field Watch: Hamilton Khaki Field Watch
Hamilton makes their archetypical Khaki Field Watch in both 42mm and the more traditional 38mm size. Either way it’s one of the coolest watches in the brand’s catalog. Both feature a classic dial design and hand-wound, time-only movement that is good for around 80 hours with a fully charged mainspring. The stainless-steel case and sapphire crystal combination yield 50 meters of water resistance. You get the choice of nylon NATO, leather strap or bracelet. We’d go with the bracelet, which goes against the grain with field watches. But NATO straps are cheap and good bracelets at this price point are hard to find.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Hamilton H-50
- DIAL: Black, white
- SIZE: 38mm, 42mm
- STRAP: Nylon, leather, stainless-steel bracelet
More Field Watches We Love
Best Stylish Field Watch: Seiko 5 Sports Field Watch
Courtesy Seiko
It’s shocking how much watch Seiko offers for the money. This field watch boasts an automatic movement with 41 hours of power reserve and a day-date calendar. Plus, the 39mm case is water resistant to 100 meters. On the dial, luminous hands and markers tick around Arabic numerals marking the hours in both standard and military time. It’s an affordable, stylish option that stands out in a crowded field.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Seiko Caliber 4R36
- DIAL: Gray
- SIZE: 39.4mm
- STRAP: Nylon
Best Titanium Field Watch on a Budget: Timex Expedition North Titanium Automatic
Courtesy Timex
It’s hard to argue against a titanium, automatic watch for under $400. And this Timex also gives the wearer a sapphire crystal, plus a screw-down crown and case back yielding 200m of water resistance. The textured, gray dial displays the time in larger numerals painted in Super LumiNova with a date window at 3 o’clock. In a nod to sustainability, Timex offers the piece on a recycled plastic strap with a titanium buckle, indisputably making it a slick daily beater.
- CASE: Titanium
- MOVEMENT: Miyota 8215
- DIAL: Gray
- SIZE: 41mm
- STRAP: Nylon
Best Minimalist Field Watch: Unimatic U2 Classic
Courtesy Unimatic
Anyone who loves minimalist, reductive design, will find Unimatic’s U2 Classic a beguiling addition to their everyday carry. Assembled in Italy, the watch, a.k.a. “Modello Due,” offers a simple, signed dial with sword-style hands and round indexes painted in lume. Inside the time-only piece is powered by a reliable Seiko sourced NH35A automatic movement with a 41-hour power reserve. The 316 solid stainless-steel case lends the watch a diver level of 300 meters water resistance and reaches a svelte 38.5mm in diameter and 12.7mm thick. But the double-domed, anti-reflective sapphire crystal tacks on an additional 2.7mm of girth and the lugs aren’t curved, so it will wear a bit bigger than other watches of similar stature. That won’t fit everyone, but for some it will be just right.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Seiko NH35A
- DIAL: Black
- SIZE: 38.5mm
- STRAP: Nylon
Best Outdoors Field Watch: Benrus DTU—2A/P
Courtesy Benrus
For those who eschew labels or logos, the dial on this Benrus field watch is unsigned with only numbers and lumed indexes in standard Zulu time. Originally created to serve the U.S. military’s needs, the 39.5mm, bead-blasted 316L stainless steel case houses a Swiss Sellita SW200 automatic movement with a 38-hour power reserve and 50 meters water resistance. As a bonus, the watch comes with a removable compass attached to a NATO strap as an extra tool for the field.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Sellita SW200
- DIAL: Black
- SIZE: 39.5mm
- STRAP: Nylon
Best Hybrid Field Watch: Sinn 856 UTC
Courtesy Sinn
Sporting a Sinn is a good way to show other collectors and enthusiasts you’re in the know. The German maker is renowned inside the watch community for its bulletproof construction. The 856 UTC is no different. Though technically from their pilot line it still meets all the requirements of a great field watch and then some. The 200 meter-rated case is constructed from bead-blasted, scratch resistant stainless steel. The hour numerals are painted in lume. But beyond time and date, the Sellita automatic movement powers a UTC (a.k.a. GMT hand) to track a second time zone using an interior 24-hour scale on the dial. That hand can also be used as a sort of compass. In the northern hemisphere during daylight hours, one can hold the watch horizontally and point the 12 toward the sun and the UTC hand (set to local time) will point north. That’s a great feature whether you’re flying a plane or overlanding in the wilderness.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: Sellita SW 330-1
- DIAL: Black
- SIZE: 40mm
- STRAP: Leather
Best Field Watch for Flyboys: IWC Pilot’s Watch Automatic Spitfire
Courtesy IWC
Sure, it’s a pilot watch named after an airplane, but the Spitfire also looks just as cool on the ground and makes an exceptional field watch. It’s easy to read, features a ton of lume and is built for a beating. A 39mm case that’s less than 11mm thick wraps an in-house, automatic 32111 caliber with an 120-hour power reserve.
- CASE: Stainless steel
- MOVEMENT: IWC 32111
- DIAL: Black
- SIZE: 39mm
- STRAP: Textile