The Most Iconic Field Watches in History

Most watch enthusiasts would agree that field watches are some of the coolest, most legit and historically significant watches ever. They’re also one of the most fun and popular modern watch categories.

But what exactly defines a field watch? Those enthusiasts might not as readily agree.

A field watch might be one of military origin — or one generally meant for outdoor use in hiking and camping. In any case, it’s typically unfussy, legible, simple and small. It should also be tough.

Many feature a 24-hour track for military time toward the inner dial. But as there’s no specific feature set that defines them, the only way to get a handle on what makes a great field watch is to consider the models that have become iconic.

Photo by Gear Patrol

A-11

Bulova

Produced By: Bulova, Waltham, Elgin
Year Introduced: 1940s

It’s been called “the watch that won the war” and the “hack watch,” but whatever you want to call it, the military spec A-11 is one of the watches that established the field watch as we know it today (though it also served as a pilot’s watch).

Produced for WWII allied forces in great quantity, they had only what a soldier would need: Simple but accurate time telling, strong legibility, compact sizing — and little of the elegant nature popular among civilian watches of the time. It also had one other important feature: The ability to stop the seconds hand while setting the time (“hacking,” now taken for granted in modern watches), allowing for precise coordination of military actions.

Originally produced by American companies Bulova, Waltham and Elgin, you can get a modern remake from Bulova today, albeit in more modern sizing than the original’s 32mm diameter. Of course, its influence can be felt in many other watches, as well.

Dirty Dozen

Timor

Produced By: Buren, Cyma, Eterna, Grana, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Lemania, Longines, IWC, Omega, Record, Timor, Vertex
Year Introduced: 1945

The name Dirty Dozen, taken from a WWII film, was bestowed by collectors on (not necessarily identical) watches made by 12 Swiss manufacturers for the British Ministry of Defense. It’s also known as the W.W.W, for “Wrist Watch Waterproof,” as was stamped into the watches’ casebacks.

From the same wartime era, its features aren’t too different from the A-11 — these are simple, time-only military watches, after all. It’s become a well known “Holy Grail” for collectors to try and amass examples from all dozen brands, which has led to even greater awareness of these watches.

Modern companies also make their own versions, and you can even get high-end examples today from the likes of resurrected original manufacturers like Vertex and Timor.

Hamilton Khaki Field

Hamilton

Produced By: Hamilton
Year Introduced: 1980s (civilian version)

Beginning in the 1960s and lasting into the ’80s, a new generation of field watch began to take hold. Going by jumbles of letters and numbers like the GG-W-113 and MIL-W-46384, these were issued to the American military and produced by a number of brands such as Benrus and Marathon.

But the most famous, and perhaps the most definitive example of a field watch today, was the civilian version of the GG-W-113 produced by Hamilton. You know it better as the Khaki Field.

It wasn’t the first, but the Khaki Field is one of the best known watches today to feature the distinctive inner 24-hour track that we associate with field watches. Hamilton has massively expanded its Khaki lineup to include all sorts of watches, but the basic mechanical version in 38mm remains the most iconic.

W-10

Hamilton

Produced By: Hamilton, CWC
Year Introduced: 1973

Like other watches mentioned here, W-10 refers to a military specification rather than a single watch design. So, there are examples that can take different forms.

Some versions of the W-10 had the C-shaped case that makes them stand out among the many round watches you see here. As we’ve seen elsewhere, field watches often overlapped with pilot’s watches, and when the same watch was issued to the British air force it was known as the 6BB.

This is why the W-10’s most recognizable modern reissue is in Hamilton’s Khaki Pilot collection, but you can also find reissues from the likes of MWC and CWC.

Photo by Zen Love for Gear Patrol

G10

CWC

Produced By: CWC, Precista
Year Introduced: 1980

The G10 is notable as the first quartz watch produced for the British military, and it was made in great quantities primarily by CWC. Early models are nicknamed “Fatboy” by collectors, while later versions made use of quartz’s ability to offer very thin watches.

These make for fun and affordable vintage Ebay buys, but CWC also offers a modern version today — as well as one with an automatic movement geared toward enthusiasts. (Note: The NATO strap’s “G10” specification isn’t specifically related to this watch, even though it’s typically worn on a NATO.)

Seiko 5 SNK

Amazon

Produced By: Seiko
Year Introduced: 2000s

This list isn’t only about watches with origins that stretch back half-a-century or more. We also want to acknowledge field watches that have become iconic in relatively modern times, even if they weren’t specifically made for the battlefield.

The Seiko 5 SNK is a watch that was many a collector’s first mechanical watch due to its dirt-cheap price but surprising value. (When these were still in production, they could be found on Amazon for well under a hundred bucks.)

The brand today has reintroduced a model in tribute to the SNK in its modern Seiko 5 Sports line, but you can still find the no-longer-produced SNK on the likes of Amazon — at an inflated but still low price.

Rolex Explorer

Rolex

Produced By: Rolex
Year Introduced: 1953

While nearly every other watch on this list is of military origin or style, that’s not the case with the Rolex Explorer. Conceived as a mountaineering or adventuring watch, it’s close enough in its design and traits to field watches — and it certainly qualifies as iconic.

Rolex introduced the explorer after it sponsored Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hilary’s climb to the top of Mount Everest in 1953. Call it an “adventuring watch” or whatever you want, but it’s a milestone that helped broaden the definition of a field watch as watches for outdoor sports became more popular in the post-war era of the 20th century.

Seiko Alpinist

Amazon

Produced By: Seiko
Year Introduced: 1959

Some might not group the Seiko Alpinist (or Rolex Explorer) among field watches, which are overwhelmingly rooted in the military. But what else can you call it?

A mountaineering watch, maybe, as it was conceived in the late 1950s for “Japanese mountain men,” according to the brand — and you can see that in its design and robust build.

While the Alpinist has mid-century roots, it’s best-known reference is far more modern. That would be the reference SARB017, with its sunburst green dial and inner rotating compass bezel. That watch was produced between 2006 and 2018 and still ranks as a cult classic among enthusiasts, while today Seiko produces a similar modern version in its Prospex line.

Related Topics