Field / explorer watches
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Legible, rugged, simple — military-derived everyday watches. We list 16 field watches. 11 are mechanical (10 automatic, 1 hand-wound) and 5 run on a battery or light. 13 are rated 100m or more, the usual line for swimming. 8 have a sapphire crystal. Cases run from 37mm to 42mm.
| Watch | Movement | WR | Case | Crystal | Style | Tier | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz | 50m | 40mm | acrylic | Field / explorer | Entry | See price on AmazonCheck price | |
| Quartz | 100m | 40mm | mineral | Field / explorer | Entry | See price on AmazonCheck price | |
| Automatic | 30m | 37mm | hardlex | Field / explorer | Entry | See price on AmazonCheck price | |
Citizen Eco-Drive BM8180 | Solar / light-powered | 100m | 37mm | mineral | Field / explorer | Entry | Check priceCheck price |
| Automatic | 100m | 42mm | mineral | Field / explorer | Entry | See price on AmazonCheck price | |
Vaer C5 Field | Quartz | 100m | 40mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Mid | Check priceCheck price |
Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG35 | Automatic | 100m | 39.4mm | hardlex | Field / explorer | Mid | Check priceCheck price |
Citizen Promaster Tough BN0211 | Solar / light-powered | 200m | 42mm | mineral | Field / explorer | Mid | Check priceCheck price |
Lorier Falcon | Automatic | 100m | 39mm | acrylic | Field / explorer | Mid | Check priceCheck price |
Seiko Alpinist SPB121 | Automatic | 200m | 39.5mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Upper | Check priceCheck price |
| Hand-wound | 50m | 38mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Upper | See price on AmazonCheck price | |
Hamilton Khaki Field Auto | Automatic | 100m | 42mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Upper | Check priceCheck price |
| Automatic | 100m | 42mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Upper | See price on AmazonCheck price | |
Sinn 556 I | Automatic | 200m | 38.5mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Upper | Check priceCheck price |
| Automatic | 100m | 42mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Upper | See price on AmazonCheck price | |
Rolex Explorer | Automatic | 100m | 40mm | sapphire | Field / explorer | Premium | Check priceCheck price |
Quick answers
Which field watches have a sapphire crystal?
8 of the 16: Vaer C5 Field, Seiko Alpinist SPB121, Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical, Hamilton Khaki Field Auto, Hamilton Khaki Field Murph, Sinn 556 I, Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto and Rolex Explorer. Sapphire resists scratches better than mineral or acrylic. How the crystals compare.
Can you swim with field watches?
13 of the 16 are rated 100m or more, the usual line for regular swimming: Bertucci A-2T Original, Citizen Eco-Drive BM8180, Orient Defender, Vaer C5 Field, Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG35, Citizen Promaster Tough BN0211, Lorier Falcon, Seiko Alpinist SPB121 and 5 more in the table. 3 of those reach 200m or more. What the ratings mean.
Are there automatic or hand-wound field watches?
Yes, 11 of the 16 are mechanical (10 automatic, 1 hand-wound): Seiko 5 SNK809, Orient Defender, Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG35, Lorier Falcon, Seiko Alpinist SPB121, Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical, Hamilton Khaki Field Auto, Hamilton Khaki Field Murph and 3 more in the table. Automatic vs quartz.
What is the smallest of the field watches?
The smallest are the Seiko 5 SNK809 and Citizen Eco-Drive BM8180, at 37mm. The largest are the Orient Defender, Citizen Promaster Tough BN0211, Hamilton Khaki Field Auto, Hamilton Khaki Field Murph and Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto, at 42mm. What size fits your wrist.
Head-to-head comparisons
- Seiko Alpinist SPB121 vs Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical
- Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical vs Sinn 556 I
- Vaer C5 Field vs Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG35
- Vaer C5 Field vs Lorier Falcon
- Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG35 vs Lorier Falcon
- Bertucci A-2T Original vs Citizen Eco-Drive BM8180
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