The best field watches
Field watches come from soldiers' wrists: high-contrast dials with big numerals, sturdy cases, and sizes kept modest so they don't catch on gear. That heritage makes them one of the easiest watch types to wear every day.
Most field watches run 36 to 40 mm, which suits a wide range of wrists. The calculator on our home page tells you which end of that range is yours.
- 1
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm
A recreation of Hamilton's 1960s military watch: hand-wound with an 80-hour power reserve, a sapphire crystal and a 38 mm steel case.
Typical price: $600–$700
Shop at Hamilton → - 2
Marathon General Purpose Mechanical (GPM) 34mm
Built to the US military spec MIL-PRF-46374G, with tritium lume, in a light 34 mm composite case with a 41 mm lug-to-lug: small-wrist friendly.
Typical price: $500–$600
Shop at Marathon → - 3
Seiko 5 Sports Field SRPG29
An automatic in Seiko's field style, with Arabic numerals, a day-date and luminous hands and markers, 39.4 mm across with 100 m water resistance.
Typical price: $300–$350
Shop at Seiko → - 4
Citizen Eco-Drive Chandler BM8180-03E
Eco-Drive, powered by light, so it never needs a battery, in a 37 mm case 8.95 mm thick with 100 m water resistance.
Typical price: $250–$300
Shop at Citizen → - 5
Timex Expedition Scout 40mm
The low-cost field watch: 40 mm, 50 m water resistant, with an INDIGLO backlight and a date window, at a price that lets you take it anywhere.
Typical price: $75–$100
Shop at Timex →
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Try on a lookFAQ
What makes a watch a field watch?
A legible dial with large numerals and a clear minute track, a simple, tough case, and a modest size. It descends from watches issued to soldiers from the First World War on.
What size is a field watch?
Traditionally 34 to 38 mm; modern versions go up to about 42 mm. Pick by your wrist: the smaller sizes are true to the originals and fit most wrists.
Hand-wound, automatic or quartz?
Hand-wound is the classic and keeps the case thin; automatic winds itself; quartz and solar are the most accurate and need the least care.