Field watches are arguably the most overlooked, and often forgotten, genre of watches. Everyone has a dive watch, or recommends a chronograph. You have<\/em> to have a “dress watch” – or even a “beater” (a sacrificial watch that can get beat up, knocked around, and take the hit for your other, nicer watches). The field watch, however, doesn’t get mentioned much, despite its foundational roots behind the creation of the modern wristwatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

World War 1: Planting The Seeds For The Field Watch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The history of the wristwatch can be traced back to pocket watches improvised<\/a> to be worn by British soldiers during the Boer War. Before this, and even after, wristwatches were unpopular with men and were seen as feminine objects. Most men carried pocket watches in those days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter the trench watch. Pocket watches were impractical on the battle field during World War 1, so trench watches – complete with large, radium-lumed numerals and hands – became a necessary piece of equipment. This established the foundation for the first field watches. It also cemented a more masculine image of wristwatches for good, and the trend of wearing watches on wrist, as opposed to carrying pocket watches, stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rolex went on to invent the first waterproof watch in 1926, the oyster, complete with screw-down crown and case back. Wristwatches continued to gain popularity through the 1920s and 1930s, all the way up until World War 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Military Necessity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During WW2, wristwatches were exceedingly important. The US military needed a watch that would be rugged and accurate for its soldiers, and so the “big 3” at the time – Waltham, Elgin, and Bulova – were tasked with producing the A-11. This is considered<\/a> by many to be the “watch that won the war”. Hamilton also chipped in with its marine chronometers, along with wristwatches. This included pilots watches. During this time, the US companies didn’t produce civilian wristwatches, which some speculate<\/a> led to the subsequent rise of the Swiss watch manufacturers in the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rolex continued to pioneer with the Datejust and Explorer, as well as the Submariner. Dive watches<\/a> like Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, along with the Rolex Submariner, expanded the wristwatch’s capability in regards to the amount of water resistance it could tolerate. By the time the Vietnam War rolled around, many soldiers relied on their dive watches as everyday companions. Seiko, Rolex, and Tudor were all producing dependable, rugged divers at this point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Field watches produced during the Vietnam War gave birth to what is perhaps the most archetypal design when we look at field watches today. These watches were issued to American servicemen from the 1950s through the 1970s. The MIL-W-3818B was issued<\/a> by the Department of Defense in 1964, and required “hacking” (meaning the seconds hand stops when you pull the crown out to set the time), was hand wound, and relatively accurate (for the time period at least) at +\/- 30seconds. The MIL-W-46374 was issued in October 1964 as a disposable, cheaper alternative, with both metal and plastic cases. These watches were produced by companies such as Hamilton and Timex, as well as many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does A Field Watch Belong In Your Collection?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that we’ve established that the field watch’s history is just as rich and iconic as that of any of the other popular tool watches that everybody and their mother always talks about – do you really need<\/em> one? Well, nobody really needs any type of watch in today’s day and age. We have phones for that. But should you consider adding a field watch to help round out your watch collection? Absolutely!<\/p>\n\n\n\n