Sameera Gamage 
It’s Christmas time, and that means the man in the red suit will be coming our way soon. We’ve assembled a range of gift guides this year to help you pick something for that special someone, even if that someone is yourself! Today, it’s all about field & adventure watches…
When trying to find the perfect gift for the outdoors enthusiast or adventurer this holiday season, a field or adventure watch stands out as a practical yet stylish choice. The origin of field watches begins in military use, with the timepeices having rugged charm with a deep-rooted history in functionality. Field watches are well known for their durability, easy legibility and straightforward design. Like their original intended purpose, the timepieces are built to withstand harsh conditions while remaining versatile.
What separates field & adventure watches from other watch categories? Well, both these types, as mentioned earlier, typically need to be strong so that they would feature strong cases made from high-strength materials. The dials would need to provide high contrast for easy readability, along with a high dose of SuperLumi-Nova for those nighttime adventures. The watches also need to have high water and scratch resistance, providing resilience in the face of tough challenges. In modern-day watchmaking, brands have taken these key factors and added a touch of aesthetic beauty to create wearable timepieces for the outdoors and more formal occasions! Field watches are an excellent choice for anyone seeking a combination of form and function this Christmas, so enjoy the list of watches we have picked out for you for this latest Christmas Gift Guide!
Bell & Ross Military Ceramic
Starting the list is Bell & Ross’s Military Ceramic, which as you may have guessed is a purpose-built field watch. The timepiece features a microblasted black ceramic case with a khaki dial, with matching khaki rubber strap. While the dial isn’t a clear contrast, its still easy to read thanks to Bell & Ross’s signature Arabic numeral 3,6,9 & 12 layout. The watch also has a date window at 4 o’clock which blends in perfectly with the dial. A no-nonsense, simple military field watch to get the job done!
- Reference: BR03A-MIL-CE/SRB
- Australian RRP: AUD $6,900
For more information, visit Bellross.com.au
Blancpain Air Command
Blancpain’s Air Command collection is one of their more popular and successful lines, with the brand already releasing a faithful steel remaster as well as titanium and delicate rose gold renditions in the past. These latest additions to the collection, however, are building off the 42mm and 36mm titanium references with blue dials while now providing a bracelet for a more luxurious look. A new ‘Camouflage Green’ colour gets added to the collection as well, with the colour paying homage to the military history of the Air Command timepiece.
RELATED READING: Blancpain Reaches For The Sky With a Double Air Command Drop
- Reference: AC02 12B40 63B
- Australian RRP: AUD $32,700
For more information, visit Blancpain.com
Breitling Avenger Automatic GMT 44 Night Mission
Breitling’s Avenger collection was built for jet pilots. The Avenger timepieces carry exceptional resilience and next-level functionality, pairing performance with sophisticated modern aviation style! The Breitling Avenger Automatic GMT 44 Night Mission has a ceramic case and bezel with a dark military-inspired camo design dial. The watch has the ‘all black’ aesthetic look to it, with the Arabic hour indices standing out proudly thanks to the light green coloured SuperLumi-Nova coating.
- Reference: S32320101B1X1
- Australian RRP: AUD $9,790
For more information, visit Breitling.com.au
Bremont Terra Nova 40.5 Turning Bezel Power Reserve
During Watches and Wonders earlier this year, Bremont released numerous timepieces for its Terra Nova collection, with various colour schemes and strap options. The Terra Nova collection has a deep-rooted history for the brand, as it pays homage to the great British explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who led Antarctic expeditions in the early 20th century. The Terra Nova 40.5 Turning Bezel Power Reserve features a beautiful sunburst blue dial with contrasting large white Arabic hour indices for easy legibility. The timepiece also comes with a compass display on the bezel, a power reserve indicator and a constant seconds sub-dial.
RELATED READING: Hands On With The Bremont Terra Nova 40.5 Turning Bezel Power Reserve
- Reference: Terra Nova 40.5 Turning Bezel Power Reserve
- Australian RRP: AUD $6,250
For more information, visit Bremont.com.au
Casio G-SHOCK MRG-B2100D
When the Casio G-Schock GA2100 series was first released, it was one of the most hyped watches at the time. Nicknamed the “baby Royal Oak “CasiOak” due to the watch’s design resembling Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak, the watch has been and still is popular since its first release in 2019. Casio has released several different variations of the “CasiOak” since then, including a new series of the watch termed “B2100”. This series took the same design of the “CasiOak” and gave it a full metal finish, Casio’s answer to stylish yet luxury watches for the G-shock. The latest version of the B2100 version is the MRG-B2100D, which takes the luxury appeal of the watch even further with a high level of polish while having a multi-guard structure made up of super-hard alloys that makes this an ideal watch for those who prefer a bit of luxury on those outdoor adventures.
- Reference: MRGB2100D-1A
- Australian RRP: AUD $6,999
For more information, visit Casioau.com
Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz
If you’re are after an affordable field watch, it doesn’t get more simpler than Hamilton’s Khaki Field Quartz. The timepiece keeps everything down to only the bare essentials. A clear display feature beige filled SuperLumi-Nova hour indices and hands against a black dial provides a deep contrast that makes readability super crisp. The watch features a green khaki strap to drive home the point that this is a field watch (if the name wasn’t obvious enough!).
- Reference: H69401930
- Australian RRP: AUD $650
For more information, visit Hamiltonwatch.com.au
Longines Spirit Zulu Time Titanium
Longines Zulu Time is another timepiece with a GMT function that can certainly fall into the field watches category. The watch is presented on a 3-link titanium bracelet, giving it a more luxurious appeal. It is a versatile watch, and you can wear it outdoors, but it’ll be just as comfortable in the office or at dinner functions. As mentioned previously, one of the essential criteria of field watches is that the readability of the dial is simple and easy, which the Spirit Zulu Time Titanium certainly has with its rich black dial contrasting with the beige hour indices and hands.
- Reference: l38021536
- Australian RRP: AUD $6,650.00
For more information, visit Longines.com.au
Mauron Musy MU03-401 Aged Hard Bronze
Mauron Musy may have a short history, but the brand is at the forefront of innovation. They were the first to develop the innovative, patented nO-Ring® technology, which allows the case construction to have a perfect gasket-free seal. This technology is featured in the brand’s MU03 collection, which also offers outstanding style, with the aged hard bronze timepiece being one of the more characteristic pieces in the collection. The Bronze is also unlike any other, as the brand has utilized innovative technology to offer an ultra-tough industrial bronze watch that has a patina designed to last forever.
RELATED READING: Mauron Musy MU03-401 Aged Hard Bronze
- Reference: MM01
- International RRP: CHF 16,600
For more information, visit Mauronmusy.com
Panerai Luminor Quaranta Carbotech™
The Panerai Luminor is an iconic timepiece. Its giant silhouette makes it one of the most recognisable watches in the world of horology. A first for the Luminor collection, the new Luminor Quaranta release from the Florentine brand has been given a full Carbotech™ case. This has “field” watch written all over it, from its rugged looks to the practical wearability with a rubber strap to the green and black colour combination evoking imagery of the great outdoors. The new Carbotech™ case is made from a composite material that is both highly shock and corrosion-resistant whilst being 80% lighter than steel, 73% lighter than ceramic and 64% lighter than titanium, making it perfect for outdoor wearability.
RELATED READING: The Panerai Luminor Quaranta Gets Carbotechnical!
- Reference: PAM01526
- Australian RRP: AUD $20,200
For more information, visit Panerai.com.au
Seiko Prospex Land (Boutique Exclusive)
An article on field watches wouldn’t entirely be complete if the Seiko Alpinist was omitted. In 1959, after noticing the popularity of hiking and mountaineering, Seiko created a special timepiece specifically for Japanese mountaineers. The very definition of field watch. Since then, Seiko has released several variations of the Alpinist, which include slight design tweaks and colour changes. One particular Alpinist has always stood out, however, the 2006 “SARB017”. This latest Prospex Alpinist Land edition builds on the immense popularity of the 2006 release by bringing back arguably one of the most beautiful colours in the Seiko Alpinist collection, although the latest red dial Australasian limited edition might have something to say about that (read more on that below!). The added beauty of the Seiko Prospex Alpinist Land is that it also comes with a GMT function.
RELATED READING: Hands-On With Seiko’s Latest Prospex Alpinist Australasia Limited Edition
- Reference: SBEJ005
- Australian RRP: AUD $1,600
For more information, visit Seikoboutique.com.au
So there you have some great watches to suit the adventurer in your life, or for those weekend warriors out there. And don’t forget to heck out our other great gift guides on the site.
