Top 12 Best Affordable Field Watches [List & Guide]

A field watch is, as the name suggests, a watch that is made to be worn out in the field. These watches have a rather distinct style and appearance and have a close connection with military watches, as most military watches are field watches. After all, a field watch is made to be worn out in the field, and this also includes military use. Both today and in the past.

As a matter of fact, field watches were originally developed for and came about during world war I when soldiers needed a trusted and durable companion that could hold up against all kinds of different hardships whilst displaying the time. Whilst most people who opt for a field watch choose one because they enjoy their style, the core principle of them remains, which is that they are going to be durable, tough, and extremely robust.

Field watches are all about reliability and robustness, and this makes them perfect for those who actually plan to wear their watch in harsh conditions, but at the same time, they have sporty designs that many find appealing, which makes them perfect for everyday wear. Some people also opt for a field watch because of their historical connection and the history behind them. Regardless of the reason why you may want to own a field watch, we have, in this article, listed some of the best affordable field watches on the market.

When we are talking about design, something that field watches tend to have in common is that their design is very evidently inspired by vintage military watches. This is something that makes them stand out from the crowd and makes them a great option for those who enjoy history and sporty, rugged timepieces.

Best affordable field watches

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Whilst the overall design of field watches is somewhat similar, they vary a lot in design and execution. Some display only the time, whilst other watches incorporate additional functions such as chronograph and date functions. Some use automatic, others quartz or manually wound. In this article, we will focus on affordable automatic watches.

Since the term ”affordable” is relative, we will primarily focus on field watches with a price tag of a few hundred dollars. So without further ado, let’s dig in.

Citizen Eco-Drive Chandler Field Watch BM8180-03E

The Citizen Eco-Drive Chandler Field Watch reference BM8180-03E is one of the most popular affordable field watches on the market. The reason for this is that it has great quality and a nice design, whilst also being offered at an attractive price.

The watch is presented with a 37mm stainless steel case which is a modest size that works well for both men and women. Also, 37mm is a good size that stays true to classic field watches/military watches by not being too big. After all, the original field watches were not very huge, so if you want to stay true to the original design language, a huge case is not an option.

The watch is powered by Citizen’s Eco-Drive movement, which means it is solar-powered and gets energy from solar and ambient light. This is great for convenience as it means that you won’t have to replace the battery.

With a water resistance of 100m/330 feet, it is suitable for swimming and diving and can handle mud, etc.

In terms of style, the watch has a classic design just the way a classic field watch is supposed to have. It has a beautiful matte black dial with large white Arabic numerals printed on it as well as large sword-shaped hands for good legibility. At 3 o’clock, it has a day and date window which is convenient for everyday wear. As a contrast to the otherwise monochrome design, it has a red seconds hand which adds some sportiness to its look. For improved legibility, it has luminous hands.

The watch has satin-brushed lugs which are contrasted by polished sides and a polished bezel which shows that Citizen has paid great attention to the details and finishing, despite its low price.

All in all, this watch is perfect for everyday wear with its versatile design and is also ready to handle harsh conditions when you need it to.

Specifications

Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
Movement: Eco-Drive quartz movement
Diameter: 37mm

Timex Expedition Scout 40mm

The Timex Expedition Scout is a classic, traditional, and simple military-inspired field watch with a sporty design. The watch is presented with a 40mm case which has a matte grey finish for a sportier look. On top of the case sits a mineral glass. For improved legibility, it is presented with Timex’s Indiglo light-up dial which lights up in the dark, as well as luminous hands. The hands are large and classic military-inspired. The seconds hand is yellow in order to create a nice contrast and touch of color to its design.

To go with the military theme, it has a black dial with large Arabic numerals printed in white. The dial has 12-hour and 24-hour numerals for military time indication.

The watch is water-resistant to 50 meters/165 feet which is ok, but it only means that it can handle swimming for short periods of time and is only suitable for handling water splashes, really. But unless you are going deep diving with this watch (which you probably aren’t), it should be fine.

All in all, it’s just a stylish, quartz field watch with a tough and sporty appearance that makes it perfect for everyday wear.

Specifications

Water resistance: 50m/165 feet
Diameter: 40mm
Crystal: Mineral glass

Seiko SNK805 Seiko 5 Automatic Green Canvas

The Seiko 5 is one of the most popular affordable automatic watch collections in the world. Luckily for us, Seiko has also added a few field watches to this collection. One of those is the reference SNK805.

In fact, this Seiko field watch may just be the most popular affordable automatic field watch out there. One of the things that affect this is, of course, its very attractive price. This watch is presented with a 37mm completely sand-blasted case which allows for a very sporty appearance. On top sits Seiko’s classic Hardlex crystal.

To go with the military theme, it has a military green dial with white printed Arabic numerals, both 24-hour and 12-hour. The dial also has luminous dots for the hour markers to help with legibility. The hands have an aggressive, sword-shaped design and luminescent material applied to them which helps with legibility. All of these elements come together to create a watch with great legibility but also a stylish design. For convenience, we also find a day and date window at 3 o’clock.

The watch has a water resistance of 30m/100 feet which means that it can only handle water splashes, so this isn’t great, but it is still a tough and durable watch that can handle shocks, bangs, and harsh conditions.

Like all Seiko 5 watches, it is powered by an automatic movement which is something that watch enthusiasts, in particular, will enjoy.

Specifications

Water resistance: 30m/100 feet
Crystal: Hardlex
Diameter: 37mm

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical H69439931

Hamilton is a watch brand that has a long and rich history of making watches for the military. In fact, Hamilton made watches for different militaries during the second world war. With that said, it is appropriate to opt for a field watch from Hamilton if you enjoy history since Hamilton bases its modern field watches on its designs from the past.

The Khaki Field Mechanical H69439931 is a simple, classic, yet sporty field watch. It features a sand-blasted stainless steel case with a smaller size of 38mm. In terms of design, it is exactly what you would expect from a field watch. The case design is robust, sporty, and clean, and the dial is black with white printed Arabic numerals, both 24-hour and 12-hour. The hands have white frames for better legibility and are applied with luminous material. The shape of the hands is classic to those that you find on vintage military watches. For a vintage look, Hamilton has made the luminous material slightly brown.

On top of the case, Hamilton has opted for sapphire crystal glass.

Something that watch enthusiasts enjoy about this watch is that it is powered by a mechanical movement.

All in all, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical is a vintage-inspired field watch with a durable robust, and durable design made for the field. At the same time, it has a clean and elegant design that works perfectly for everyday wear.

Specifications

Water resistance: 50m
Crystal: Sapphire
Diameter: 38mm

Seiko 5 Sports Desert Military Automatic Snzg07J1

If you are looking for a desert-style affordable field watch, you don’t need to look further than for the Snzg07J1. This is an affordable field watch, of course, equipped with automatic movement.

The watch is slightly larger at 42mm, but it retains the classic sand-blasted stainless steel case for a sporty and tool-like appearance. It uses Seiko’s classic Hardlex crystal. As mentioned, it is powered by an automatic movement, as well as a see-through case back which allows the wearer to appreciate the mechanical craftsmanship inside.

To go with the safari/desert theme, it has a sand-colored/beige dial with painted black Arabic numerals, both 12 and 24-hour. The hands are executed with a black frame which helps create a better contrast against the background and provides improved legibility. The hands also have luminescence applied to them, as well as luminescent material applied to the dial for the hour markers. Matching perfectly to this watch, it is presented on a beige fabric strap.

The water resistance is 100m/330 feet which is quite good for a field watch.

All in all, there are few automatic field watches that are as good value for money as the Snzg07J1.

Specifications

Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
Crystal: Hardlex
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 12mm
Movement: Automatic

Hamilton Khaki Green Field Officer Mechanical H69439363 38mm

The Hamilton Khaki Green Field Officer H69439363 is one of our favorite field watches on the market. It has a stainless steel case with a classic size of 38mm and a thickness of only 9.5mm which means that it sits very slim and comfortable on the wrist. Like most field watches, it has a sand-blasted, matte stainless steel case which gives it an industrialized look.

The watch is powered by a hand-wound movement, and not an automatic, which is part of the reason why it is so thin. Some people really like hand-wound movements, in particular, watch enthusiasts as it is like a ritual to wind it. But a hand-wound movement in a field watch makes sense because that is just the way they were done back in the day.

To go with the military theme, it has a military green dial with large white 12-hour markers printed on the dial and smaller 24-hour markers. It also has a date window positioned at 3 o’clock.

The hands are designed in a classic military style and have luminescent material applied to them for improved legibility in low-lit conditions. On top of the case, it has a sapphire crystal.

The water resistance of this watch is 50 meters/165 feet which aren’t the best, but at the same time, we don’t expect them to have dive-watch performance either.

This watch has great build quality, robust and reliable movement, and just an overall great finish and attention to detail. Yes, it is slightly higher priced than some of the others in this list, but this is also reflected in all of the aspects just mentioned.

Specifications

Movement: Hand-wound
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 9.5mm
Water resistance: 50m/165 feet
Crystal: Sapphire

Hamilton Khaki Field Silver H70455553

This is another great affordable field watch from Hamilton under the reference H70455553. The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 38mm, but unlike many others, it is not sandblasted. Instead, it has brushed and polished parts which enhance the watch’s appearance and impression of quality.

The watch is powered by an automatic movement which is, as we have come to expect from Hamilton, robust, qualitative, and durable. A nice touch is that you are able to view the movement inside through the see-through case back if you flip the watch around.

The water resistance of 100m/330 feet is another great aspect of this watch that makes it suitable for swimming.

The dial is silver finished with large black Arabic numerals printed on it for the 12-hour indication and small Arabic numerals are used for the 24-hour indication. Positioned at 3 o’clock, we find a date window that is convenient to have for everyday wear. Like most of Hamilton’s field watches, it has classic military-inspired hands with pointy tips and applied luminous material. For each hour marker, it has dots of luminous mass to help with the legibility.

With its brown leather strap and silver dial, this field watch gets a more elegant appearance that makes it more versatile. Whilst it retains its sporty purpose, this watch becomes more suitable for everyday wear and even formal occasions.

Specifications

Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 11mm
Crystal: Sapphire

SEIKO 5 Automatic SNZG09J1

The Seiko 5 SNZG09J1 is the same watch we discussed earlier, but this time in military green. With that said, it is suitable if you want a field watch with a military-style rather than a desert military style.

It has a 42mm matte sandblasted case and a Hardlex crystal on top. The water resistance of 100m/330 feet is quite good as well.

One of the highlights of this watch is its see-through case back which allows you to see the automatic movement that powers it.

The dial is executed in a military green color and has large white 12-hour markers printed on the dial. Inside the outer ring of these markers, it has 23-hour markers. Positioned at 3 o’clock, Seiko has added a day and date window.

The hands are sword-shaped and made with white frames to provide better contrast. The hands also have luminous material. For the hour markers, Seiko has added luminous rectangular markers with luminescent material which further improves legibility.

Specifications

Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
Movement: Automatic
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 9mm
Crystal: Hardlex

Hamilton H70605731 Khaki Field Murph Auto 42mm

The Hamilton Khaki Field Murph H70605731 is one of the most popular affordable automatic field watches on the market, although it has a price tag of around 700 USD, so it is more expensive than many of the others. But at the same time, this watch reflects quality, so it is still a timepiece that offers great value for money.

The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 42mm and a thickness of 11mm. The case has a brushed upper side, contrasted by a polished bezel and sides which shows Hamilton has paid attention to the details. It has a water resistance of 100m/330 feet which is quite good for a field watch. In terms of design, it has a classic, vintage-inspired military design which a lot of people are looking for in a field watch.

It is also very minimalistic in the sense that it only displays time and no date or month. The watch has a matte black dial with large printed Arabic numerals. It is equipped with a cathedral hour hand and a vintage-style minutes hand with a “faux” patina to add to that vintage look. Some people like faux patina, but some people find it a bit cheesy. But it does add to the appeal of this watch in our opinion since it blends in nicely with the rest of the design.

Last but not least, it is powered by an automatic movement which can be seen through the see-through case back.

Specifications

Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
Crystal: Sapphire
Diameter: 42mm
Thickness: 11mm
Movement: Automatic

Bertucci A-2T Vintage Watch

The Bertucci A-2T is a vintage-inspired watch with a very sporty and tool-like appearance. Just like how a lot of people like their field watches.

It has a titanium case (or in their own words, a ”U.S. Patented solid titanium Unibody case”) which is both tough and light and has a satin finish. The crown is positioned at 4 o’clock which improved comfort when wearing it as it doesn’t dig into the wrist.

The watch is powered by a Swiss quartz movement. As is very evident at first glance, this is a watch that takes the tool watch part seriously. With that said, it isn’t as elegant as some of the other field watches on this list, and therefore most suitable for casual occasions or when you are actually out in the field.

The dial is matte and colored in a military green color with white printed Arabic numerals for 12-hour and 12-hour indications. The watch is also available with a black dial if you prefer a more classic and toned-down look.

Specifications

Movement: Swiss-made quartz
Case: titanium

Victorinox Swiss Army

The Victorinox Swiss Army is a field watch with an interesting design. It has a 40mm resin case with a mineral crystal on top. It is powered by a Swiss quartz movement and offers a water resistance of 100m/330 feet.

What stands out about this watch is its faux-wood dial with cutouts for the markers. At 4 o’clock, it has a date window. The watch is built to be durable and robust and to have a sporty design. The hands have luminescent material on them which obviously helps with legibility.

All in all, this is a field watch, but with a unique and different take on classic military watches. The field watch idea can still be recognized, but it has a modern take to it that makes it perfect for casual everyday wear.

Specifications

Diameter: 40mm
Crystal: Mineral glass
Water resistance: 100m/3330 feet
Movement: Swiss quartz

Citizen Military Eco-Drive Chronograph AT0200-13A

Last but not least, we have the Citizen Eco-Drive Chronograph AT0200-13A, and this is the first field watch chronograph we are looking at in this list.

This watch retains its field watch/military-inspired design but has been spiced up with a chronograph function.

It is presented with a stainless steel case with a diameter of 39mm with brushed and polished elements. On top of the case, it has a mineral crystal. The water resistance is 100m/330 feet which are quite good for a field watch.

The dial is silver and has large black Arabic numerals as well as luminous dots for the hour markers. At 4 o’clock, it has a date window discreetly tucked in. The hands have been designed with black frames to provide better contrast against the background, and are filled with luminescence. The watch is monochrome apart from the red seconds hand which adds a splash of color. The hand of the bottom sub-dial is also red.

As mentioned, this is a chronograph watch. The case has two pushbuttons as well as three sub-dials presented on the dial displaying 24 hours, 60 minutes, and 60 seconds.

It is powered by the Eco-Drive Caliber H500 which means that solar and ambient light is used to generate energy for the movement, thus eliminating the need for replacing the battery.

To go with the field watch theme, it is presented on a black canvas strap.

Al in all, this is a stylish field watch that is perfect for everyday wear. It’s not too intrusive or bold, nor too simple to be perceived as boring.

Specifications

Movement: Eco-Drive quartz caliber H500
Diameter: 39mm
Crystal: mineral

What is a field watch?

A field watch is a watch that originally came from, and was made for the military in the early 20th Century. In that way, field watches and military watches can be the same but don’t have to be. The reason is that modern military watches are often designed to be modern and often digital for the sake of functionality, whilst field watches remain true to their original design heritage.

When field watches came about, they were intended for the military to use out in the fields, particularly during World War 1. During this time, pocket watches were still used widely in the military and wristwatches were an innovative (and more convenient) way of keeping track of time.

Field watches have a number of distinct design elements to them, but unlike certain other models, there are not many strict requirements for what defines one. Some of the features that you’ll almost always find in a field watch are:

Simple and minimalistic design

Unlike other sports watches, field watches are known to be simple and minimalistic in design. Part of this comes from the fact that field watches came about during the early 20th Century which is a time when wristwatches were small and made very simple. But another reason for this is to make them as easily usable and legible as possible. The most important aspect of a field watch was and is regular timekeeping

Robustness and durability

Due to the environments and purposes that field watches are intended to be used, an important characteristic of a field watch is of course its toughness and durability. Just think about what the watches soldiers wore during WW1 were subject to when they were out in the field – mud, shocks, bangs, rain, water, and much more. A particular requirement from the military back in the day was that the watches were dustproof and waterproof.

Since the watch was an important tool in the military tool kit, the field watches had to continue functioning properly.

Of course, the same criteria go for modern field watches as well. So if you are looking for a tough and robust watch but without a too sporty design, field watches are definitely the way to go.

Legibility

Legibility is certainly at the top 3 of the most important criteria of a field watch. Most field watches have printed large Arabic numerals on the dial to provide good contrast and excellent legibility. A strong lume is another important feature that helps make it easier to read the time in low-lit conditions. Oftentimes, field watches

Movement

The movement is not an important feature for a field watch, but it’s always an important criteria when choosing a watch, so I thought I would bring it up anyway. As you have seen in the list above, field watches are available with either automatic, quartz, or hand-wound. Whichever you choose is completely up to you and what you prefer. It is worth knowing that the original field watches used hand-wound movements.

Water resistance

The water resistance is actually not that important in a field watch. Of course, a field watch needs to be water-resistant, but it doesn’t have to be a lot. Out in the fields, the military doesn’t go swimming frequently. The occasion may come up, but not normally. Therefore, a field watch should be resistant to at least 50 meters. This ensures that it can handle swimming and occasionally water splashes, for example, rain or crawling in the mud.

Which is the best field watch?

The “best” field watch depends on what you are looking for. Field watches are available in all price ranges, and there are plenty of good affordable choices, as you have seen in the list above. More expensive doesn’t have to be better. Although price is often a good indicator of quality and craftsmanship, the most difficult task is finding watches that offer great value for money. This means, a good balance between price and quality. Some of the watch brands that are most well-known for this are included in this list. The most popular brands when it comes to field watches are Hamilton, Citizen, Seiko, and Victorinox.

What field watch has the best Lume?

In general, field watches that have lume on their numerals have better lume due to the larger areas with lume that allow for better legibility and a stronger lume. If you want really good lume on your field watch, that is therefore one thing you should be looking for. Amongst the watches in this list, the Hamilton H69439931 is quite good.

Top 12 Best Affordable Field Watches [List & Guide]