What makes a perfect field watch?

For me, it doesn't need any killer features. It needs to be simple and robust, with a well regulated quality movement. 

I'd prefer it to have the qualities of a Rolex Explorer, without being a clone if it.

ETA- One of those qualities doesn't need to be overpriced and unavailability...)

Field watches are always lacking on the water resistance. How about 100+m WR and a screw down crown?

Also Lume. Field watches pretend they have lume, but they don’t. 

37mm diameter X 10mm thick, 100m+ WR with screw-down crown, internal and external AR coated sapphire, hyper legible white on black dial with applied baton or Arabic numerals made of lume material, steel bracelet with micro adjust and small clasp, drilled 20mm lugs, little or no dial text beyond marque, and some little design gimmick to make it stand out from the crowd: a tuxedo look or sector dial maybe. Lots of watches come close, but I'm yet to see the perfect field watch.

A perfect field watch is small, simple, and durable. 

Small: 36-40mm diameter, ~10mm thick, and a lug-lug under 48mm. A lug width of 20mm is preferable, as it's the most common size. 

Simple: A plain solid coloured dial, with high contrast indexes(baton or Arabic numerals) and hands. No writing beyond brand name/logo, and date. Brushed or sand blasted finishes on all large surfaces including bezel.

Durable: steel, sapphire, 50-200M WR, a reliable simple movement like a SW200/ETA2824, or Miyota 9015. 

Robust Automatic Movement, 40mm, Screw Down AR Sapphire Crystal, Bead Blaste SS Case, Black Dial, Large Off White Numerals, Sword Shape Hour and Minute Hands, Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9, 200m Rating, all on a nato strap.

I really like this field watch. 200m water resistant from Serica. 

See, that's the thing about field watches, the formula is already perfected.  There have been plenty of years and watches to come up with something better, and nobody really has.  Sure, play around with the specifics, but if it's doing anything new, that's probably a mistake.

WR...look, we all know these numbers are nonsense, and nobody's going diving in this thing.  So screw down crown to keep some water and mud out, and enough WR that I can swim.  That's it.  10m is fine, as long as that's a legit number.

Sapphire with AR...sure, as this makes it more durable and legible witch are about the only things a field watch really needs to be.

Size...can be anything, but I think most would agree that something around 38mm is nice and legible while not being too big.  This is a case where less is more.

Case...whatever you want as long as it's not shiny.  Brushed, sand blasted, black...doesn't matter as long as it's not distracting or flashy to let the Nazi's see where I'm at.

Dial...black face/white numerals or white face/black numerals.  That's it.  No colors, and for the love of God no sunburst nonsense here.  That's not what this watch is about.  I say no date, but I can understand the argument for one, so use your judgment here.  Good lume is...good, but the shape of the hands or style of numbers isn't important.  Those are just preferences.  Bottom line, make the thing easy to read.  I like 24hr markings, but again that's preference.

The thing to remember is that we're not reinventing the wheel here.  The wheel has been invented, it's round enough, and there's just nothing that needs improving.

That pretty much covers it. You're on the right track. 

For me, 100m WR is 10m WR... and I really only need about 2. If I'm any deeper than that I'm just down there waiting for my body to be recovered.

My diving days ar well behind me.  

100m is good so that watch is still usable for someone afterward.

Hi Tom looks like you’re getting some really good advice here. A rugged discrete case with an easily legible dial. If I could just make a case for a date complication, as I believe that’s actually a useful feature on a watch and doesn’t have to spoil the look. Here’s my current favourite field watch from Echo/Neutra. 

Ignore the moonphase as even though it looks cool it’s got to be in the running for most useless complication. But I think they’ve got the date right here as it blends into the watch. 
Good luck with it really looking forward to seeing what you come up with. 

My only quibble is that external AR can be scratched/rubbed. I prefer only internal.

I'd hope for date at 6 o'clock rather than 3. 

3 o'clock isn't always terrible but it can wreak havoc with the overall balance of a dial.

Like others have said, the formula kinda has been perfected in looks but I will add like others, 

WR, min 100m and a screwdown crown 

A decent bracelet with on the fly micro adjust 

20mm lugs

I don't want a Explorer homage 

Date or no date but if date it doesnt  look like an after thought and no ghost position if an ND 

Max dimension 38mm with an appropriate lug to lug

Decent lume

Internal AR only

Yes and yes. Agreed. Which is why I've just ordered a Douglas (Wolbrook) Outrider Professional. 

150m water resistance. Screw down crown. Hesalite crystal (sapphire available). C7 or BGW9 Super LumiNova (both fairly high on their brightness scale) They claim they've skeletonized the hands and layered in 7 layers of lume.

Also, it claims "hexaplex" architecture, which sounds like a made up word, but it's about mounting the movement between rubber o-rings that act as 3D shock absorbers and isolate the movement from impacts and vibrations. 

Many great claims. I don't have it yet but it will be here soon. If the lume is as good as in their pictures and claims, it might be the (nearly) perfect field watch. Lume is definitely a weak spot on many so-called field watches. 

@Clemence_Watches  Please do a 12 3 6 9 numerals in white , plain black Matt dial, simple long sword type hands, strong lume for all this. Steel 24 HR bezel that's bi directional. Good wr of 150+ screwdown crown, curved 20mm lugs for good fit. Brushed steel finish approx ,38 case size. Strong rugged build but with some style and elegance too. Date at 4.30 or 6 (only if the number is retained.)

Slightly domed sapphire crystal with good AR inside only. H link bracelet with good micro adjustment on the clasp possibly a sliding adjust system. Good anti mag qualities.

If you did one like this , then I m in. Your Nemo Photic diver is beautiful and I would have got one if it had a 3 and 9 numerals as well as the 12 and 6.

I think the Boldr Venture is a nice pice size wise. And titanium is nice for hiking and cold weather. However it could have been slimmer and more rounded so it snags less on backpack and clothes. I think maybe the new Hamilton Khaki Fields in Ti would be even better in this regard. I still would see at as a plus with a date.

Function wise I like the G-Shock Mudman. Compass, barometer, solar, atomic and mudresist. Smaller than the modern Gs and not a smartwatch. Still a bit bulky..

Loving the comments folks, thank you for sharing your favourite specs! Gladly our field watch, code name 'Project Ridgeline', hits a lot of these on the head 😁

Active compass. The Timex Expedition is an epic watch for the environment you have been in. 

Do you know a watch like that? (New to the hobby, just wondering if you're referring to something specific)

I definitely want modern day perks on a field watch.

1.  Solar 
2.  12/24 hours 
3.  Stopwatch 
4. Lumed Dial with a UV light built in to renew lume glow 
5.  Compass 
6.  Shock resistant
7.  At least 100 m water resistant
8.  Basically a higher end G-Shock 😜

I own a Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical which many say is the archetypal field watch. Yet it has several good reasons (lume and water resistance etc) which means it falls short?

I own another watch that is a quartz solar with 300m WR, coated titanium case and decent lume. With a date complication. I would argue for a field watch this is the best in class?

It's the Citizen Ray Mears. Not glamorous, expensive or otherwise trendy but it does the job of a field watch par excellence?

My last expedition to nowhere I took a Seiko Alpinist.  200m WR, 38mm, good lume, a date (I’m returning to civilization after 5 days and it’s way easier to keep track, I dislike watches without a date, symmetry be damned).

I wouldn’t mind a timing bezel but did fine without.  

If colder climate was a factor then I’d worry about thermal conductivity.  So instead of steel - Ti or ceramic would be better options 

Sounds like one hell of an adventure @Fieldwalker! Love the photos! Great points about thermal conductivity 👌

Thank you!  

I like to go off grid a couple times a year.  Of course no cell reception and the iPhone stays off except for using for pics (battery conservation).  So at the mercy of the weather and environment.  

The thermal conductivity has gotten me a few times during cold snaps and when hiking in the Rockies.   wrist can get exposed to a cold wind.   Steel can even feel painful when it’s cold enough.  Ti is much better and plastic or ceramic is freaking fantastic. 

I love my Clemence Photic.  It is the pride of my watch collection.  The one function I would like to see if you move into field watches is to include a date complication and a compass on the bezel.

Thats amazing! So glad you're enjoying it William 🙌😁! A great spec wish list too! 

Perfect adventurer's watch would be a G-Shock. The G Shock MUDMASTER would be ideal. 

But if it has to be a mechanical watch it should be very robust, element resistant and it's movement should be very very reliable. 

For me a key component of a good field watch (or a watch in general) is the hardness/damage resistance of a watch. Baffles me that as the decades have gone by in the world of watches only a few brands offer either a hardened metal or an applied protective coating for a watch case.

A perfect field watch is the kind of watch that will survive a rugged 2 weeks or 30+ days in the field.

Sapphire crystal drenched in AR, a date at 6, 38mm, 10mm thick, reliable movement, lots of lume, smoke matte dial, SCREW DOWN CROWN, strap options and if I'm being really picky bead blasted titanium case?