Breaking the Rules of the Field Watch
The line between a field watch and a sporty three-hander has gotten blurrier over the years. Once the domain of military specs and rugged simplicity, the term “field watch” now applies to just about any non-dive, highly legible watch with a hint of toughness. The purists might roll their eyes, but really, what defines a field watch is its spirit of practical, terrestrial usability.
Never ones to color within the lines, our friends at Worn & Wound decided to take that spirit somewhere new for our fourth annual limited-edition collaboration together. They completely redesigned the dial, loosened up the rulebook, and had a little fun with what a field watch can be. Introducing the Timex x Worn & Wound Field Watch w/a Twist.
Field watches have a reputation for being serious, even a bit stern. With their military roots, they usually stick to the basics: big, bold numerals, a 13–24 hour track, a tidy minute index, and a matte black dial. A formula that works, but also one begging to be played with. So that's exactly what we did here.
It all started by rethinking the layout. Presented in tiers with 13–24 in the center, 1–12 in the middle, and the minute track around the edge, the design naturally formed a series of rings. Worn & Wound leaned into that idea, dividing the dial into distinct sections. Almost like a sector dial. Actually, a lot like a sector dial. But we promise, it’s still a field watch. With each section separated by crisp railroad tracks, we began experimenting with typography and color. It was working, but it needed something... Enter the twist.
With a single keystroke, Worn & Wound took the hour numerals from bold and utilitarian to something altogether livelier. Yes, they made them italic. That simple shift transformed the watch. The dial suddenly had motion, character, and a sense of playful eccentricity. From there, everything clicked: three distinct sections, three hands, plenty of color to go around
Oh, and lume. Because what’s a field watch without it? Those big, italic numerals are now thick, pad-printed C3 lume, as are the hour and minute hands, ensuring visibility when the sun calls it quits.
As for the case, we stayed true to what works. All four of our collaborations with Worn & Wound share the same vintage-inspired 37mm steel case, a compact barrel shape with a massive domed crystal that brings the total height to 12.2mm (just 8mm without). It’s sturdy, timeless, and ties the design neatly to mid-20th-century tool watches, with just the right amount of toughness.
Inside beats the hand-wound Sea-Gull TY6 caliber. We love quartz, but there’s still nothing quite like winding your watch each morning. Combined with our accessible prices, this makes the Field Watch w/a Twist a perfect pick for both newcomers and longtime collectors.
Together, we designed two winter-ready versions: Whirlpool and Storm.
Whirlpool is a study in rich, moody blues. The center and outer rings are deep indigo, with a lighter denim tone under the hour numerals for contrast. Dark gray rings divide the layers, with white indices floating above. The inner numerals are sky blue, the outer ones yellow, and the hands follow suit, sky blue with a coral pink tip on the seconds hand to match the Timex logo. It all comes together on a vivid blue nylon strap. Bold on paper, balanced on the wrist.
Storm, as the name suggests, takes a darker turn. Medium gray fills the center and outer sections, while the ring beneath the hours is charcoal. Thin rings of sky blue break up the grays, and white 13–24 numerals pop against the background. The hands are dark blue with a red-tipped seconds hand that adds just the right flash of energy. A steel gray strap ties it all together.
Priced at $299, the Timex x Worn & Wound Field Watch w/a Twist is limited to 500 pieces per color and available now for preorder. Shipping begins in early January.
To celebrate, Worn & Wound sent the watches on a winter adventure in Norway with their friend and photographer Nick Stirbis. Against mountains, craggy terrains, red cabins, and fire-warmed interiors, the watches looked right at home. Designed with cold weather and gray skies in mind, the Storm and Whirlpool fit perfectly into the landscape.
