New field watch based on the Aquitaine

[Frank W]

From Loupe magazine 26:

The ‘field watch’ has long been overlooked in the world of horology in favour of dive, dress and sports watches.

Designed originally for soldiers, field watches feature stainless steel cases, unfussy dials and movements engineered for accuracy. Simplicity and practicality are all. However, the continuing popularity of Christopher Ward’s C65 Sandhurst chronometer – modelled on the classic Smiths W10 – has proved that field watches have a fanbase way beyond military enthusiasts.

This hasn’t gone unnoticed at CW. Which is why the teams in Maidenhead and Biel are working on a new field watch that mixes the genre’s austere aesethtic with the architecture and design of CW’s latest line.

Designer Will Brackfield says: “The popularity of the C65 Sandhurst has shown us there’s a market for field watches. We’re basing this new timepiece on the Aquitaine, but unlike the existing models this won’t have a dive bezel.”

The watch, waterproof to 150m, is as yet unnamed (suggestions always welcome!), but the Christopher Ward team have been looking closely at mid-century timepieces for design inspiration. The era’s utilitarian aesthetic will play a significant role in the new piece, though with a nod to today’s more liberal attitude to colour.

“As an Aquitaine, it’ll have vintage styling,” says Will. “At present we’re playing with colours – black, green and blue – but we haven’t made our final decision yet.” From what we know, the watch will be powered by an automatic movement – and depending on how it’s received, may accommodate a GMT version.