A solar-powered wristwatch that takes inspiration from early 20th century military watches.
Launched on the 1st of July, 2021, The Field Watch is Instrmnt Applied Design’s (I—AD) first solar analog watch. The Glasgow-based, multi-disciplinary design studio designed the timepiece entirely in-house, pairing a minimalist style with a sustainable Japanese movement that lasts up to three months on a single charge. The watch draws inspiration from early 20th century military watches, translating their utilitarian appearance into a clean, industrial design. The Field Watch comes with a bespoke, three-part steel case that measures 38mm. Understated and intentionally bare, the dial is extremely easy to read. Apart from hour markers and subtle minute indicators, the dial also features a discreet cross-hair detail.
The custom dial has an opacity of 30%, which allows the solar cells to charge using either natural or artificial light. While I—AD watches usually feature Swiss movements, this solar analog watch required a specialized, solar-powered mechanism. “Seiko are unrivaled in their expertise in this area, and we were delighted to be able to work with them in the development of The Field Watch. Their investment in solar technology gives us the chance to reduce our environmental impact whilst fully maintaining, or even increasing, performance and accuracy,” says Product Director Pete Sunderland. For this design, the team chose the Seiko VS37A solar movement.
The watch comes with either a Charcoal or a Warm White dial and European-made leather, rubber, or high-performance nylon straps. The Shotblast 38mm 316L stainless steel case features an innovative three-piece design with fixed lugs. Apart from sapphire crystal glass, this timepiece also features Luminova finishes on the hour and minute hands. Giving a nod to the field kits of WW2, The Field Watch comes with several accessories for easy care, including a recycled RPET microfiber cloth and a cleaning agent suitable for the chosen strap material. Furthermore, the packaging is plastic-free and easy to recycle. Available to pre-order from the 1st of July, the solar analog watch costs £220 or around $300. I—AD aims to start the first deliveries from mid-September, 2021. Photographs© Instrmnt Applied Design.
