Chicago brand Farr + Swit has followed their successful Seaplane model with a new tool watch, the Wayfinder. This time, they are offering two variants: a sweeping quartz with a full lume dial for $399 or a teal dial automatic for $569. I got to sample both of them for this review and can happily report that they are an absolute blast.
Like the Seaplane, the Wayfinder’s brushed stainless steel case is 42mm wide, 50.5mm long, and 12.5mm thick with 22mm between the lugs. Large crown guards envelop the domed crown. The 120-click bezel features the same height textured sections as the Seaplane’s and exhibits the same positive action as it snaps through its detents. Like the previous model, it’s a nice fit on my 6.75” wrist and thanks to the relatively short length, it feels more like a 40-41mm. Is it the same case? All signs point to yes. Is the Wayfinder the same watch as the Seaplane? Not at all.
Farr + Switt seems to have a thing for hybrid designs. The Seaplane was a pilot/diver while the Wayfinder, which marries the Seaplane case to a topographical map motif and caps it off with a deeply engraved compass and map design on the case back, strikes me as more of a field/diver even though it lacks the requisite 24-hour index. But there is no reason to get hung up on labels. The watch has pretty much everything you would need for outdoor activities: 100m water resistance, an anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown, timing bezel, crazy lume, and your choice of two bulletproof movements. Indeed, the choice of movement for this watch, often a matter of price or perceived quality, may really come down to aesthetics. The automatic is a Sellita SW200, a 26-jewel, 28.8k bph ETA 2824 clone that is well regarded in its own right. The quartz is the excellent Seiko VH31, which sweeps at an impressive 4 beats per second, giving you nearly the same smoothness of an automatic with quartz durability and accuracy. As for the price, $170 isn’t nothing, but it is far less of a difference than I would have expected between a Japanese quartz and a Swiss auto.
So, what else might sway your purchase? Exclusivity, perhaps as Farr + Swit will only produce 50 teal automatics and they are not yet in stock, but I suspect it will all come down to looks – and this where it gets fun. I liked the Seaplane’s black-and-blue color scheme and “starry night and rolling seas” take on a horizon dial, but it was still fairly conservative. The Wayfinders, on the other hand, are more arresting.
Both versions have bright blue aluminum bezel inserts, applied bar markers, employ medium blue for both the handset and dials’ text and numerals (which, incidentally, represent even hours only so they are not cramped despite their generous size and broad, stylized typeface – well done), and unique topographical map graphics whose gray lines meander across the face in a delightfully trippy fashion. I think the hands might have stood to be a touch longer as they approach their markers, but in the end, maintain a healthy distance. A metaphor for our times, maybe? As it stands, the hour hand pinches the numerals where a longer one would have obscured them, but I can’t help wishing for just a tiny bit more of a reach.
I’d say the Automatic is the introvert’s choice. That teal blue is a bold choice but the darker blues ground it and the gray map graphics and minute track soften its overall appearance. It is a pretty face in daylight and the BGW9 on the hands, hour markers, and every engraved bit of that bezel burns bright blue at night. I think I would have been very happy with this one – if I hadn’t seen the quartz.
If the teal and gray dial is too mellow for you, then quartz’s cream and yellow is the way to go. It’s a ray of sunshine hitting you square in the face on a sleepy Saturday morning. The gray map is more pronounced against the pale background and the matching yellow/orange minute track and hands just pop. Where the blue elements grounded the teal dial, here they provide high contrast. Now, I believe I mentioned that this was a full lume dial, yes? You’ve got green and blue C3, Dark Orange, and BGW9 on the bezel for good measure. Turn off the lights and this thing will grab you by the lapels, give you a good shake, and shout, “Hey you! Look at ME!”
As befits a tool watch, the Wayfinder comes with a pair of waterproof straps. The quartz gets a Navy parachute-style elastic and a Dark Navy seatbelt nylon NATO. Both straps are Navy for the automatic. Here is the nit I must pick. It’s great that Farr + Switt provides two straps. They all suit the watches and the gray seatbelt looks particularly fetching against the teal, but I was itching for a proper two-piece. I am one of the only people I know who can’t stand wearing elastic and I don’t care how many French paratroopers say I’m wrong. I am also pretty weary of nylon NATOs. Don’t get me wrong, these are high-quality straps, and if you like nylon, seatbelt style is the way to go. Me? I’d happily trade them both and even pay a little extra to get a quality bracelet with fitted end links. Alas, that is not to be, but the $19.99 blue Barton rubber strap available on the Farr + Switt accessories page would do the trick quite nicely.
As before, Farr + Swit packs their watches in an unassuming, recyclable box and then tucks it into a handy dry bag for your next aquatic adventure. In addition to extra straps, you can also pick up some branded merch if you are so inclined, like this dandy t-shirt.
There is a lot to love in the Wayfinder, and I like how it bodes for the brand’s evolution. The Wayfarer’s dial is both riskier and more complex than the Seaplane’s, I love that they offer the VH31 (my favorite 3-hand quartz) as a thrifty option, and it better still that there is such a modest price difference for those who prefer the Sellita. Do you need any more incentive to check them out? How about $50 off with the code 50OFF? For more information or to place an order visit farrandswit.com.
