Last March, just before Covid was declared the pandemic it would become, I got the chance to handle the then-new BOLDR Venture Khaki that Loren had in for review. It left such a strong impression that it was my top pick for Microbrand Watch of 2020. So, when the chance to handle a few new additions to the Venture line came up, I immediately volunteered. The two Venture variants sent to me are the Venture Wayfarer Khaki, an automatic watch with a 24-hour subdial and date, and the Venture Field Medic Camo, a MechaQuartz chronograph with a pulsations and respiration scale. BOLDR had proved that they could design a great case, and I was eager to see what else they would try to fit into it.
To me, the Venture case design is very nearly the perfect proportion and design for a modern tool watch. The overall cushion shape and short lugs keep the footprint compact, and the Grade 2 titanium construction and bead-blasted finish make it extremely durable. At 38mm diameter and 44mm lug to lug, the case centers very nicely on the flat top of my 6.5” wrist. At 12.2mm thick, it has plenty of wrist presence while still being able to fit under my work gloves or field jacket, at least after I put it on a two-piece strap. The watch head weighs less than 50g, so it feels feather-light and does not impede the movement of my wrist at all. The drilled lugs make strap changes an absolute breeze.
I’m generally not a NATO person, and I found that the NATO strap that came on each watch added extra height that made me concerned the watch would snag when I put my hand through a small opening. Plus, the NATO obscures the very neat case back engravings Boldr has designed for each watch.
If you are a NATO person, the included straps are very pliable, have titanium hardware to match the watch, and generally seem well constructed and durable.
The screw-down crown has moved to 3 o’clock compared to the original Venture, and I generally find that position easier to work with when the watch is on my wrist. The signed crown is well proportioned for easy use with gloved or slick fingers, and I did not have any issues screwing it back in once I had made the necessary adjustments. With a water resistance rating of 20 ATM, the watches are more than able to handle anything you’d want to throw at them. The flat, AR-coated sapphire does its job of keeping the face visible while keeping the case profile compact.
The Venture Wayfarer Khaki is powered by a Miyota 8217, a variant of the very reliable 8215 that adds a 24-hour subdial at 9 o’clock. The movement has a hacking function and performed well within specifications at +/- 20 seconds per day. As a unidirectional movement, there is a “free spin” to the rotor that is typical of Miyota movements. The movement is behind a solid titanium case back laser engraved with Boldr’s logo and the watch specifications.
I really enjoy the dial on the Wayfarer. The pebbled surface and raised numerals add a lot of interest via texture, and I think the date window and the 24-hour sub-dial balance each other out. The black syringe hands contrast strongly with the pale dial to improve the legibility along with the green lume in both the numerals and hands. The hands light up very strongly, and the dial lume is not far behind. The pale dial means that it can match with pretty much any color strap you choose to put on it, and I think it works great with the blue silicone strap I had in my case.
The original BOLDR Field Medic was developed in April 2020 to honor those fighting Covid-19 on the front lines and raise money for Covid-19 related charities. With the Camo Green Field Medic chronograph, BOLDR started with a metallic olive green dial and then printed in a matte blue and gray camouflage pattern. The overall effect is subtle but effective as a dial motif. The dial is a bit crowded in that BOLDR has to fit the minutes track, a respiration track, and a pulsations track, all within a 32mm dial, AND have room for two subdials. To fit everything, the minutes track is cut off from 2 o’clock to 4 o’clock and from 8 o’clock to 10 o’clock, which actually makes the watch a bit hard to set. But, given that it’s the very reliable Seiko VK64 under the hood, you won’t be setting it very often.
The hands are also a bit long for the dial, given that the pointed end of the minute hand extends well past the minute track to the pulsations track. The light silver hands contrast well against the dark dial and work well with the green lume on the numerals and pulsations track. The hands definitely lead the way when it comes to nighttime visibility. The dial lume does take a while to light up, but it’s strong in complete darkness.
Overall, I think the Wayfarer and Field Medic watches are excellent additions to Boldr’s Venture line. They carry the design language and aesthetic of the original Venture while adding new features and functions to the stable. The Field Medic continues BOLDR’s commitment to raising money for the Covid-19 relief effort as $30 from each watch sold goes directly to Covid-19 related charities. At $339 for the Venture Wayfarer and $299 for the Field Medic, these watches are great value for those looking for a tool watch that is compact and capable.
