It’s finally spring in New England, and after a bitter winter, I am ready to get outside, hike, and explore. Consequently, my wrist has been crying out for a good field watch. Lucky for me, new microbrand Satori Watches, founded by Roy Miah in the UK, has provided one. A prototype of their upcoming Companion in Marine Blue has made its way across the pond to help me usher in the warm weather.
I’m often guilty of anthropomorphizing objects, but there is something inviting and playful about this watch. Field watches are often a self-conscious bunch, looking to replicate the famed “Dirty Dozen” from the Second World War. There’s nothing wrong with the homages to such an important part of horological (and human) history, but it’s nice to see microbrands tweaking the recipe to create something new.
First things first: The Companion is a surprisingly large watch, but it took me a while to realize that fact. The 43mm case doesn’t feel nearly that big, wearing more like a 41 or 42mm on my 6.5” wrist thanks to stubby lugs. At 11.5mm tall it’s also compact enough to serve double duty as a dress watch. If you’re more accustomed to historically accurate proportions in your field watches, this one might feel a bit ungainly, but it nicely balances the field watch aesthetic with modern trends.
The stainless steel case features a clean, understated satin finish that feels as good as it looks. I’d be curious to see how it holds up after a few scratches, but I really like the execution. With 100m water resistance, you don’t have to worry about babying the Companion too much, either. This is a proper tool watch that you can beat up a little.
The 20mm lug width means this watch could easily become the go-to strap monster of a collection. I usually prefer leather straps or bracelets over fabric, but the canvas and leather-backed strap included with the Companion is dynamite. The blue canvas works really well with the blue dial, and the tight weave puts me in mind of a nice sailcloth strap.
The scalloped bezel is an interesting choice. The edges are nicely finished and break up the uniformity of the case nicely, but I keep thinking it should turn, and I can’t stop fiddling with it. I like the way the crown fits visually within the contours of one of those cutouts. I might have increased the size of that crown by a millimeter or so, but it’s nicely finished and easy to grip. It also features the Satori logo stamped into the cap.
That logo also adorns the caseback in polished relief against a bead-blasted background. The stylized “S” in a hexagon is a slick, modern logo, but it also puts me in mind of an English hedge maze, albeit one without an entrance or exit. Surrounding it is a ring of text with the usual specifications.
Powering the Companion is the Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, featuring hacking, hand-winding, and a 38-hour power reserve. This is the standard entry point for Swiss movements, and it’s a solid, reliable choice for a watch like this.
Looking at the dial, we’re greeted by a rich blue that appears matte in direct light but takes on an almost metallic sheen in certain conditions. The Companion is also available in green, black, and white. Legibility is a key requirement for a field watch, and the Companion manages to provide a lot of information while stopping just short of crossing over into crowded territory. There’s a minute track printed on the sloped rehaut, and a 12-hour index with bold Arabic numerals in a nice, clean typeface. Finally, there’s a central index with a 24-hour display. That last might be superfluous, but it’s a feature of many field watches, and in this instance, it’s nicely integrated into the rest of the dial for a sense of cohesion and a bit of flair.
Text on the dial is mercifully sparse, just the Satori logo at the top of the dial and the brand name and “Automatic” below. There’s a date window at 3 o’clock, and I appreciate that they didn’t cut off the hour marker to fit it in. It’s also surrounded by a printed frame, making it feel very intentional and well integrated. The traditional syringe hands and squared lollipop seconds hand are nicely proportioned to the rest of the dial, and there’s plenty of lume to go around on both the dial and the hands.
It’s refreshing to see a microbrand put its own mark on an established segment, and Satori certainly does that with its debut Companion. Visit Satori at www.satoriwatches.com/ to learn more about the Companion or to sign up to be notified of the Kickstarter launch. The watch will retail for $575 USD, but Kickstarter backers will be able to get it for as low as $430.
