96Zero is a UK-based brand with a decidedly military bend. Its name comes from the founder’s military identification number and its first release was a spin on a traditional mil-spec diver. Having already addressed the Royal Navy, 96Zero has now turned its attention to the RAF and the British Army. The Altitude pilot’s watch will arrive in early 2023 and I have the ground-force Field Watch prototype in my hands today. It is scheduled for release on July 15.
I’ve seen my share of field watches and we have reviewed an unusually high number of them this year, but I have seen nothing quite like the 96Zero. Chalk that up to a unique dial that appears to be a seemingly random set of letters and numbers arranged like a more conventional military-time layout. I was a bit confused at first glance. Is this a compass dial? Does it have some significance outside of my civilian experience? Is 96Zero just messing with us? No. That odd dial is a tribute to the founder’s grandmother who was a codebreaker in WW2. It’s simply “encoded.”
I’m a big fan of alternative dials; after all, an analog clock is an analog clock regardless of what markers you sprinkle on it. Given my taste for California dial and assorted variants, the Field Watch’s code dial would make a fine addition to the collection. It also has two other features near to my heart: a sandwich dial and full lume. C1 Superluminova over black makes for a highly legible combination day or night and the cutaway characters impart an even more military appearance, even though I could never imagine such a layout being approved for any government-issued watch, but that’s not the point, is it? There are dozens of conventional military field watches out there. This one is for the enthusiast who wants something different.
Exploring the rest of the face, we find a red-on-white date porthole at 12 o’clock just above the attractive 96Zero logo. If you have really sharp eyes, you will notice a 9, 6, and 0 nested in that maze-like design, which also graces the crown and caseback.
The red minute and second hands recall compass needles and you can indeed use the watch in such a way (see here for more details). A sapphire bezel marked with compass headings will help. That black insert looks fabulous and the 120-click action is firm and secure so you won’t have to worry about it wandering as you make your way. I would note that the BGW9 pales in comparison to the super-bright C1. While not as lively, the bezel markers are still legible in the dark, even if they are overwhelmed by the dial.
Note that the hour hand is silver on the prototype but will be black in production; a wise move that improves visibility and stays truer to the field watch aesthetic. The only real misstep for me was the absence of a minutes track. I can see why they might not have wanted to squeeze one onto an already full dial, but eliminating minutes altogether makes it difficult to set the watch accurately and seems contrary to field watch function. If you can live without that, the Field Watch is otherwise well equipped to handle field expeditions. It wears a sapphire crystal, a screw-down crown, and is water resistant to 100m.
In the lower half is the word, “Dot.” It is not the model name per see, but a nod to Grandma Dorothy and morse code. It’s yet another personal touch that gives the watch such character and even though it is not listed as such on the 96Zero website, I’m hereby christening it the Dot Field Watch.
I was genuinely surprised when I whipped out the calipers to discover this DLC black beauty measures 42mm wide as It wears much closer to 40mm, an illusion I ascribe to the high contrast between the black case and bezel and white dial, 20mm lug width, and 11.5mm thickness. Overall length is 49mm. The case is brushed, accented with only the slightest polished bevel that ties nicely to the glossy insert. I thought it looked pretty good on my 6.75″ wrist.
The standard strap is army green canvas, leather-lined, and equipped with quick-release bars, and a signed 18mm buckle. It’s a perfect complement to the watch but if you want to mix things up, 96Zero supplies four NATOs as well. The black/red and black/tan/red are a quality seatbelt nylon weave. The olive/red stripe is elastic. The tan leather is a soft suede. I almost never wear NATOs these days but this assortment made me remember just how great they can look. 96Zero sends it all bundled into a very cool four-pocket soft canvas roll.
The 96Zero Field Watch is certainly a very personal piece and it won’t be for everyone, but those looking for a watch that is offbeat and still very well executed will be very pleased with the “Dot” Field watch. It will sell for £325 (about $390 US) and only 200 will be made. For more information and to sign up for alerts, visit 96zero.co.uk.
