What’s this? Another field watch to review? But of course! Today, I have the Valour 38 from Time Bum favorite RZE. “But Mr. Bum,” you say, “didn’t you review the RZE Valour last year?” Well, gentle reader, I did, but that was a very different watch. Ironically, the previous Valour was the largest watch RZE produced, measuring 42mm wide (44mm if you include the case-length crown guards), and it ran a MechaQuartz chronograph. The Valour 38 is a 3-hand and, as you might have guessed from the name, 38mm wide, making it the smallest watch the brand has produced and making me wonder why they used the same name.
Like all RZE watches, the Valour 38 is constructed from Grade 2 titanium, a material I’ve long hailed as the single best choice for a tool watch. In addition to its high tensile strength, titanium is light, a fact that the Valour uses to its greatest advantage, tipping the scales at a scant 57g. ULTRAHex coating hardens the surface to an impressive 1200Hv to protect that matte surface from the inevitable scuffs and scratches of life.
While light and narrow, the Valour is by no means undersized. Its barrel-shaped case elongates it to 45mm, even with those short, angular lugs, and it is 11.4mm thick from caseback to crystal (sapphire, of course). This affords the Valour ample presence on my 6.75″ wrist, although it is by no means obtrusive.
In typical RZE fashion, the case is replete with chiseled angles and chunky crown guards that give it a solid, purposeful look. The signed crown has fabulous knurling and tucks neatly out of the way when fully screwed down. In true tool watch fashion, the lugs are drilled. Water resistance is 100m, which is par for the course among field watches and more than any user is likely to need.
The Valour 38’s dial is exactly what you would expect from a traditional field watch, with bold Arabic numbers marking the first 12 hours and a second, smaller index for 24-hour time. With their clipped corners, those fat numbers appear less military than sporting, bringing to mind a very different sort of “field” in my mind. It’s a welcome shift from the overtly martial look adopted by most field watches. At first glance, the dial appears sterile, but then you notice the RZE logo below the 6. Nicely done!
In addition to the green shown here, RZE will also offer it in gray, white, blue, and RZE’s signature yellow.
The primary numerals are printed in white lume, while the hands and the markers behind the numbers are yellow. It’s a fetching combination on the olive dial (which, as you can see, varies greatly depending on the light) and a two-tone blue/green treat at night. Glow and duration are excellent.
Inside the Valour is a Seiko NH38A automatic. A close cousin of the more common NH35A but lacking a date wheel. It is otherwise identical: 24 jewels, 21.6k bph, and a 41-hour power reserve. It is ready for years of trouble-free service. It sits behind RZE’s usual unadorned caseback — all business.
RZE supplied the Valour 38 review sample with two straps. The first is a 20mm nylon pass-through that will come standard. It looks NATOish, but is, in fact, a single-piece pass-through. Nylon is a good look on a field watch, and the smooth, thick seatbelt weave on this one is easy to wear. The strap lacks the extra strap and loop of a NATO style, giving it a lower profile and a better fit. The heavy fabric fits snugly under the springbars, so there is no risk of the watch head slipping off.
The second strap is a black two-piece with quick-release pins that will be available as an add-on. It is made of smooth, supple, lint-free FKM rubber, which is — as anyone who has sampled one can attest — the only rubber worth wearing. It’s clear that this is not an off-the-shelf strap but a custom RZE item with the logo and hex pattern molded into the underside and a signed keeper and buckle.
It looks great on the watch and feels great on your wrist. I rarely reach for a rubber strap as my first choice, but here, I could be tempted. It’s just that good. If you order a Valour 38, I’d suggest you shell out that little bit extra for the FKM strap.
Regular readers will know I don’t often mention packaging but RZE’s is worth note as the brand has redesigned all of it for low environmental impact. They have eliminated the need for plastic mailers and bubble wrap for 95% of their shipments, utilized a simple and recyclable cardboard box with a thin foam insert, and packed the watch in a simple pouch made from up-cycled tarpaulin. If you want an upgrade, you can opt for the Balckcomb Adventure Kit shown here, which is a dandy zippered wallet with two watch-sized pouches as well as pockets for cards and loops for pens.
The RZE Valour 38 launches on Kickstarter August 3. Full retail will be $299 after the campaign, which is good but not nearly the bargain of the preorder, where early birds can grab it for as little as $219. That is an excellent price for a watch as cool and capable as this.
Head over to RZEwatches.com for more info, or if you are reading this after launch, go right to the RZE Valour 38 Kickstarter page. You won’t be sorry.
