I love a good throwback timepiece. Neo-retro and vintage-inspired watches manage to push the right buttons in my brain, making me wax nostalgic as I “add to cart.” Some watchmakers do this by mimicking existing historical models, others by incorporating classic elements into modern designs, but my favorites are the creations that seem as if they should have been produced in the past but never existed—fictional watches, if you will—watches like the Camp Fieldtimer I am reviewing today.
Camp offers three flavors of Fieldtimer: Atlantic Blue, Florida Green, and the Malaga Red model pictured here. Each variant has a different typeface and layout, as well as color, creating distinctive faces and personalities, even though they share the same case and handset.
The Fieldtimer’s case measures 39mm wide, 47mm long, and just 10mm thick, including the tall, double-domed sapphire crystal. That high-top lens gives way to a polished stepped bezel, underscoring the watch’s Art Deco design ethos. The push-pull crown is signed and proportionately sized.
Much of the credit for the Fieldtimer’s low profile goes to its absence of rotor. Camp went for a hand-winding Sellita SW210-1b. Its average power reserve is 45 hours, and it hums at a smooth 28.8k bph. A decorated and signed train wheel bridge is visible through the exhibition glass. Squint a bit to discover the Camp logo, hidden in the pattern like a 1990s “magic eye” poster.
As lean as the Fieldtimer’s case may be, Camp took some efforts to slim it even more. Note the gently undulating character line created by the polished undercut. It creates a pleasant contrast to the otherwise brushed surface, and that reflection can make the entire plane melt from view, obscuring the drilled lugs as the midcase appears to float above it. Camp credits Seiko with this inspiration, specifically the Speedtimer 6139-7020.
Speaking of floating, check out the dial. Fifteen layers of hand-rubbed, enameled Swiss Berlac lacquer create a luscious pool of color so deep you feel as if you can swim in it. Seriously, just look at the way the numbers and text cast shadows below the surface.
Fun fact: the Fieldtimer is a car guy’s watch. You see, Camp is out of Los Angeles, which is a car town, and they snuck some clever automotive elements in here. Berlac lacquers are used by Porsche, Audi, Jaguar, and Lotus. The leather watch roll resembles a tool roll. Malaga Red, Florida Green, and Atlantic Blue were BMW colors for the iconic model 2002 in the 1970s. Those amazing numerals came from the speedometer of the 1940 Ford Special Coupe. It gives a nod to car culture without going overboard. Those who know, know.
Other variants use different but similarly unique typefaces. The Blue dial has custom “Stink” by Hanzel Space Studio. The Green dial uses DIN1451, originally designed for the Royal Prussian Rail Administration in 1905.
I’m grateful for the Fieldtimer’s clean and simple handset. Those brushed batons with their channel of lume suit the watch’s Depression-era aesthetic and provide an accent to the dial’s rich color and distinctive details. A more aggressive handset might have been too much. These are quietly handsome, and they don’t steal the show.
Overall, I found the Camp Fieldtimer convincingly evokes a pre-war ethos. It doesn’t look like any particular historical watch, and it’s a bit large for that period, but if you were to tell me that it was a replica, I might just believe you.
“It’s just like the 1936 Butterworth Hobo-Timer,” you’d explain. “That red lume was originally a mix of uranium and strychnine applied by orphans.”
“Oh, yeah,” I’d reply, nodding sagely, “that totally tracks.”
Of course, the lume is, in fact, Swiss Super-LumiNova. You might think that those dark numbers and skinny hands might not make for an impressive night display, but you would be wrong. The red lume on the numbers works surprisingly well. The logo? Lumed. The minutes track? Also lumed. “Mechanical,” “100M,” and “Swiss Made”? Lumed, lumed, and lumed.
Granted, the glow fades quickly from those fine lines, but it looks fantastic while it lasts.
You can certainly wear the Camp like a sports watch, and its 100m water resistance and sapphire dome should brush off the bumps and dunks of most common activities with ease. Although it is not a traditional dress watch, it is pretty enough to wear with dressier outfits and slim enough to slip under a buttoned shirt cuff. Mid-sized watches are generally a good fit on my 6.75″ wrist. The Fieldtimer’s modest length and low profile looked just right.
Camp provides the Fieldtimer with two 20mm straps and a Bonklip bracelet. Bonklips have been around since the 1920s. They are not exactly common, and that’s a shame because they are pretty dandy. Bonklips are open-link, single-piece units that Camp offers in two lengths (8″ or 9″ max circumference). You don’t remove any links to size one. Rather, you thread the clasp through the larger of the two loops on the small end, adjust it to the proper size for your wrist, and then snap the clasp on any of the open links. Spring tabs on the signed clasp keep it secure.
It’s easy, feels great, and looks like something your great-grandfather might have worn — perfect for this watch.
The strap options on this variant are a camel brown leather with red-brown stitching, and silver-gray Cordura lined in orange leather. Nice as these straps may be, their most striking feature is the buckle. Calling it “signed” seems like a gross understatement as that implies some form of etching or engraving. On this buckle, the buckle is molded using micro metal injection, allowing the Camp name to be a sculpted unit nearly as deep as the frame itself.
The Camp Fieldtimer is available now for $1,099, $900 (October 31, 2024 price drop), which includes the roll, straps, bracelet, and a nifty pin. I’d say that is money well spent. Every part of this watch shows great care and an artist’s eye. I was charmed, and I trust you will be, too.
To find out more, visit campwatches.com.
