Victorinox Swiss Army, a company that’s known for their rugged pocket knives, also creates incredibly well-made luggage and watches and recently debuted their first new wristwatch collection since the INOX line that came out in 2014.
That’s a long time to not launch a new collection, especially in the Swiss watch industry that’s typically bullish when producing new products. However, considering the growing threat of the Apple Watch and other smartwatches, particularly in the sub-$1,000 price segment, it seems like a prudent decision.
The smartwatch and the growth of digital marketing, has greatly changed the landscape and so when bringing a new watch to market – to be successful – it requires much more careful execution than it did a decade ago. Making sure what is produced is in line with current consumer tastes is absolutely key to survival, after all, our phones tell the time and for the same price, you can buy a smartwatch. But there’s still a consumer segment that wants to wear a wristwatch – that tells the time and looks good – without being connected.
Enter the FieldForce, a highly accessible, rugged, Swiss battery-powered quartz watch (Ronda 517 Swiss made quartz movement), made with the typical quality associated with Victorinox.
Victorinox debuted the FieldForce collection with a single three-hand, day-date model, available in a black, dark blue, or white dial, with the choice of black or brown leather strap, or a stainless steel bracelet.
A chronograph collection is set to arrive this Fall, as well as additional rubber strap options. A mechanical powered version is also likely at some point, although that’s not yet been confirmed.
At launch, the FieldForce comes in a stainless steel case that measures 42 mm x 10 mm with a 21 mm interlug width and an overall length of 49.5 mm. The watch weighs 66.6 grams on a strap and 124.74 grams on a bracelet. The top of the case, the bezel, and the crown are fully polished, and the flanks are brushed.
The dial has a matte, textured surface and features stamped Arabic numerals, except at 12 o’clock where the brand’s red and white Swiss Army shield is located, and at 3 o’clock where a triangle is used because of the day-date aperture. The oversized sword-shaped hour and minute hands are filled with a generous amount of green-colored lume, and the hour markers also have a significant amount of luminescent material, resulting in excellent readability in all lighting conditions.
The sweeping center seconds hand has a bright red lacquered finish, with a small detail as a nod to the company’s heritage: a Swiss Army knife-shaped counterweight. There’s no 24-hour military time scale on the dial (something that used to go on all Swiss Army watches), instead, the designers just went with a simple printed outer chapter ring. A thin black anodized aluminum ring insert, with a 0-60 scale, is set in the fixed stainless steel bezel.
A flat sapphire crystal with Victorinox’s triple anti-reflective coating protects the dial side, with a solid steel screw-in caseback. The push-in steel crown has a laser engraved Swiss Army emblem and is protected by steel crown guards. Water-resistance is 100 meters.
The retail price of the FieldForce is $350 on a leather strap (with quick release levers) and $395 on a stainless steel bracelet.
Learn more at Victorinox.
