Watches often fall into two categories: lookers and doers. Pretty much everybody loves a looker—beautiful watches get commented on for a reason, after all. It’s doers that get the most use, however, because reliable toughness is simply more applicable to day-to-day wear. ProTek’s Series 3000 field watches rest one hand in the former category and the other in the latter.
ProTek Watches come from Time Concepts, which has made various watch brands (including custom builds) under its name for more than a decade. It’s run by Barry Cohen, the founder of Luminox. Though Time Concepts itself is on the younger side, the knowledge base at the company spans decades. That’s especially the case when it comes to tough, durable timepieces. The ProTek Field Series 3000 delivers on that front with a sleek design and an eye-catching glow.
What Stands Out on the ProTek Field Series 3000 Watches
Sleek appearance aside, two main things immediately stood out to me when I gave this watch a test. The first was how light it is. At 48.4 grams, the weight floats as lightly on your wrist as a dime store toy watch, but has the durability of some of the toughest watches on the market. The second thing that stood out is how the movement is near silent.
Credit: ProTek
If it had been dark out, a third thing would have topped the list: the glow. It uses a continuous, self-powered ProGlo T100 illumination that can glow for 25 years without encountering an external light source. It’s reportedly 100 times brighter than a conventional lume, and while I don’t have the tools to test that claim, it’s hard not to believe it when comparing the watch to anything else that glows.
The brightness comes from tritium tubes in three different colors. Tritium is a radioactive hydrogen atom that’s naturally produced in the upper atmosphere and human-created from nuclear byproduct (and yes, it’s perfectly safe in your watch).
This, paired with a simple face, makes for an easy-to-read watch that’s functional (and functionally attractive). Additionally, the glow has made it a go-to when I know I’m going to be in low-light conditions and still need to keep track of passing time, from the baby room to the campsite.
What It Doesn’t Have
No watch can be everything to everybody, and there are a few things that keep the ProTek Field Series from being a true everyday watch for me. The first is the lack of a date aperture. It admittedly would clutter up an otherwise clean face, but if I’m going to be wearing the piece day in and day out it’d be a nice feature to include.
The Verdict on the ProTek Field Series 3000
Watches make a statement, and the rugged yet professional statement emanating from this watch make it an easy go-to in a wide variety of situations. Plus, knowing that it can stand up to pretty much whatever you put it through (ProTek is the official watch brand of the Marines, after all) is a huge plus. The only downside of not having a date window for an everyday wearer is easily forgotten when taking into account the look, weight, and, of course, that incredible unmissable glow.
Specs: ProTek Field Series 3000
- Case size: 40mm diameter, 11mm depth
- Material: Medical grade titanium case with titanium screw caseback and sapphire crystal with antireflective coating
- Water resistance: 100 meters
- Movement: Japanese Quartz Citizen/Miyota Super 2035 3 Hand Movement
- Strap: Waterproof genuine Italian leather
- Price: $475+
