The venerable field watch might just be one of the most iconic timepieces in history. Built for combat and field duties, it’s a style that has stood the test of time and now holds its own as a great daily wristwatch. One of our favorite microbrands, RZE, has nailed the formula in three important ways. First of all, it retains a classic small diameter at 38mm. Second, it crafts the case in high-grade titanium. Third, it offers the Valor 38 in five colors: white, black, blue, grey, green, and yellow.
The cushion-round hybrid-shaped titanium case is also more than the sum of its parts. Standard titanium oxidizes and tends to be a scratch magnet. RZE clads theirs in UltraHex, making it tougher, more scratch resistant, and harder at 1,200 Vickers (316L stainless steel is 200 Vickers and Grade 2 titanium is 145 Vickers). Other key details include an automatic mechanical movement, 100 meters of water resistance, AR coated sapphire glass, knurled and logo’d screw down crown, and a nylon NATO strap with UltraHex titanium hardware that matches the case. The watch has already blown out its goal and is now in the pre-order phase. The very affordable $299 price tag is almost hard to fathom. It could just be the only casual watch you’ll ever need.
