Farer Launch Field Watch Collection Series II with Updated Case Design and Dials

These days I tend to think about British brand Farer in terms of their dive watches, GMTs and Chronographs but the collection that first drew me to them was the Field Watch collection from 2021. They were 38.5mm steel watches but that restrained size was offset by bezels built like absolute units, which give them a bold, adventure ready appearance. Now, Farer are revisiting the concept for the Field Watch Collection Series II, which features updated case designs and fresh dials.

Starting with the Farer Field case, the huge bezel has been scaled back so that it’s not quite so dominating, which has a big impact on the overall appearance of the watch. Not least of all because the case is slimmer now, measuring 38mm in diameter by 11.7mm in thickness. At the same time the reduced bezel allows the dial to take up a larger proportion of watch’s area, making the display more legible.

At the same time the crown at 3 o’clock is 35% wider making it more ergonomic and easier to use. If I were to summarise, the Farer Field collection has much more in common with pilot’s watches now, which makes sense because pilot’s watches and field watches are in some ways cousins. Both require great durability and highly legible displays as well as having similar military inspired heritages. In fact, for the Oracle Time Watch Awards we’ve treated them as the same category (don’t forget to vote here).

In classic Farer fashion, while the three watches in the collection share a case, the dials feature some significant differences. As such, it’s simply easier to address them one by one. Each is named after a National Park in the UK.

Pembroke II

The Pembroke is perhaps the most significantly different in terms of dial design to its original counterpart. The original was white with a blue ring for the numerals but here it’s now a sandy khaki tone with grainy texture and the blue has been relegated to small details like the tip of the lollipop seconds hand, peripheral pointer date scale and some of the inscriptions in the centre. Interestingly the last four days of the month aren’t blue but red instead as a reminder that you might need to adjust the function at the end of the month. The hour scale is comprised of Arabic numerals with triangles or rectangles at the cardinal points.

Lomond II

Named after a Scottish national park famous for its lochs, the Lomond II has the most aquatic theme of the three with its dark navy dial. It has the same grainy texture as its counterparts but here it’s reminiscent of the choppy surface of a Scottish lake. Here the pointer date scale is white instead of blue to stand out against the surface of the dial. Additionally the Arabic numerals on the hour scale have been inverted to a classic 3/6/9 style display with a triangle at 12.

Exmoor II

Last up is the Exmoor II, the most similar to its original series I edition. It has an olive green dial with a burnt orange pointer date hand and white date scale. It has a full complement of Arabic numerals, which is actually the most traditional field watch display as it leaves no room for reporting errors when reading the time. Plus, green is always popular for field watches given the camo/fatigue aesthetic it leans towards.

That brings us beyond the three dials to the movement that’s housed beneath each of them. It’s the Sellita SW221, the pointer date variant of the ever ubiquitous SW200 with a 41-hour power reserve. Protecting it is a solid caseback that helps the watch maintain a 150m water resistance rating, not enough to reliably survive an extended swim but it should manage a few muddy puddles, which is the point of a field watch.

All three watches are priced at £1,095 and are provided with two strap and bracelet options. There’s a three-link bracelet that Farer have upgraded with a NodeX micro-adjustment system for the first time, allowing for rapid size alterations. Second is a sailcloth strap made from genuine sailcloth, renowned for its waterproof qualities and durability. All three are cool but pushed to make a choice I would add the Pembroke II to my collection.

More details at Farer.