Field Watch: Dressing For The Great Outdoors

Previously, we’ve shared about the field-style watch. But at the end of the day it’s still not a true field watch. It looks the part, but may not live up to the rugged lifestyle of the great outdoors. So today, we’ll take a look at a true field watch, the Militado ML1868. We’ll breakdown what it takes to be a true field watch, and how to dress one.

Close-up of the Militado ML1868 field watch with an olive green sailcloth strap. — Militado ML1868, with its distinct chronograph layout, and an overall bead-blasted watch case.
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Characteristics Of A True Field Watch

Before you jump the gun, and call it a chronograph, you’re right, the Militado ML1868 is a chronograph. But just like the San Martin SN0116, the GMT is a feature, not a genre. In this case, the chronograph is a feature, not a genre too. Only a racing watch is one genre that’s exclusively chronograph. So let’s take a look at what makes a true field watch :-

(1) Extremely Easy To Read At A Glance

All field watches have simple, high-contrast hands and dials, with Arabic numerals in simple fonts for hour markers all round. Or at least Arabic numerals at the cardinal hours, and simple markers for others. Individual minute markers are a must. Some dials come with 12/24 hours markers too, but that’s optional. Ultimately, it has to be easy to read at a glance.

(2) Tough Enough To Weather The Elements

Tough watch case to withstand bumps, knocks, scratches, and repeated hot/cold cycles out in the wild. Sufficient shock resistance, in case you fall off the cliff or something. Whilst it’s not a dive watch, you’ll still need at least 100m of water resistance. You know, in case you fall into a lake, and need to swim your way to dry land.

(3) Ability To Read The Time In The Dark

Out there in the jungle/desert/mountain top, it can get pretty dark at night. So unless your watch comes with plenty of lume, you’re essentially wearing a paperweight until sunrise.

Close-up of the ML1868 field watch, dial face in total darkness, showcasing the dual-coloured lume. — The ML1868 comes with plenty of lume, which will last through the night. It’s easy enough to read at a glance, even in total darkness.
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In short, a field watch can work in pretty much any environment, without needing to baby it like luxury watches. Just like a dive watch, the field watch is tough. Designed to literally survive and thrive in any environment humans can subject it to. Not exactly built to win any beauty competitions, but its “ugliness” is its own beauty.

Dressing The Field Watch

Alright, let’s get on with it. Unlike a typical field watch, the ML1868 isn’t exactly all muscles with zero finesse. Whilst it’s a true field watch, it also leans a little on the dressy side too.

(1) Business Formal

Solid charcoal grey suit, solid white shirt, solid burgundy tie, and solid white pocket square. — Two-piece, solid charcoal grey suit, with a solid white shirt, solid burgundy tie, and solid white pocket square.
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Close-up of a pair of solid black plain toe Oxford dress shoes. — Solid black, plain-toe Oxfords, are as conservative as you can go.
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NO – No doubt, the ML1868 is a dressier version of a typical field watch. Nevertheless, it’s still not dressy enough to suit up. Stick to the classic dress watch.

(2) Business Semi-Formal

Solid olive green suit, solid blue shirt with white contrasting collar and cuffs. Burgundy tie with small repeating patterns, and pocket square. — Two-piece, solid olive green suit, with sporty, slanted hip pockets, and a ticket pocket above the right hip pocket. A pale blue shirt with contrasting collar and cuffs, small-patterned burgundy tie and coordinating pocket square.
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Close-up of a pair of whole cut in ox blood, with wingtip patterned brogue. Another type of typical dress shoes. — Whole cut in ox blood, with burnished toes, and wingtip patterned brogue.
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Again, NO – Business Semi-Formal is still pretty dressy to pair with a field watch. Same like above, stick to a classic dress watch.

(3) Business Informal

Solid navy, double breasted blazer, with 6 X 2 gold buttons. Solid blue shirt with navy and yellow regimental striped tie, solid grey trousers, and pocket square. — Double breasted navy blazer with 6 X 2 gold buttons. Solid pale blue shirt with navy and yellow regimental striped tie. Solid medium grey trousers, and a contrasting pocket square.
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Close-up of a pair of brown double monk-straps. A less dressy dress shoes. — Brown, double monk-straps, to exude a more playful vibe.
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Close-up of the Militado ML1868 field watch with a Milanese mesh band. — Swap the sailcloth strap with a Milanese mesh band to give it a more delicate look.
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MAYBE / YES – Not exactly my first choice, but I’m not against it either. Swap the sailcloth strap with a Milanese mesh band to soften the tool-like look a little.

(4) Business Casual

Grey sport jacket in mini-Glen check weave, a solid pink OCBD shirt with block stripe knit tie in autumn colours, and a pair of solid burgundy chinos. — Grey sport jacket in mini-Glen check weave. Solid pink OCBD shirt with a knit tie in autumn colours. Solid burgundy chinos, and a contrasting pocket square.
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Close-up of a pair of brown penny loafers. One of the least dressy dress shoes. — Brown penny loafers, a typical “less dressy” dress shoes.
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Close-up of the Militado ML1868 field watch with a brown leather strap. — Swap the sailcloth strap with a leather strap to dress up the overall watch vibe.
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YES – I’m getting more comfortable pairing with the field watch at this formality level. But still, swap the sailcloth strap with a brown leather strap.

(5) Dressy Casual

Unstructured, charcoal brown flannel sport jacket, denim OCBD shirt, and khaki chinos. — Charcoal brown, unstructured sport jacket with an open collared denim OCBD shirt. Khaki chinos, and a contrasting pocket square.
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Close-up of a pair of khaki canvas derbies. — Derby shoes in tan canvas stretch what it means to be “dress” shoes.
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Close-up of the Militado ML1868 field watch with a black leather strap. — A black leather strap, with white contrasting stitching, really brings out the field watch vibes.
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A definite YES – Zero apprehension from me, it’s a great pairing with the field watch. And since we’re no longer wearing leather shoes, there’s no need to match the leathers here. A black leather strap gives it a stealthy look.

(6) Just Casual

Denim trucker jacket, solid white t-shirt, and solid olive green jeans. — Denim trucker jacket, solid white t-shirt, and olive green jeans.
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Close-up of a pair of white trainers. — White trainers, with a thin red and black stripe. A stereotypical pair of casual footwear.
Image by Daniel Storek of Unsplash

Another definite YES – At this stage of formality, literally anything goes. Keep the default olive green sailcloth strap to project the outdoorsy vibe, or maintain the black stealth look. Both work very well with the casual aesthetics.

How Would I Personally Wear A Field Watch?

The chronograph complication is a sporty feature. Hence, slapping on a chronograph complication generally brings down the dressiness of a watch… any watch. It’s true, that the ML1868 leans a little on the dressy side. But there’s still no denying that it’s a sport watch through and through. So here’s the uppermost limit of formality that I’m comfortable wearing with this slightly dressy field watch.

Unstructured, corduroy sport jacket in camel colour. Blue denim shirt in OCBD construction, with a knit tie in segments of brown, red and off-white. And the ML1868 field watch with olive green sailcloth strap. — Pairing the ML1868 with a corduroy sport jacket, denim shirt, and knit tie. The texture in all these garments suppresses the formality of the overall business casual outfit.
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Close-up to the wrist, with a camel coloured corduroy sport jacket. Faded indigo denim shirt sleeve. And the ML1868 field watch with olive green sailcloth strap. — The brown of the corduroy sport jacket, faded indigo of the denim shirt, and the olive green sailcloth strap. Everything on this palette harmonises with the colours of nature.
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Disclaimer – This Is Not A Sponsored Field Watch

Neither Militado Watch, nor their affiliate brands, sponsored this article. I purchased this ML1868 myself, as part of my personal collection. I’m not promoting the brand, nor this particular watch, but I do have to admit that I enjoy wearing it.

As usual, leave your comments, critiques, or questions below. If you enjoyed what you read, and are itching to contribute something my way, hey, I’d appreciate a coffee. You can buy me a coffee with the link below.