Disclaimer: This watch was sent to me to review, and I do not need to return it after my review is complete. This watch was given to me without restriction and is not contingent upon a particular outcome for my review. All opinions here are my own, and Camp Watches had no influence over the opinions stated here.
Camp Fieldtimer Florida Green: https://campwatches.com/products/florida-green
Straps Featured:
Delugs Olive Green Sailcloth Strap 20mm: https://delugs.com/products/olive-green-sailcloth-signature-strap?variant=41335033299057
Delugs CTS Navy Rubber Strap Mosaic 20mm: https://delugs.com/products/navy-mosaic-rubber-cts-watch-strap?variant=41332707033201
Video
Review
Camp is a new microbrand based in Los Angeles, founded by experienced industrial designer Justin Jakobson. Justin’s background spans design work for major brands like Sony, Belkin, and Kohler, and he also served as the Director of Industrial Design for MTM Watches, where he spent three years designing military and tactical watches. While Camp is his latest endeavor, his experience in both industrial design and watch design brings an interesting perspective to the brand.
The Fieldtimer marks Camp’s debut, offering a watch with subtle yet interesting design elements in a wearable, practical format. The Fieldtimer draws inspiration from both the automotive industry and classic wristwatch designs, blending these influences into a cohesive “everyday watch”. Priced at $900 USD, the Fieldtimer is available in three dial options and includes two straps along with a bonklip-style bracelet, all ready for immediate shipping.
Camp watches are designed in the USA by Justin. The watches are assembled, regulated and quality controlled in Switzerland by Reglatronic SA, and use Swiss movements from Sellita. As with most “Swiss Made” watches in this price range, I suspect manufacturing of components is done in China and Switzerland.
In today’s review, we’ll be looking at the Fieldtimer in the “Florida Green” variant. Let’s check it out!
Case
I measured the Fieldtimer’s case at 38.35mm in diameter, 46mm lug-to-lug, and 10.15mm in thickness, with a 20mm lug width. Constructed entirely of 316L stainless steel, it features both brushed and polished finishes that highlight its interesting design elements.
The 4.8mm mid-case section is particularly noteworthy, drawing inspiration from the Seiko Speedtimer 6139. However, rather than the blatant imitating that we’re used to in the micro-brand world, Camp has interpreted the Speedtimer’s sleek side profile in their own way. A curved crease along the side of the mid-case, with a polished finish that curves upward toward the lug tips, offers a sophisticated nod to its inspiration. The mid-case also gradually slopes down at the lugs with a brushed finish, creating a smooth transition that enhances wearability.
True to vintage inspiration, the Fieldtimer includes drilled-through lugs for easy strap changes, a practical feature that echoes the classic Seiko style. The polished, stepped bezel complements the vintage aesthetic, hosting a 32mm diameter top-hat, double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating. The crystal introduces subtle edge distortion, adding character without compromising legibility.
At 3 o’clock, a 4.85mm push-pull crown with a coin edge knurling and the brand’s logo on top provides easy grip and operation. The case back features a flat sapphire exhibition window, secured with a screw-down case back, and offers a practical water resistance rating of 100m, making it versatile for daily wear.
Overall, the Fieldtimer’s case design, build quality, and finishing are impressive. Camp has achieved an interesting and creative case that respects its inspirations without merely replicating them, resulting in a refined, well-executed aesthetic. I can’t complain about a single thing here, and I love this design.
Dial
The Fieldtimer’s dial showcases a range of subtle details and tones that are challenging to capture accurately thanks to my sub standard photography skills. The dial has a soft green hue that shifts toward beige or yellow, depending on lighting, lending it a dynamic character. It is crafted with Berlac enamelled lacquer, a high-quality coating material used in both the automotive and watch industries.
The dial’s construction involves ten layers of hand-polished, oven-cured colored lacquer, overlaid with five layers of clear enamelled lacquer. This multi-layer approach allows the printed elements to cast subtle shadows, enhancing the sense of depth on the dial. An outer seconds track with fine gradations nods to the watch’s automotive inspirations, and the printing quality is crisp and precise, giving the dial a clean and orderly look.
The numerals are a standout feature, using a typeface originally designed for the Royal Prussian Rail Administration in 1905. This choice adds a vintage charm, harmonizing with the watch’s classic design language. Camp’s logo sits just below the 12 o’clock marker, complemented by subtle text above the 6 o’clock position, all tied together by a delicate crosshair pattern in light orange.
This “Florida Green” variant takes its name from a rare color of the BMW 02 Series from the 1960s. The hands feature a straightforward design inspired by vintage car dashboards, with proportions that are easy to read. The seconds hand is lumed and capped, adding a practical and visual touch, while the overall finishing on the hands is clean, with a simple brushed, no-frills appearance.
The dial is meticulously executed, with excellent quality control and attention to detail. The lacquer layers, vintage-inspired numerals, and cohesive layout make it a visually appealing element that can only be fully appreciated in person.
Lume
The Fieldtimer includes a good spread of lumed elements, including a fully lumed seconds hand, cross hair, and the brand logo beneath the 12 o’clock marker. However, the watch’s overall design places limits on the quantity of lume that can be applied, especially on the flat printed numerals floating above the lacquer dial. This design choice, while visually appealing, reduces the lume’s brightness and duration.
The hands follow a similar pattern, with their narrow lume plots restricting the amount of lume that can be filled into each. As a result, the lume is attractive and provides sufficient brightness for a few hours into the night, though it gradually fades, making it harder to read in the later hours.
For those who prioritize intense, long-lasting lume, the Fieldtimer may not be the ideal choice. In comparison to two similarly priced models – the Horizon Nemo, a dive watch with obviously much brighter lume, and the Buser Freres GSTP, a field watch with vintage styling – the Fieldtimer’s lume fades the quickest, with the hands remaining legible for a bit longer than the numerals.
Overall, while the lume on the Fieldtimer is well-suited to the watch’s style and looks appealing when it glows, it may not satisfy those who prioritize lasting lume as a functional necessity. This is an area that could be improved if Camp considers lume to be a fundamental attribute of these designs, which, given my enthusiasm for lume, I believe it should be – especially considering how great it looks when illuminated.
Movement
This watch is powered by the Sellita SW210, part of Sellita’s 200 series of movements. While I have repeatedly voiced concerns about the reliability of the SW200 automatic movements in this price range, my experiences with the manual-wind variants, such as the SW210, have been all positive. In this model, the SW210 performs well and presents a clean, industrial finish with a custom laser-engraved plate that discreetly incorporates the brand’s logo into its artwork.
The movement is smooth to wind, offers a 42-hour power reserve, and operates at a 4Hz, supporting consistent timekeeping. Upon testing, I measured the performance of this movement at +6 seconds per day, which speaks well to the regulation and choice of caliber.
On The Wrist
With a case diameter of 38.35mm and a lug-to-lug length of 46mm, the Fieldtimer wears comfortably on my 6.75″ wrist, helped by its slim 10.15mm thickness. The sculpted mid-case and stepped bezel go a long way in delivering a great “on-wrist feel”, making the watch appear and wear thinner than its measurements suggest by at least 2mm.
Typically, I don’t focus on additional accessories in reviews, as stock straps are often very basic. However, Camp’s inclusion of two straps – a grey Cordura nylon strap and a tan leather strap – alongside a bonklip-style steel bracelet, stands out. The watch weighs 48g without any straps, 60g on canvas strap, and 81g on bonklip style bracelet.
Both straps meet the quality you would expect at this price point. While the Cordura strap requires some breaking in, the leather strap is immediately comfortable. A particularly impressive detail is the buckle design. Rather than using traditional embossing, Camp’s clasp features the brand’s name deeply and cleanly embossed through injection molding, showcasing both attention to detail and founder Justin’s industrial design background.
And since I’m a Delugs ambassador, it would be a shame if I didn’t try the Fieldtimer on a couple of Delugs straps. I thought it looked especially sharp on their green sailcloth and blue mosaic rubber options. Overall, the Fieldtimer offers a comfortable, well-thought-out experience on wrist, with multiple strap options that can give you a few different styles.
Wrapping Up
The Camp Fieldtimer left a strong impression in hand, exceeding my expectations based on existing photographs, which I realized don’t fully capture the dial’s subtle color shifts, depth, and light play. Hopefully, this review provides a slightly clearer sense of the Fieldtimer’s design qualities and appeal.
In the sub-$1000 category, where competition is intense, the Fieldtimer holds its own as a compelling first entry for Camp. With unique design elements, a quirky but well-thought-out aesthetic, and a distinctive design language, it shows potential for the brand’s future direction. For those open to exploring a new brand, the Fieldtimer is a compelling choice, combining thoughtful design, quality construction, and good value for its price point. It’s an encouraging start and sets the stage for what could be a very interesting line of watches from Camp in the future.
