# New "Vintage" Bean Field Watch



## stillwaters20007 (May 24, 2006)

I've noticed in the last few Bean catalogs what has been described as a new offering -- this "Vintage Field Watch."






Is this any different than Bean's Field Watch of years past? In any event, I'm pretty sure I haven't seen this watch with those band selections.

Still Hamilton made? Is there any reason to purchase this over the Hamilton Khaki (apart from price).

Would be curious to hear reviews by anyone whose bought this particular one.

Thanks.

StillWaters 20007


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## brozek (Sep 24, 2006)

If I can piggyback a question, does anyone know whether it has solid/forged pins (I don't know what to call them) or spring-loaded ones? In fact, just knowing the correct term for the former would be helpful, so I know what to call the kind of watch head I'm looking for.

This is an an awful watch, but it kind of shows what I'm hoping to find:


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## Tucker (Apr 17, 2006)

The LL Bean watch resembles the Hamilton, but I doubt you'd be able to find a new Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz for $89. Overstock.com has the lowest price I've seen, around $120 (list is well over $200). Both have a mineral crystal (there are more expensive Hamilton Khaki models with a sapphire crystal). I'd bet that either are of acceptable quality.


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## Tucker (Apr 17, 2006)

brozek said:


> If I can piggyback a question, does anyone know whether it has solid/forged pins (I don't know what to call them) or spring-loaded ones? In fact, just knowing the correct term for the former would be helpful, so I know what to call the kind of watch head I'm looking for.


The common terms are "fixed bars" or "fixed pins". I'm pretty sure that the LL Bean watch has spring bars. Fixed bars aren't common unless you're talking about authentic military watches.


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## Tom Buchanan (Nov 7, 2005)

That is not a bad deal if you want a quartz field watch.

It says that it is a jeweled movement, made in Switzerland. I would guess that it is made by the Swatch group, which is the biggest Swiss manufacturer and owns Hamilton and many other watch companies. It comes with two Nato style bands, and has some minimal water resistance. If you like it, I would get it. 

I would also doubt that it has fixed bars. Fixed bars are rare these days.


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## zarathustra (Aug 24, 2006)

Tucker said:


> The LL Bean watch resembles the Hamilton, but I doubt you'd be able to find a new Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz for $89. Overstock.com has the lowest price I've seen, around $120 (list is well over $200). Both have a mineral crystal (there are more expensive Hamilton Khaki models with a sapphire crystal). I'd bet that either are of acceptable quality.


Just bought this watch at overstock last weekend for 105ish with the sale and discount codes.


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## TweedyDon (Aug 31, 2007)

I like the look of this watch, but for the money I'd prefer an automatic Seiko 5. (And a new jacket and a couple of BB OCBDs from the thrift exchange!)


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

Can anybody tell me what makes a watch a "field watch"? Is it the small Arabic numerals 13-24 inside the 1-12?


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## newz (Mar 1, 2008)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Can anybody tell me what makes a watch a "field watch"? Is it the small Arabic numerals 13-24 inside the 1-12?


I am not sure that's it as many of my watches have this and they aren't considered field watches.

I thought it was a reference to the band of the watch.


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## chatsworth osborne jr. (Feb 2, 2008)

brozek said:


> This is an an awful watch, but it kind of shows what I'm hoping to find


Coincidentally, I stumbled upon M.H. Bertucci watches in my quest for something with an offset crown. They all feature the fixed bars.


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## Harris (Jan 30, 2006)

stillwaters20007 said:


> I've noticed in the last few Bean catalogs what has been described as a new offering -- this "Vintage Field Watch."
> 
> Is this any different than Bean's Field Watch of years past? In any event, I'm pretty sure I haven't seen this watch with those band selections.
> 
> ...


Good looking watch. I wonder about the size. If it's 31mm or less, I might buy.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

Nathan Detroit said:


> Can anybody tell me what makes a watch a "field watch"? Is it the small Arabic numerals 13-24 inside the 1-12?


AFAIK, "field watch" is more of a marketing or functional term, but typically refers to any military-inspired water-resistant watch suitable for outdoor activity. The archetypes of this style are the Vietnam-era Hamilton or WW-II era Bulova military-issue watches, now widely copied. These feature large, luminous Arabic numerals for legibility, and a smaller inner track for "military time." Most have a hacking center-seconds hand.


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## Nathan Detroit (Oct 12, 2005)

KentW said:


> AFAIK, "field watch" is more of a marketing or functional term, but typically refers to any military-inspired water-resistant watch suitable for outdoor activity. The archetypes of this style are the Vietnam-era Hamilton or WW-II era Bulova military-issue watches, now widely copied. These feature large, luminous Arabic numerals for legibility, and a smaller inner track for "military time." Most have a hacking center-seconds hand.


Thanks. Do you know of any good knock-offs of the Hamilton? Does Timex do one?


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## SartoNYC (Feb 22, 2005)

*Why not go for the real thing?*

LL Bean is having so much of their stuff made in China these days having that logo on your time piece might be an embarrassment.

You can find a Nato issue G-10 quartz for not much more, or even the W-10 winder. If you prefer American look at US Military issue watches; particularly the Marathon and Stocker & Yale.

Here are a couple of sites for you:

Thanks.


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## A.Squire (Apr 5, 2006)

SartoNYC said:


> LL Bean is having so much of their stuff made in China these days having that logo on your time piece might be an embarrassment.
> 
> 
> 
> > Believe it!


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## mixed_signal (May 1, 2010)

I recently purchased the self-illuminating L. L. Bean field watch. They state it's a Swiss quartz movement, and the case and face both say Swiss Made. The standard version appears to have the same case and also states Swiss Made on the face: .

Bean has a good reputation for standing behind their products - often providing full refund or replacement years after purchase. Good luck finding that level of support elsewhere. I have two colleagues with Bean field watches, one of which had his for 20 years and they report similarly good experences with the company.


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## Steve Smith (Jan 12, 2008)

Topsider said:


> ......These feature large, luminous Arabic numerals for legibility, *and a smaller inner track for "military time*.".......


If you are in the military, the conversion to military time becomes second nature. You would have to be as dumb as a box of rocks to need the inner ring with the +12 numbers. I have always seen field watches with those numbers as being for wannabees. Another example of a wannabee watch is a fancy analog "aviation watch" with multiple dials. I used a digital Timex back in the day, as did most of my contemporaries.


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## Youngster (Jun 5, 2008)

I guess I'm dumb as a box of rocks. I love those little extra numbers.


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## Taken Aback (Aug 3, 2009)

Tucker said:


> The common terms are "fixed bars" or "fixed pins". I'm pretty sure that the LL Bean watch has spring bars. Fixed bars aren't common unless you're talking about authentic military watches.


 Or Swatch.


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## mualphapiper (Dec 13, 2009)

Steve Smith said:


> If you are in the military, the conversion to military time becomes second nature. You would have to be as dumb as a box of rocks to need the inner ring with the +12 numbers. I have always seen field watches with those numbers as being for wannabees.


Not for wannabees, it's the real thing, the military H3:


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## shms59 (Apr 7, 2010)

brozek said:


> If I can piggyback a question, does anyone know whether it has solid/forged pins (I don't know what to call them) or spring-loaded ones? In fact, just knowing the correct term for the former would be helpful, so I know what to call the kind of watch head I'm looking for.
> 
> This is an an awful watch, but it kind of shows what I'm hoping to find:


I am pretty sure the Bean field watch is not a Hamilton Khaki Quartz. The smallest mens quartz models were 38mm diameter and all of the Khakis have spring bars and not fixed bars. The newer khaki's are 40mm with some in 42mm as bigger watches have become the thing lately.

If you are looking for a military field watch with fixed bars in the 38mm size range you might want to check out CWC (Cabot Watch Company- Supplier to the MOD). They cost a bit more but are very practical. They come in both mechanical and quartz.

https://www.armywatch.co.uk/

General service issue 2000 watch
Current issue to RAF, with thousands in service. The requirement from the MOD for this watch was non-tritium and no battery hatch; in all other respects, it is the same watch as the current British army watch, with the added feature of the date function. Clear, precise and performing under arduous conditions for years, this watch is the choice of the MOD for the RAF. 100% Swiss-made using Swiss parts to extremely high standards. Three year warranty.

Most of these have the 18mm lug width so you may just be able to get a Bond strap or a patriotic nylon strap for it-


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## shms59 (Apr 7, 2010)

One more good resource for NATO G10 straps and military style watches:

https://www.westcoastime.com/milandmilsty.html

Many of his watches are Made by O & W in Switzerland and are a good compromise between beater and a nicer mechanical watch.


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