Chicago based brand Astor+Banks is releasing a new field watch collection this week called Terra Scout, and with it comes a fresh perspective on the genre. Astor+Banks has a well defined aesthetic that features strong shapes, thoughtful use of color, and layered depth. Each of these is on clear display with the Terra Scout, giving the watch a familiar sense of identity while still boasting a wholly unique design. The new collection consists of four watches, three of which will be regular production references, with a fourth limited edition that uses a sand colored Cerakote case.
The field watch is a pretty well fleshed out concept at this point, and while simple, it offers plenty of room for creative exploration. You might argue that a good field watch by definition requires a simple approach to retain focus on the core function, and you’d be right. However, as a basis for creative interpretation, it’s a genre ripe for exploration, even if the end result doesn’t strictly satisfy those requirements. At the end of the day, if it’s still a practical design with a little flair mixed in for good measure, no harm done if you ask me. There are still plenty of dead simple field watches out there doing their thing.
Indeed, the Terra Scout offers plenty of small details to enjoy, and while the intention may have been to heighten legibility or durability, superfluous details often end up having the opposite effect. Be that as it may, the Terra Scout is a great example of what happens when you let go of those steadfast rules, and the result is pretty great, and that comes down to those small details.
The Terra Scout begins with a 38.5mm steel case that gets a uniform blasted finish. The case can be had in steel or black DLC steel, alongside the sand Cerakote case LE. A boxed sapphire crystal makes for a total thickness of 12.4mm, and this includes features like soft iron lining for magnetic protection, and Viton gaskets that provide protection for the 660ft depth rating. Inside sits a La Joux-Perret G100 automatic movement with 68 hours of reserve, and in-house regulation to +/- 8 seconds per day. It’s all the bells and whistles you want to see in an all rounder like this.
Things get interesting with the dial, which uses three individual layers bringing a good amount of depth to the situation. First is a minute ring framing the dial, it’s rendered in black on either dial color, meaning it’s a point of contrast on the white dial, and fades into the background on the black dial. The top layer hosts cutouts that mark each hour in a sandwich configuration with the cardinal positions represented as Arabic numerals. Finally, the inner portion of the dial displays the days of the month with an aperture for each, and an orange marker progressing each day.
Multiple colors of lume are used at the perimeter of the dial, with the white dial variation featuring a full lumed central portion of the dial as well. It’s a fun design that draws you in for a closer look, and while it may not be the most legible field watch out there, it’s got plenty of personality to make up for it. That makes this a field watch worthy of note, rules be damned.
The Terra Scout is currently available to pre-order for $875 for the regular production models (regular price will be $995), while the limited edition sand Cerakote reference, which will be limited to 100 pieces, is priced at $975 (regular price will be $1,195). Pre-order pricing ends March 1st, with shipping slated to begin that same month. Astor+Banks
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