Benrus is once again embracing their roots this Veterans Day with a modernization of their classic DTU-2A/P field watch called the DTU Field. The design, which was developed in response to updated U.S. military specifications, has held up remarkably well, which shouldn’t really be a surprise given its goals. Practical features should be timeless, after all. The DTU Shield picks up on the classic field watch hallmarks and packages it in a surprisingly refined 38mm steel case with a light silver dial.
Benrus does offer a 38mm DTU, though only in PVD bronze and black applications. If you want an uncoated steel case, you’d have to make do with 34mm and a black dial, just like the original. With the Shield, you can now have an option featuring a sandblasted 38mm steel case with a silver dial, which goes a long way in making for a more approachable daily wear option. Of course, a black dial option would be welcome, but the silver shows just how versatile this design can be, especially under a double domed sapphire crystal.
There are plenty of great old-school field watch options currently on the market, including from brands with plenty of heritage. Benrus counts itself among them, with a history that dates back to the 1920s, and a well documented relationship with the US Military producing official Mil-Spec watches over the course of generations. Nothing fancy here, just gritty tools that served their purpose effectively. That’s kind of the charm around these designs these days, but it translates remarkably well, all things considered.
While this is certainly a modern vision of the watch, there are plenty of throwback details providing the character. The dial design in particular sticks pretty close to the original script, with a military hour scale on the inside of the hour markers, thin syringe style hands, and Old Radium Super-LumiNova markers at the perimeter. The hour markers themselves are pitch black, and stand in stark contrast against the silver dial, and this juxtaposition is the focal point, so it doesn’t feel like an old watch at a glance.
Benrus is using the tried and true ETA 2892 with the DTU Shield, which is a welcome choice these days. The case has lug holes, and the domed sapphire makes for a total thickness just over 10mm, and overall this frame is a downright charmer on the wrist. This watch joins the regular production DTU collection, and is priced at $1,595 with plenty of strap options available. Benrus