Most tool watches benefit from being large. In a dive watch, larger proportions allow for thicker case walls and therefore improved water resistance ratings and in a chronograph large proportions help keep the dial legible despite being crammed with information as well as providing space for a bulky chronograph movement. However, field watches are the exception. Field watches want to be small. For soldiers or adventurers, you don’t want a bulky watch to impede your mobility and less surface area also means less chance of bashing or breaking the watch. With that in mind, Serica are introducing a new, smaller edition of their signature field watch, the Ref. 7505 Field Chronometer.
Serica’s existing field watch is the Ref. 6190 Field Chronometer, which is by no means huge at a 37.7mm diameter. However, the Ref. 7505 is even smaller at just 35mm with a lug-to-lug of 41.5mm and a thickness of 9.6mm including the crystal. But before those numbers on paper scare you off because it’s too small, let me assure you that this watch retains a big wrist presence that makes it suitable for a wide range of wrist sizes.
A large part of that presence comes from the bezel, which has polished edges and a vertically brushed top surface. It’s quite broad, occupying a significant proportion of the visual space and giving the watch a bold, industrial vibe that stops the watch feeling overtly feminine despite the size. It also has additional polished beads at the cardinal points for a quick timing reference at a glance.
Also, while it’s small, it doesn’t sacrifice any of its adventure-ready specs. It maintains a 200m water resistance rating and its double-domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating is practically impervious to scratches. It’s also equipped with an updated Bonklip bracelet with a new safe-lock clasp that will keep the watch firmly on your wrist even during rigorous activity. The single bar structure of the bracelet also makes it comfortable to wear.
Focussing in on the dials, there are three options in total although we’ve only been hands-on with two of them: the Ref. 7505 Tuxedo Dial and Ref. 7505 Minute Critical black. The third version is the Minute Critical olive. The Tuxedo version is a miniaturised version of the same dial available on the Ref. 6190 TXD, featuring a black outer ring, cream hour scale and black central disk.
However, the Minute Critical is a brand-new display exclusive to the Ref. 7505. It’s the first Serica design to have a minute track that includes Arabic numerals, positioned every 10 minutes across the 60-minute scale. It allows for more precise timing when every minute counts, preventing you from making mistakes as it’s clearer which section or interval the minute hand is pointing to. The hour markers remain nice and legible too despite the smaller dimensions with large Arabic numerals in the 12/3/6/9 positions and lumed circles completing the scale.
Below the central handstack on both variants is the inscription “Chronometre Étanche”, marking it as a waterproof chronometer. The chronometer movement inside is the Soprod M100 with COSC certification, offering a 42-hour power reserve and an accuracy of -4/+6 seconds per day. That’s the same movement as housed in the Ref. 6190, so the Ref. 7505 gives you the same performance even though it is smaller.
For that reason, the Serica Ref. 7505 Field Chronometer is also the exact same price as the Ref. 6190. That works out as £968 for the Minute Critical (matching the M.S.L edition of the Ref. 6190) and £1,056 for the Tuxedo. This watch really feels like it was built with purpose in mind. Compact, comfortable for extended wear and precise, everything you need from a field watch.
Price and Specs:
More details at Serica.
