Despite a moderate interest in cars, I rarely choose watches with automotive themes.
Most car design models are too obvious for my taste. Additionally, many automotive watches heavily rely on a love for specific brands or models, making it difficult for them to stand alone as a product. However, the Camp Fieldtimer - the first model from the independent Los Angeles-based brand Camp - successfully combines subtle automotive motifs with quality field watch design, featuring a vibrant retro style and an attractive lacquered dial.
Automotive Motifs in Classic Field Watches
The Camp Fieldtimer can be called an automotive field watch, although it lacks many typical features of both categories. Most car watches are associated with chronographs, carbon fiber, and tachymetric scales, but the Fieldtimer does not use any of these stereotypes. Instead, the model is closer to classic mechanical field watches with manual winding, but without an additional 24-hour scale on the dial. The watch's color schemes are inspired by vintage automotive palettes rather than the usual military tones of field watches.
Color Variants and Connection to the Legendary BMW 02 Series
At the time of writing, Camp offers three versions of the Fieldtimer: Atlantic Blue, Florida Green, and Málaga Red. Each color scheme refers to the original shades of the BMW 02 series, which Car and Driver called "one of the best ways to get around in modern civilization" and still holds a cult status. Produced from 1966 to 1977, the BMW 02 series was available in a variety of colors, and these shades formed the basis for the Fieldtimer dial palette. Beyond color, each model uses a unique font for the Arabic numerals on the dial: the Málaga Red version, for example, uses a font inspired by the dashboard of the 1940 Ford Standard Coupe.
Lacquered Dial - A Key Feature of the Camp Fieldtimer
The most striking feature of the Fieldtimer is its dial, made from fifteen layers of Swiss Berlac lacquer - a material also used by car manufacturers like BMW and Porsche. This "baked" enamel lacquer is dried in a kiln and hand-polished for each layer, with a total thickness reaching 1.3 mm, creating visual depth and a glossy surface. The thickness of the top clear layer creates a "floating" effect for the print and hour markers above the dial surface. This lacquer is designed for extreme conditions in cars, so it is guaranteed to withstand everyday use in a watch.
Luminescence and Readability in the Dark
At first glance, it's not immediately clear which elements glow on the dial, but all the print and text (surprisingly) are luminescent. In the Málaga Red version, the Arabic numerals glow orange, while the print and luminescent stripes on the hands glow green. The only non-luminous element is the thin needle-shaped second hand. Despite using Swiss Super-LumiNova, the brightness and duration of the glow are average, but the contrast of the two colors and the sufficient number of luminous elements create a convenient and pleasant time display in the dark.
Case and Structural Features
The Fieldtimer case is made of 316L stainless steel, with a diameter of 39 mm and a lug-to-lug length of 47.2 mm. The case thickness is 10 mm, including a domed sapphire crystal with an internal anti-reflective coating, protruding above a thin stepped bezel. The overall silhouette matches classic field watches, but large polished bevels on the lower edges of the lugs visually reduce the case height and give a dynamic, sculptural look.
The back features a screw-down sapphire glass caseback, and the curved lugs and low-profile caseback ensure a comfortable fit on the wrist. For a 39 mm diameter watch, a thickness of 10 mm does not seem bulky, especially since the domed glass occupies a significant part of this height, and the stepped bezel softens the visual perception of thickness. The crown at 3 o'clock has a standard pull-out mechanism but with triple seals, providing water resistance up to 100 meters.
Visible through the caseback is the Swiss Sellita Caliber SW210-1b movement - a manual-wind version without a date. The balance beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), with a power reserve of about 42 hours. This 18-jewel caliber is one of the popular solutions for manual-wind mechanical watches. Camp uses the standard version with an accuracy of +/-12 seconds per day. The movement is decorated with individual bridges featuring a linear pattern that, at a certain viewing angle, reveals the brand logo "C".
Straps and Accessories
The Fieldtimer comes with three mounting options and a leather storage roll, inspired by the vinyl tool kit that came with the BMW 02 series. Along with a steel Bonklip-style bracelet, there are two two-piece straps with widths tapering from 20 to 18 mm.
All straps and bracelets are equipped with quick-release spring bars for easy tool-free changes. One strap is made of gray water-repellent Cordura nylon with orange lining, the other is brown leather with orange contrast stitching. The stainless steel buckles are manufactured using micro-molding (µMIM) and feature an embossed "CAMP" inscription.
Automotive Details and Design Versatility
Car enthusiasts will surely notice the hidden automotive motifs in the Fieldtimer design, but the watch's appeal does not depend on knowledge of the BMW 02 or interest in cars. Unlike models tightly linked to automotive themes, the Fieldtimer subtly weaves in car details while remaining attractive to collectors thanks to its unique design and thoughtful execution. Unlike Porsche Design watches, which require a certain "automotive" context, the Camp Fieldtimer is free from such associations and is perceived as a stylish field watch with a vibrant retro dial.
Conclusion: An Appealing Combination of Style and Price
The Camp Fieldtimer is a surprisingly appealing watch with excellent value for money, especially by 2026 standards. Each of the three color versions is released in a limited edition of 100 pieces, priced at $900 for a set that includes the watch, three straps/bracelets, and a leather storage roll.
Los Angeles, as a cultural and automotive hub, is a natural starting point for the Camp brand, and despite the Swiss origin of the movement and German automotive inspiration, the Fieldtimer perfectly reflects the spirit of its hometown.