Camp Watches FieldTimer 39mm

by Stephen Nichols

LA Cool, Distilled

Some watches whisper their inspirations. The Camp Watches FieldTimer 39mm shouts them from a canyon-side garage in Laurel Canyon. Designed by LA-based industrial designer Justin Jakobson, the FieldTimer doesn’t just nod to the city’s cultural history—it wears it boldly on its dial, its fonts, its curves. After spending time with the red dial version on loan from Camp, I came away convinced: this isn’t just a field watch. It’s a love letter to Southern California, disguised as a tool.

Let’s get into it.

Camp Watches FieldTimer 39mm Watch Review — ^{Camp FieldTimer 39mm @talkingabouttime}

Key features of the Camp FieldTimer 39mm

Dial

Camp calls it “stove-enameled,” and after wearing it in person, I get it. Fifteen layers of lacquer give the dial a gloss and depth that you don’t expect in a field watch—almost porcelain-like. The art deco numerals appear to float. There’s a sense of dimensionality here that doesn’t just photograph well, it feels alive on the wrist.

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Each colourway is driven by story. The green pulls from Jakobson’s personal BMW 2002 restoration project. The blue feels clean and classic. But the red—the one I wore—is the most assertive. It’s confident and a little punchy without feeling loud. The typeface, the tones, the finish—this is design by someone who really lives in the world of form and detail. Every detail is also automotive inspired. The red dial color is derived form the BMW series 02s famous Malaga Red colour.

A few more clever touches make this dial sing. The numerals are a mix of stenciled and full-outline styles—something you don’t register right away, but it contributes to the dial’s layered character and continues the automotive theme borrowing the font from the 1940 Ford Standard Coupe. The result is a cleaner aesthetic that lets the design speak for itself.

But the design doesn’t just speak to enthusiasm about watches or cars. The design is personal and speaks to Justin’s lineage. On a personal not this review was delayed when my Dad died. It was abrupt and turned into over a month going in and out of town to take care of my families affairs. I reached out to Justin to explain my delay and he treated me with a few notes. We discussed our father briefly and he volunteered that so much of this watch was inspired by his dad. Each color was inspired by a BMW either his father or he has owned and that beautiful font is a direct homage to his dads first car.

It is those personal touches that even when unspoken elevate a watch. See there are a ton of watches inspired by cars, places or even other watches. But even without knowing all of this at a glance or on the wrist you can tell that there is something very personal inspiring this watch.

Case and bracelet

The 39mm stainless steel case hits the right notes: slim, compact, and sculpted. It wears smaller than its dimensions suggest, thanks to the curved case profile and short lugs. Drilled lug holes, which are enthusiast crack, make strap swaps easy—but I found myself sticking mostly with the included Bonklip-style bracelet.

This is partially because the straps, while great quality and great looking out of the box, are a bit stiff and would need a bit of break-in time. I’m confident that wouldn’t be an issue with a few days on the wrist or several minutes of massage time. But sometimes I feel a little bad about intentionally leaving too much of my mark on a review sample strap I was trusted with.

However, I also just love a Bonklip bracelet. It’s lightweight, super comfortable, and lends the FieldTimer an old-school charm that perfectly balances the gloss-heavy dial. It’s also one of those rare bracelets that doesn’t try to do too much—it just works. Bonus: it plays especially well with the case’s slightly concave sides, making the whole package feel cohesive and intentional.

And the attention to detail doesn’t stop at the case. Even the pin buckle on the leather strap—usually an afterthought—is clearly custom-made. It’s done via metal injection molding, with the Camp logo rendered in perfect relief. Is it a silly thing to notice? Maybe. But it’s a perfect example of the care and intention Camp puts into every part of this watch, even those often overlooked. Nothing here feels off-the-shelf.

Movement

Inside is the Sellita SW210, a manual-wind movement that keeps things thin and traditional. Through the sapphire caseback, you can spot a custom bridge with polished text that continues the design-first mindset. It’s not here to show off—just to quietly reinforce that every component has been touched by a designer’s hand.

The caseback also gives you a peek at a custom ratchet wheel engraved with the Camp logo. It’s another reminder: even the parts you rarely see are worth sweating over.

Specs

Case	316L Stainless Steel 39mm Diameter 47.2mm Lug to Lug 10mm Thickness 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Case Back 100m of Water Resistance
Dial & Crystal	Top Hat Double-Domed Sapphire Crystal Berlac Stove-Enamelled Lacquer 1940 Ford Coupe Numerals Baton Handset Super-LumiNova
Movement	Sellita SW210-1b Manual Winding 28’800 A/h (4Hz) +/-12 sec/day 18 Jewels Customized Train Wheel Bridge 42-Hours on a Full Wind
Strap	Full-grain Italian Leather, Cordura Nylon, or Steel Bonklip-style

Camp FieldTimer 39mm

Final Thoughts: A worthy successor

Wearing the FieldTimer felt a bit like wearing an idea as much as a watch. It doesn’t just reinterpret the field watch—it reframes it through an LA car culture lens. There’s a narrative here, but it never gets in the way of function. It’s comfortable, compact, and easy to live with.

At $900, and limited to 100 pieces per colour, the FieldTimer isn’t trying to be for everyone. But for those who appreciate a watch where everything—even the buckle—has been considered, it’s a compelling, character-rich piece. A West Coast field watch, done right.

Pricing & Availability

The Camp FieldTimer retails for $900USD. Please see website for current availability.

About the author

Stephen Nichols, better known as @talkingabouttime on Instagram, is a photographer and watch enthusiast battling a chronic case of “watch flu.” It all started with a Fossil that didn’t last, but somehow, he’s still here. Once a portrait photographer with a modest collection, he’s now drowning in watches—because nothing makes time fly like spending all your money on it..

Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.