What’s better than a great watch? A great watch that was designed for, and contributes to, a good cause. While abundantly rare, the BOLDR Field Medic chronographs are such watches, and we’re very excited today to bring them into the Windup Watch Shop. The genesis of this design came about when a designer, a doctor, and a watch brand came together to create a concept inspired by the frontline healthcare professionals battling COVID-19. They wanted to make a super tough watch that included functions that would be useful for medical professionals.


Known for their rugged tool watches, BOLDR was up for this challenge and chose their exceptionally specced-out Venture Field watch as the starting point. Featuring a 38mm titanium barrel-case with 200m of water resistance and a flat sapphire crystal, this lightweight format was a perfect match for a watch that will be worn all-day. Additionally, titanium is exceptionally hypoallergenic, making it an ideal choice.
With that case in mind, they went about designing a watch with added medical functionality. Naturally, a pulsometer would be a valuable addition, which pointed the concept in the direction of a chronograph movement. BOLDR went with the Seiko VK64 Meca-Quartz, one of our favorites, to get the job done. Featuring a mechanical chronograph gear train, the VK64 is the best choice for the job as it offers quartz accuracy and toughness, with an instant reset chronograph.

Taking the concept a step further, the team decided to include a respiration scale, allowing easy calculation of breaths per minute. Not a common scale to find on a watch, it adds unique functionality that makes these watches stand out. As for the rest of the design, legibility and information were at the forefront of the consideration. In lieu of more numbers that could distract from the pulse and respiratory scales, the primary time index features graphic shapes that are easy to see. A date at six adds useful functionality.
Thus the Field Medic was born. A watch that mixes the form and build of a tough modern field watch with the functionality of a medical watch. The watch comes in two versions, the Field Medic I which has a matte black dial with bright orange hands, and the Field Medic II which is a spin on a Panda design, with a full-lume surface, black sub-dials and dark red hands.

Of course, designing a watch inspired by frontline healthcare professionals is only part of the project. Additionally, a fixed amount of the proceeds ($30) from each watch goes to a variety of COVID-19 relief funds, including Doctors Without Borders and Red Cross Singapore. With a price tag of $299, the BOLDR Field Medic is an excellent tool watch for healthcare workers, or just watch enthusiasts looking for something unique. Pick one up today at Windup Watch Shop.