When it comes to affordable field watches, brands like Hamilton and Seiko immediately come to mind. Of course, these brands are well-known, but many smaller microbrands also have intriguing collections. The Australian microbrand Second Hour is close to releasing a new collection of four field watches with robust features and a stylish modern look. This is already the brand's fifth watch release, and we were impressed by its Giant Stride Dive Watch last year (third release). Not many microbrands succeed after releasing one or two models, but Second Hour has defied the odds by gaining a growing number of fans and releasing cool, affordable watches.
If you look at Second Hour's previous collections, you'll notice a common design thread. They have shared characteristics that make them familiar to the brand, but the Sattelberg Field Watch changes this trend slightly. There's a fresh design language here that shifts gears, though not entirely. The 316L stainless steel case has the same profile shape as the previous Mandala model. It is matte with polished chamfers and features a fixed bezel set at an angle. To make it more durable for field use, Second Hour subjected it to surface hardening, increasing the steel's hardness to 1200 Vickers.
One of the four models also features a dark DLC (Diamond Like Coating) finish. A flat sapphire crystal with a beveled edge protects the dial, with six anti-reflective coatings on the underside. This helps keep the watch's thickness at just 10mm, while its diameter is 40mm (47mm lug-to-lug). The watch is named after Sattelberg on the Huon Peninsula (New Guinea) – a significant 896-meter hill that played a crucial role for Australian troops in World War II. The historical memory and Australian spirit of Second Hour watches are highlighted by the longitude and latitude coordinates engraved on the steel case back. The signed screw-down crown ensures water resistance up to 100 meters.
The Sattelberg watches come in four dial colors: Service Blues (blue), Officer (black), Gun Smoke (gray), and The Beacon (white). All have a matte finish, except for “The Beacon,” which is the brand's first dial with full luminescence. The diamond-cut hour and minute hands were developed in-house and feature Super-LumiNova BGW9 luminescent coating, as do the outer hour indices and large Arabic numerals. The second hand has a red triangular tip with luminescent coating. The Beacon’s dial elements are black, and the entire dial glows, providing excellent contrast at night. Between the five Arabic numerals are applied triangular indices, and at the '6 o'clock' position is a date window matching the color. This is a rarity for such an affordable collection, as most date wheels are white.
The collection is powered by the automatic Miyota 9015 movement. It has 24 jewels, a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour (4 Hz), and a 42-hour power reserve. This popular and affordable workhorse, introduced in 2009, provides a 4 Hz beat rate, while many models have a 3 Hz rate. Functions include central hours, minutes, seconds hand, and date. The accuracy is -10/+30 seconds per day, but in use, it usually falls within these parameters.
As for the strap, it starts with a soft canvas with a leather base and oil-sealed edges. The set also includes a second strap made of elastic fabric with a stylish stripe and quick-release levers. The lug width is 20mm, so if you need additional straps, there will be plenty of aftermarket options.
The set also includes a travel case for two watches. All this is offered at a very attractive price – 675 Australian dollars / 455 USD for three models and 698 Australian dollars / 475 USD for The Beacon model (dial with full luminescence and DLC-treated case).
During pre-orders, discounts will be offered, and the collection comes with a two-year warranty. Pre-orders are expected in November, with deliveries at the end of 2022.
For more information and to place a pre-order in November, please visit SecondHour.com.au.
