Victorinox Swiss Army Base Camp Men’s Watch Features
- Swiss-made quartz movement
- 40mm stainless steel case (316L)
- Crown protection
- Water resistant to 100M (10 ATM, 330 ft)
- Shock-resistant hardened mineral crystal
- Date calendar
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Double-locking safety clasp
The Victorinox Swiss Army Base Camp with the steel bracelet was my choice for a watch that was minimally functional and had a rugged feel. I preferred it over the one with the rubber strap mainly for the reason that I wanted it to work with professional attire too. The dial is a simple circle with a black background and clearly contrasted white Arabic numerals. The simple design makes it very easy for me to read the dial and the crystal hardly reflects any light so there is no annoying glare. This watch comes with a date calendar that shows the current date, the preceding and succeeding date. I found this rather pointless and would have preferred to have just one date in a slightly larger font.
The build quality is superior than any watch that I have seen so far and there are no surprises as to why Victorinox was the official supplier to the Swiss military. This watch was on my wrist for several adventure sports such as rafting and mountain climbing and there is hardly any damage. All the materials used are robust and rugged and are designed to withstand strain, shock and anything else that you might throw at it.
The Arabic numerals are very easy to read given the contrast of white over black with the 12, 3, 6 and 9 larger than the rest. Number 4 is missing from the dial because of the date window and all the numbers are placed at the optimum position on the dial for easy reading. Hands and index have been coated with a luminous material that has the capability to absorb light and reflect when it is dark. This is a certain necessity for those who are out during the dark. The glow is rigid and it is easy to make out the time with just a glance.
Coming to the casing, it is made of high quality stainless steel and the back is screwed on carefully. It is tight but at the same time easy enough to open up to replace the battery. The movement is certified Swiss quartz and while it is of very high quality and efficiency, I would have liked a mechanical automatic self winding movement but I figured that would be asking for too much. The crown is well protected by metal protrusions that prevent any damage considering the fact that the crown is of utmost importance to the movement of the watch and adjusting the date and time. Moreover, the metal extras around the crown add to the aesthetic appeal of the watch.
What I would have liked to see in the Victorinox Swiss Army Base Camp was at least a perpetual calendar. The date needs to be adjusted at the end of every month that has fewer than 31 days. For the same price, other brands offer the perpetual calendar and sometimes even automatic movement but the superb quality of this watch makes it a compelling choice.
Victorinox Swiss Army Base Camp Men’s Watch Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Rugged build quality
- Double clasp safety strap
- Diver Extension increases length of strap
Cons:
- No perpetual calendar
- Battery operated
