Momentum Fieldwalker
I am not sure if many watch enthusiasts have been asking for a Damsko homage, but that is what the Momentum Fieldwalker is, at least to me. While I don’t know if that was the intention of Momentum or not, I would find it hard to believe they did not notice a resemblance. The Fieldwalker is not an exact copy of a Damasko, there are a good amount of differences of course, just as there are similarities. Coming in at $400, it is a nice budget option of the aforementioned German timepiece, and as usual, Momentum is able to offer a lot for little coin.
Momentum Fieldwalker Specifications:
- Case diameter with crown: 47.30mm
- Case diameter: 43.90mm
- Lug to Lug: 50.75mm
- Thickness: 14.00mm
- Band Width: 22.00mm
- Weight: 83 grams
- Sapphire Crystal
- Seiko NH35 Automatic Movement
- 200 Meters Water Resistant
Price $395.00
https://www.momentumwatch.com/products/fieldwalker-automatic-leather
I think my first disappointment with the Momentum Fieldwalker is the size. Now, this is very much a personal thing, but I would have loved it at 42mm vs 44. There is a trend towards smaller watches again and I think many fans of the brand it homages would probably have jumped on this if it had been a bit smaller. Now, it could be Momentum knows their target audience and that is why they chose to go with 44mm, and of course they know that better than I do and while I would have liked it a bit smaller, I think it wears very well for its size especially with short lugs.
Momentum chose to go with a bead blasted case, which I feel is appropriate for this style of watch. It gives it that subtle, muted look and what I think of when I think of a rugged field watch. Everybody is a little different and I know there are a decent amount of watch nuts out there who hate bead blasted cases. Usually their biggest complaint is that you can not refinish it yourself it if gets scratched or gouged. I understand that but feel this is the type of watch that scratches should not really be a big concern. Over time, especially small scratches will blend away and while I know $400 is not throw away money for anyone, this watch is meant to be used, not babied. Don’t be afraid to wear this and give it some character.
On the whole, the Momentum Fieldwalker ticks a lot of boxes. A solid steel case, 200 meters water resistant, sapphire crystal and an automatic movement. Oh-a good amount of lume as well, but more on that later. The movement is familiar to many these days, the Seiko NH35, and while I might be getting bored seeing this movement, (I see more watches than most), and as I have said many times over, it is a decent movement that will do the job. I could do without the writing on the display case back though.
The crosshairs of the dial are what one notices immediately and again, I can not help but think of Damasko when I see them. While Damasko was not the first brand to do this dial design and the function is sometimes questioned-is it for better time reading, or is it more aesthetic? I think it is probably a combination of both. The crosshairs separate the dial into 4 different quadrants allowing you to focus on exactly what time it is easier, or so has been said. The dial setup works though and I like everything else going on here, with one exception: the second hand. It is a tad short for me, especially for this design and every time I look at it, it aggravates me to the point I want to pop the crystal off and see if I could stretch it to fit. That is ridiculous and not possible of course, but it is what goes on in my head.
When I received the Momentum Fieldwalker, I looked over the leather strap and said to myself, “This a damn nice leather strap!” Yep, I actually said that. You don’t believe me? Well, I did. Moving on- It is a well made strap that is padded and covered with soft leather. But the real intriguing aspect is the back of the strap, the part that no one besides you ever sees. At first, I just thought it was a neat design aspect, but when I looked on the site, I see they refer to it as Cloud Leather. My first reaction to that: “What in the blue hell?” Now, I am no stranger to seeing marketing speak from brands, I mean, they all do it, no matter the product. Beyond that, how does it work? Well, it is a metallic lining that is supposed to wick away moisture, which should improve the life of the band and keep your wrist dry in those humid summer months. Does it work? I would say it did, at least in the past month or so that I wore it. Think of Under Armour or any other company that produces moisture wicking clothing and hats etc. How will it hold up in the long term? I do not have my DeLorean handy to find out, but I guess we will see in a year or two from customers what these straps look like after some use and abuse.
The lume you ask? Oh yeah, it is beautiful. Dual color lume and it glows bright. Is it Seiko lume? No, but it is damn good and don’t think anyone would be disappointed. If you are, do not blame me, blame yourself for being too picky. I’m picky as well though, so I get it.
The bottom line is, Momentum has produced another good watch that won’t break the bank. Whether you are just a fan of Momentum, wanted a Damasko but can’t afford one, or just like the look of Fieldwalker and want to try one out, I think it is a good watch for the money. The AR coating could be better on the sapphire crystal and I hate the writing on the back crystal but the strap is fantastic and the watch looks and wears well on the wrist. Momentum, if you really want to make a future version of these that would get people excited even more; titanium and 42mm. Just a suggestion.
Comment below what you think.
Thank for reading.
Kody J Ague
Thanks for the review Don! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’ve always wanted a Damasko but I’ve always been put off by the smaller size. I prefer 42+ and 44 is even better! My biggest gripe would be the white date wheel. Why oh why can’t manufacturers use black date wheels on black dials more often? I cannot imagine it adds THAT much to the manufacturing costs? Perhaps you know?
Don Evans
It can, depending on the supplier they use. Plus, they possibly have already bought stock of movements and need to use them, and can not order more with the reverse date wheels. Keep in mind, most suppliers have you buy in bulk, not just a few pieces. Momentum is still a small company, so I can understand if they already had the movements, that they didn’t want to spend more money buying bulk movements or date discs to add to them.