The New Serica Ref. 7505 Field Chronometer, 35mm of Genuine Ruggedness

There’s a tendency, somewhat natural and hard to counteract, to think that a watch needs to be large and heavy to be robust. This, however, is a rather contemporary perception, as vintage watches, even the most rugged of them all, were often sized under 36mm – think, for instance, about the members of the Dirty Dozen… But, of course, reality can be different. And Serica is here to prove us wrong. The brand’s field watch, the 6190 Chronomètre M.S.L, is far from being oversized, with its sub-38mm case. Now, the French brand releases the Ref. 7505 Field Chronometer, equally robust, but now sized at a mere 35mm. And that is pretty cool. 

Serica, a brand started by Jérôme Burgert and Gabriel Vachette, a French duo previously known as the men behind Les Rhabilleurs, already carries a consistent collection of retro-inspired sports watches – field, dive and GMT. The Field model is, without a doubt, its most emblematic collection, and it’s where everything started, with a classic field watch, the W.W.W, followed by the reference 4512, a slightly redesigned version, and the reference 6190, also available with a pretty cool Tuxedo dial. Gradually evolving and improving, Serica now launches a more compact, yet equally rugged watch, the 7505 Field Chronometer.

We could have named the 7505 the smaller sister to the 6190, yet it’s not just a game of reducing the case. There’s more to this new field watch than that. Let’s talk about the main topic of the day: the dimensions. As said, this new watch measures 35mm in diameter, which is considered small these days, but was the norm for decades. Thickness: only 9.6mm. Length of the case: 41.5mm. These are numbers that we don’t often claim in our articles, in particular when talking about tool watches. But is it small? Well, no. A watch is more than just the sum of measurements, and the Serica 7505 Field Chronometer has a great presence on the wrist. On my 16.5cm wrist (which is quite small, I admit), the visual effect was far more striking than the numbers suggested. The combination of short lugs, a thick bezel and a reduced dial opening, resulting in a watch that carries quite a lot of steel, gave an impression of being 2 to 3mm larger.

Has Serica made any compromises to its usual sense of robustness by reducing the case size? Not at all. Equipped with a screw-down crown and a solid steel back, the Serica 7505 remains water-resistant to 200m, feels solid as a rock on the wrist, and features a nice double-domed sapphire crystal on top. The rest of the case is also new and different from the larger 6190. It features curved inner lugs and no chamfers on the sides, but adds a larger stepped bezel with polished sides and vertically-brushed top surfaces, and is equipped with half-spheres, extending the dial’s cardinal markers.

In line with previous models, the Ref. 7505 Field Chronometer comes with three different unsigned dials (no brand logo), all featuring a glossy enamel-like finish. Two introduce a new military-style design named “minute critical” on a black or olive green surface. These dials, with painted luminous markers, are focused on immediate legibility and contrast, with the classic sleekness of a field-ready display. The third dial is carried over from the 6190 TXD, with its tuxedo-like, two-tone (beige and black) layout and hand-applied luminous markers. On all models, the hands are brushed steel with broad-arrow elements and a generous coating of SLN.

To keep things reliable and accessible, Serica relies on the thin Soprod M100 automatic (an alternative to the ETA 2892 and Sellita SW300), a COSC-certified chronometer calibre beating at 4Hz and storing about 42h of power reserve. A movement totally in line with the overall spirit of the watch. Last but not least, the 7505 introduces a redesigned Bonklip steel bracelet with curved end-pieces and spring bars, squared polished links, and a stronger taper. It is also equipped with a new Safe-Lock clasp, ensuring a more secure and easier fit.

Thoughts, availability & price

The new Serica Ref. 7505 Field Chronometer is released immediately as part of the permanent collection and is priced at EUR 1,090 (minute critical dial) or EUR 1,190 (tuxedo dial), including taxes. Considering the overall feeling of quality and robustness of the watch, as well as the undeniable attention to detail, it feels like a fair price. As for the size, for those who feel that 35mm is too small, think twice. It’s a personal opinion, but I enjoyed this compact version of the brand’s field watch more than its larger sister, the 6190 – and keep in mind that the latter is still part of the collection, if ever you prefer something more robust.

For more details, please visit www.serica-watches.com.