Despite having a sapphire crystal that is slightly too rounded for the antireflective coating to do its best work, and hands which are a bit on the short side, the Filson Smokey Bear Watch isn’t too bad. Shinola got a lot of things right such as the brushed finishing on the hands, the attractive “aged luminant” color and the raised Arabic hour numerals. It may not be a fashion revolution, but with its chunky dimensions and serious vibe, the Filson Smokey Bear watch is really a more mature item than I think most people might give it credit for.
An insert in the crown as well as the caseback are bronze-toned (not actually bronze, due to color stability), and they explain what you need to know about the limited-edition number of the watch as well as the fact that while Filson is located in Seattle, Washington, the watches are produced for them by Shinola in Detroit, Michigan. The case, as I said, is 43mm wide in steel, rather pleasantly thick, and water-resistant to 200 meters.
Inside the watch is a quartz-based movement they call the Argonite 715. This is actually a Ronda caliber 715 Swiss movement whose parts have been sent to the US and are assembled as a kit by Shinola. Attached to the case is a deep brown Filson leather strap with a small “roller wheel” on the buckle that assists in making the process of putting the watch on and taking it off a bit more comfortable.
Alone, the Filson Smokey Bear watch would be cute, but that isn’t all you get. What’s really impressive about this timepiece is the presentation. I’m not saying it’s so “all-out” that they included a shovel and Smokey Bear hat, but there is a lot of interesting documentation and the overall presentation is really something cool. If only the Swiss where able to come up with cohesive stuff like this as complementary materials to their fine timepieces. If Swiss watches have soul, then it seems to be at the expense of their display packaging material (no matter how expensive it is).
If you get the Filson Smokey Bear watch, I hope you like a little ursine erotica – which is a humorous but ironically accurate description of how the mid-20th-century artists pictured their woodlands’ spirit of safety. It’s just that a lot of the traditional images have smokey standing around quasi-suggestively (for the correctly receptive audience, of course). Bear fetishists apply here. Commanding Smokey where to bend over and shovel could easily be a regular part of your day now. I suppose for some people dreams do come true. Just don’t forget that bit about needing to prevent forest fires. No matter what urban jungle you are living in, your new bear comrade will make sure even the most minor of exposed flames is handled safely.
Then there is the marijuana enthusiasts community, who I am utterly surprised has not yet jumped on the chance to co-opt Smokey Bear as a pot smoking meme. I mean it is true that if one decides to go out into nature to participate in combustion-related activities and suffers from short-term memory loss, having Smokey Bear on your watch dial certainly can help as a reminder and keep you at least semi-responsible.
The meanings (and jokes) one can derive from this exceptionally well-thought-out watch presentation (and timepiece) help make it worth paying for. It is also why I think a 1,000-piece limited edition watch like this has real collectability potential. Enough people clearly know about Smokey Bear, and when these watches are gone it is only a matter of time before some collectors really want one given Filson’s utter determination to be both weird yet highly refined about it at the same time. I further like that I would have never expected a product like this to exist even a few months ago, and now that it is here, I am already wondering what is destined to come from Filson and Shinola next.
Once again, because the Filson Smokey Bear watch is produced by Shinola for Filson, it is assembled here in the US using a Swiss movement kit put together in Michigan and many of the other parts coming from places such as China. At least it does make a rather important “pit stop” on the way to the consumer by being assembled and tested right here in the USA. Get it for the presentation kit, keep the watch, and have fun to see type of role the watch has years from now when the limited edition of 1,000 has been long sold out. It may be weird, but I am super happy it exists, and what makes it better is the overall marketing concept and polish that you’d never find from a lesser brand. The watch comes on a brown leather Filson strap and has a retail price (available online) of $1,000. filson.com
Necessary Data
>Brand: Filson
>Model: Smokey Bear Watch reference 20036478
>Price: $1,000
>Size: 43mm wide
>Would reviewer personally wear it: Sometimes.
>Friend we’d recommend it to first: People who may have demonstrated neglect of appreciating their distinct and singular role in preventing forest fires. Collectors of Americana and Smokey Bear-related items. Fans of ursine erotica.
>Best characteristic of watch: Impressive presentation and nice execution of a very weird project. Dial is handsome. If you are the philosophical type, then you might find deeper meaning in the public service announcement statement on the dial.
>Worst characteristic of watch: Not a luxury watch in construction, but it isn’t really trying to be. Smokey Bear branding is both worst enemy and greatest asset to the design. For the money, the presentation kit should include more wearable items. Unfortunately, only you and not your friends, can prevent wildfires. That’s just a lot of responsibility.
