Originally launched in 2014 as a timepiece designed for maximum durability, the Victorinox INOX has steadily expanded over the last decade, and it now exists as an entire collection that includes everything from simple three-handed quartz models to mechanical divers and chronographs with forged carbon cases. However, as part of a batch of new releases that celebrate the 10th anniversary of the INOX collection in 2024, Victorinox has created the smallest version of the INOX that it has ever put forward, and the new Victorinox INOX Small takes the fundamental concept of the Swiss brand’s ultra-durable wristwatch and distills it down into a properly compact 32mm package.
At the time of launch, the Victorinox INOX Small collection spans four different models — two in stainless steel and two with a rose gold PVD finish. The two stainless steel models are paired with matching bracelets and are available with either black or blue dials (ref. 242036 and ref. 242038, respectively). Meanwhile, the rose gold PVD versions are fitted with either blue or white dials (ref. 242035 and ref. 242037), and they are completed with rubber straps that match their respective dial colors. Although the two stainless steel INOX Small watches offer much of the same overall aesthetic that characterizes the brand’s full-size models, the rose gold PVD references offer a softer and more feminine expression of the INOX collection’s decidedly utilitarian profile.
Crafted from recycled 316L stainless steel, the cases of the new Victorinox INOX Small watches adhere to the same chunky and utilitarian profile that defines the rest of the collection, and they measure 32mm in diameter by 9mm thick, with wide angular lugs that are set 16mm apart and extend to create an overall lug-to-lug profile of 41mm. The top of the INOX Small’s case is fitted with the collection’s signature faceted bezel, and sitting within the bezel is a flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment. While the solid caseback features a screw-down design, the signed crown at 3 o’clock operates with a standard push/pull action, and this is a slight disappointment since the INOX collection is intended to be the brand’s most robust and durable offering.
For those curious about weight, the new Victorinox INOX Small watches come in at approximately 42 grams (not including their straps or bracelets), and while the INOX Small is still ISO-certified for resistance to shocks, water, and magnetism, it only offers a 100-meter depth rating, rather than the 200 meters of water resistance provided by its full-size counterparts. Additionally, the quirky tool-oriented design elements found on other recently released Victorinox models have been carried over onto the new INOX Small watches, and in addition to having their depth ratings engraved along the rim of their bezels with small triangles pointing to the crown, they also have a “Stainless Steel AISI 316L” inscription on the left-hand side of their cases to denote the material of the watch
The dials fitted to the new Victorinox INOX Small watches follow the same fundamental design as what can be found elsewhere within the collection. However, rather than having their date windows at the 4:30 position like the original INOX models, the new INOX Small watches have their date displays relocated to 6 o’clock to create a better sense of symmetry. Finished with a grain-texture surface, the INOX Small’s dial is furnished with applied luminous hour markers sitting partially recessed into an angled chapter ring that surrounds the periphery of the display, and a luminous version of the brand’s logo takes the place of the 12 o’clock index. With that in mind, unlike the larger models from the collection, the new INOX Small watches do not feature a minutes track printed along their chapter rings, and this can be somewhat of an inconvenience, especially when setting the time.
The handset fitted to the new Victorinox INOX Small watches offers a slight variation of the design that first made an appearance on the brand’s Journey 1884 collection last year, and it features an unusual profile with small skeletonized frames extending from the tips of the hour and minute hands. While the shape of the handset is undeniably a bit divisive, it is also entirely unique to Victorinox, and it is steadily becoming one of the defining traits of the brand’s modern tool watches. Additionally, green-glowing Swiss Super-LumiNova is applied to the hands and hour markers to help with low-light legibility and, on the two stainless steel INOX Small models, the tips of their polished seconds hands are finished bright red to promote greater visibility and contrast.
Powering the Victorinox INOX Small is the Swiss-made Ronda Caliber 775 quartz movement, which is essentially a smaller version of what can be found inside the full-size quartz INOX models. Similar to its larger counterparts, the Ronda Cal. 775 offers an accuracy rating of -10/+20 seconds per month, and it runs on a single No. 364 power cell that provides a battery life of approximately three years. Although it is a reliable and proven design, the Ronda 775 is hardly auspicious from either a construction or performance standpoint, and while Victorinox also makes automatic INOX models, a simple no-frills quartz movement will inherently offer superior resistance to magnetism and impacts, and it also represents the brand’s original vision for its INOX lineup.
While the rose gold Victorinox INOX Small models are fitted with rubber straps that match the color of their dials, the two stainless steel versions are both paired with three-link bracelets. From a core design standpoint, the bracelet for the INOX Small is more-or-less just a smaller version of what can be found in the brand’s Journey 1884 collection, and it features a flat three-link design with brushed surfaces and high-polished bevels on its lower horizontal edges that add a subtle dash of refinement. The bracelet connects to the case with an integrated quick-release system accessed by small buttons on the bottom of its end-links, and it tapers from 16mm at the lugs down to 14mm where it connects to its signed butterfly-style folding clasp.
In addition to being smaller, one key difference between the new Victorinox INOX Small’s bracelet and the bracelets found on models from the brand’s Journey 1884 collection is that its butterfly-style clasp lacks the additional safety latch that can be found on its larger counterparts. Additionally, while the bracelet is well-made with completely solid components, the removable links attach with standard friction-fit pins (rather than single-sided screws). Similarly, the clasp offers a slender design with a double push-button release, although it does not include any type of micro-adjustment system, which would have been a welcome addition to a model that is specifically designed for strenuous use and outdoor environments.
Overall, the new Victorinox INOX Small succeeds at being a significantly more compact version of the brand’s ultra-durable tool watch. However, I also can’t help but feel that these new reduced-size models are slightly watered down compared to their full-size siblings from the INOX collection. While only a handful of people will ever need more than 100 meters of water resistance, the omission of a screw-down crown still serves as a constant reminder that the INOX Small isn’t as capable as its larger siblings, and I personally feel that a minutes track (or some other way of precisely reading the time) should be an obligatory feature on anything that promises to be a function-forward tool watch.
Given its significantly reduced sizing, the new Victorinox INOX Small is primarily intended for a female audience, and the brand even categorizes the midsize 37mm INOX models as women’s watches on its official website. My wrists measure about 6.5 to 6.75 inches in circumference, and while I am objectively a fan of small watches, the new INOX Small models are undeniably a bit undersized for my personal preferences (hence why I decided to photograph it on a woman’s wrist for this article). With that in mind, due to their chunky and angular profile, Victorinox’s INOX watches consistently wear a bit larger than their on-paper dimensions, and I could easily see the two stainless steel INOX Small models being suitable for men with slender wrists, or simply for those who want a durable tool watch in a highly compact overall package.
While I would have loved to see the Victorinox INOX Small models retain the exact same capabilities as their larger siblings, they still offer far more durability than most people will ever require, and their significantly reduced proportions allow the INOX collection to be enjoyed by a wider and more diverse audience. With retail prices set at $700 USD for the strap-equipped rose gold PVD models and $750 USD for the stainless steel versions that are paired with matching bracelets, the new Victorinox INOX Small watches cost slightly more than their larger quartz counterparts, which ultimately seems rather counter-intuitive, considering that they are both smaller and less robust. With that in mind, the existing three-handed quartz INOX models have been around for quite a few years, and I imagine that an updated generation would likely be accompanied by a similar price increase to place it directly in line with the new INOX Small lineup. For more information on the Victorinox INOX Small, please visit the brand’s website.
