The Surprisingly Capable Circula ProTrail Field Watch

Circula is taking inspiration, as well as a bit of tech, from their surroundings in Pforzheim for a new collection called the ProTrail. Much as we’ve seen with their previous dive watches, the AquaSport and SuperSport, Circula has again developed this watch in collaboration with enthusiasts around the world, and the final result is a distillation of the ideas and concepts developed both internally and externally. That may sound like a recipe for disaster, but the ProTrail has come out the other side in a surprisingly cohesive, not to mention highly anti-magnetic, package. 

The ProTrail is a relatively straightforward looking field watch at first blush, with a fully indexed dial, including 24 hour markings, and not so much as a date window to keep complexity to a minimum. The hand set ventures into broadsword territory, but does so without overwhelming the design of the dial underneath. The inner portion of the dial is recessed and a finishing difference between the two creates a clear distinction between the levels.

The case is another story, and provides some of the more compelling features of the watch. It holds a Sellita SW-200 within a soft iron cage and provides magnetic protection up to an impressive 80,000 A/m. Generally when I hear about a soft iron cage the concern moves to the dimensions of the case. Circula seems to have avoided any real issues here, however, as the 40mm case measures 12mm in thickness. The lug to lug distance is 46mm. 

But wait, there’s more! The 316L steel case case boasts a scratch-resistant case of up to 1,300 vickers, which was achieved thanks to something called Kolsterising®, which is applied in Frankfurt. This process infuses carbon into the case surface to achieve scratch and corrosion resistance in something that sounds similar to Seiko’s Dia shield. The company even features an unbranded (and totally unrecognizable) watch on their technology page right here. 

The actual design of the case is angular and nearing aggressive, with a recess along the walls that gets a rough texture inset to clue you into the case’s hardcore bona fides. The ProTrail is advertised on a sailcloth strap here, however Circula offers a surprisingly broad range of additional straps in their shop, from tropic and velour to steel and mesh.

The ProTrail is available to pre-order right now, starting at 749 €, which includes VAT and shipping. So figure a bit less in USD. Shipping is slated to begin this November. More from Circula.