Reviews
Punching Above its Weight
"I'm genuinely glad I made this purchase, especially since it even came with an additional strap at no cost! As someone who has spent countless hours researching Micro Brands (more than I care to admit), I can confidently say that field watches vibe with me. This particular model strikes me as a more 'refined' field watch—almost classy. The brand and the watch itself have exceeded my expectations. It’s not only aesthetically pleasing but also comfortable and extremely accurate, averaging about +1. 2 seconds a day over the past week. The screw-down crown and micro-adjustment feature were significant selling points for me. I feel comfortable wearing it whether I'm out in the yard, swimming, enjoying dinner, or even in an office meeting with clients. Unlike higher-end brands, there’s no stuffy stigma attached here, allowing me to avoid looking pretentious with clients while still sporting a standout classic tool. With a 7-inch wrist, I find the 38mm size offers a modest look. The dial dazzles in the sunlight but takes on a dark blue hue in low lighting, which I find quite appealing. The lume is bright at first but fades to an adequate level, which is all I need. I highly recommend this watch to anyone looking for a utilitarian timepiece, often referred to as a GADA (go-anywhere, do-anything) watch. I hope this review assists those who have spent more time researching watches than they have actually worked this week!"
— Mark D. (5/5)
Perfect watch!
"Great everyday wear or field watch. My wife saw me put it on and said “I like it, very classy. ” Would recommend."
— Charles (5/5)
I’m really happy with the
"I’m really happy with the Heartlander, it’s exactly what I was looking for. I also appreciated the extra watchband that was included but would have been happier with a darker colored band. Overall my dealings with Dryden Watch Co were great."
— Alan S. (5/5)
Blue & Crimson Heartlander
"I purchased the Blue & Crimson 38mm Heartlander sight unseen from Jerry at Dryden. Prior to the purchase I had discussed the Heartlanders with Jerry and had also discussed another watch I had recently acquired that I wanted a strap for. Jerry answered all my questions and even made some suggestions based on what I was looking to purchase. The watch itself is beautiful, the blue dial is stunning, and the typeface and spacing of everything on the dial seems well-proportioned, clean, and legible. Though this is only my first watch purchase from Dryden, I would definitely recommend looking into their watches! The new Heartlander fits very well into my personal watch collection and is currently my daily driver. Thanks to Jerry and the team for making both a great watch and a great watch-buying experience!"
— Derek L. (5/5)
Fantastic GADA Watch!
"Added this piece to my collection just after the birth of my second child. I wanted a sharp everyday-wear piece that would be able to endure playing with the kids throughout the years. Perfect dimensions look fantastic on my 6. 75" wrist. Lume is solid and the 6 o'clock complication keeps its look symmetrical. Only feedback is the rotor is noticeably loud when spinning. Outside of that I have no complaints. Fantastic craftsmanship, dimensions and specs to pair with unbeatable affordability."
— Nicolas H. (5/5)
Nice watch, but. . .
"The heartlander is a great looking watch, just didn't match my style. So now my wife is rockin' it and she loves it!"
— Brad J. (5/5)
Heartlander Field
"Awesome field watch! This piece is stunning in person. Lots of great details. Even the clasp is very well done and thought out. The only changes I would make are stronger lume and a bit of chamfering on the bracelet edges for comfort. Would highly recommend this field watch. So easy to read time. Great proportions. Nailed the details. Love love love it! Best value of any field automatic watch. And it keeps very accurate time!!"
— Jeffrey S. (5/5)
First automatic is a great automatic!
"First and foremost, thank you to Jerry for being super communicative! Prior to purchase, I had inquired about any potential Black Friday/holiday sales coming up. He explained the cost constraints associated with a small business and the current uncertainties surrounding U. S. trade, and still offered a 10% discount anyway (he shortly thereafter changed it to a "secret add-to-cart-and-it-appears discount). It was very cool being able to directly talk to the owner! Onto the watch itself: I picked up the full Arabic numerals, blue & crimson variant. This was my first automatic, first watch under 42mm in size, and first watch over $500, and I absolutely love it so far. Since it arrived, with exceptions for work and sleep, it has not left my wrist, displacing (what was previously) my favorite watch in my collection. The dial is a bit darker in person than it appears in pictures, but that doesn't really matter since it's still stunningly gorgeous, especially under direct sunlight. Ditto for the mirror polished bezel, which classes this up far beyond its humble field watch design brief. This is then immediately balanced by the heavily knurled, perfectly sized screw-down crown, which is honestly the design highlight for me. It strikes the perfect line of rugged classiness, making the Heartlander equally at home on the trail and in the boardroom. The tri-link "President" bracelet is very comfortable, looks great, and easy to adjust with screw-down pins and toolless clasp micro-adjustment. The dial is super legible and looks excellent, from the sunburst finish of the blue to the sword minute hand to the funky, kinda retro seconds sweeper to the applied numerals. It's a small thing, but the scripted Heartlander wordmark really, really elevates the look; it gives a sort of, well, heartland Americana vibe, which is so, so appropriate. The sizing is also perfect; this thing absolutely DISAPPEARS on the wrist (multiple times I forgot I was wearing it). Light and compact with nicely (but not aggressively) curved lugs, it wears as naturally as your favorite jacket. The presentation was also pretty cool, with a two-tiered box displaying the watch up top, and a small drawer with a bonus strap and link adjustment tool on the bottom. Definitely above what I expected, even at this price. The hand-written 'thank you' card was also a very nice touch. My complaints are minimal and largely subjective. The chief one concerns the quick-release tabs that attach the bracelet to the watch. While effectively functional, when the watch is pushed into the wrist, they can be easily felt and make things uncomfortable. This happens rarely when wearing it, but I felt it was worth mentioning. My other complaint stems largely from inexperience with automatic. Manual winding does not feel as tactile or satisfying as I imagined it would. This is likely more down to the Miyota movement than anything; it's a happily reliable movement at this price, but I was left wanting a bit on the feel of it. Again, this is my first automatic, so take this one with a grain of salt. Overall, I'm extraordinarily happy with this timepiece. It looks great, disappears on the wrist, and is a veritable chameleon, adapting to any fit or event with ease and grace. I absolutely will be supporting Dryden in the future. Long live small businesses!"
— Matthew P. (5/5)
Best field watch under $1000
"Call this a controversial opinion, but for me, this is THE best field watch you can land for under $1000, and yes I think it is better than a khaki field."
— Bhargav T. (5/5)
A great timepiece
"Definitely an awesome watch. Dial is a beautiful shade of blue and the contrast of the crimson seconds hand is vivid. Miyota movement is really good and the fact that it’s been regulated further gives me satisfaction that I won’t have to service it for some time. Have and will recommend to friends if they’re interested in watches."
— Seth B. (5/5)
