Bought this in memory of my good friend who always wanted to be a forest ranger. Wasn't sure about the blue but love it in person. Also impressed by the solid feel and classy boxing
Hi Stephen, What a cool way to pay tribute to your friend! Thanks so much for your review!
Keep it simple is a concept fulfilled by the Workhouse Backcountry. Useful and safe when you wear the watch.
Hi Sergio, thanks so much for your review! We hope you get some great use out of your Workhorse Backcountry!
Such a great looking watch.
Hi Kareem, so stoked to hear you love your watch!
The Smokey Bear 80th Anniversary Edition Watch (Brilliant Blue)
Pretty mixed opinion on this watch. What I like: It's a pretty unique color and I like the coating on it. I think the kinetic movement and the ability to check the voltage of the capacitor is super cool. What I dislike: There is virtually no lume on this watch. You will not be able to read it in the dark at all. The band that it comes with is terrible. I replaced the band immediately with a FKM rubber strap.
I was pretty unhappy with this watch when I first got it. Now that I have swapped out the bands, it's growing on me, but I still think this is not a great package unless you are buying it to fit a very specific reason.
Hi and thanks for your review! We take our customer's notes into account when we design new watches, and your feedback is crucial. We greatly appreciate it.
Watch not operating properly. Notified company twice - no response.
Hi Brian, Our owner Chris wrote you back regarding your chronograph hand alignment back on October 1st.
To reset, unscrew the crown and pull the crown out to the time-setting position. Then you can push or hold the stop/start button till it aligns with the 12 o’clock. Then you should be able to screw the crown back in, test the chronograph with a stop-start-reset, and should be fine. If your hand is still not lining up at 12 correctly, or is not keeping time, we are happy to bring it in for service. I'll be writing you via email as well to make sure you see our messages and so we can get your watch back in top working order. Thanks Brian.
I wish the back cover was made of stainless steel. An allergic reaction occurs. The design and size are great.
Thanks for your review! Is your wrist turning a bit green? This is actually to be expected with the bronze case and will stop after some time with wear. The oils in your skin create a barrier in the metal. We hope you get some great wear and use out of your watch!
It’s good heavy duty watch. I like the thick leather band as well as the beefiness of the watch itself. It keeps accurate time and is easy to set, wind, seal, etc. It might be my eyes, but I find it difficult to read under dark conditions. Also, verdigris forms on the bronze case (as well as your wrist) however I don’t consider that a problem. Time will tell, but I am hoping it will be a lifetime watch!
Hi Doug, Thanks so much for your review! Your patina will continue to evolve over the years as you wear your watch. And we hope you love how it turns out! If you ever want to return it to a brassy tone, you can use lemon and baking soda to brighten it up. We have a tutorial here if you're interested. Thanks again!
https://vero-watch.com/pages/smokey-bear-80th-cleaning
All is great and I LOVE the watch but, the leather band is VERY thick which adds unnecessary overall weight to the watch. I think a thinner leather band would be better.
Hi Christopher, thanks for your review of your new Smokey 80th watch. And specifically for your note on the leather band. We tried some other leather band options and they seemed dwarfed by the thicknes of the case. But I'll deffinitely add your note to our future design considerations. Thanks again Christopher!
The watch movement is flawless and the luminous face and graphics sold me on the watch. But the case finish and back plate immediately began to discolor when in contact with my skin and hands which is truly disappointing.
Hi Bruce, Thanks for your review of your Smokey Bear watch! The bronze case is unique in that it does begin to patina as soon as its exposed to the air, and especially the oils in your skin. Which, for some, is the coolest part of their experience with the watch as each case will have its own evolving patina over time. If you'd like to return the case back to a more brassy tone, you can use lemon and baking soda to brighten it up again. Here is a link to our cleaning tutorial page with step-by-step instructions. Thanks again Bruce!
https://vero-watch.com/pages/smokey-bear-80th-cleaning
It is a very nice watch but sadly right out of the box it had some patina stains which I was disappointed to find. Besides that it is a very beautiful watch.
Thanks so much for your review! And apologies that your bronze case had already started to patina in some areas. If you would like to get the case back to the original brassy tone, you can use lemon juice and baking soda to brighten the tone. Here is a link to the full instructions on how to restore your bronze case: https://vero-watch.com/pages/smokey-bear-80th-cleaning
Perfect bronze field watch!
Thanks for your review!!
The Smokey Bear 80th Anniversary Edition Watch (Forest Green)
I love the appearance of this watch, but I am disappointed that I must reset the time every morning.
Hi Melissa, Thanks for your review. You should not have to reset the time on your watch each day. Sounds like your movement isn't wound fully, but that's no problem! You can manually restore your power reserve by winding your watch. Unscrew the crown and without pulling it out into the time setting position, wind your crown clockwise 20-30 times. This should give you enough of a kick start to keep accurate time. Then with wear through the day, it will continue to wind and replenish it's power.
Below is a link to our instruction page to get your watch kick started. If you're still seeing your watch losing time after following these steps after a few days, then please don't hesitate to reach out. Movement regulation is of course covered under your 10 year warranty.
https://vero-watch.com/pages/smokey-bear-80th-setting-movement
Great looking watch and very comfortable to wear. Would highly recommend it to anyone.
Hi Simon, Thanks so much for your review! Glad you're loving your new watch!
I love the face of the watch but I wish I had realized the thickness of the case and length of the band. My wrists are small and the band length and bulk of the case are a problem. The leather band can’t be cut off to be shorter without loosing the decorate end.
Thanks so much for your review! The thick case and band are a larger fit on smaller wrists for sure! If you would like a shorter leather band, Hadley Roma makes some quality leather straps at shorter lengths. And the NATO provided as the secondary strap can be cut shorter to so there isn't a long overhang of strap. After you trim the strap, run a flame quickly over the edge to seal the threads off again. Hope that helps!
I had previously purchased the Smokey '64 but missed the chance to get the '44. The 80th Anniversary has the same face and numeral styling as the '44 which is awesome, with the added bonus of the brass case and a more premium, heavier feel. I absolutely love wearing this watch. It feels heavy on the wrist. The blue face and brass case make a fantastic color combo and look striking. And the natural patina forming on the brass from wearing it makes it look more rugged which I like. Most importantly, as an outdoorsman, I love to support the message of Smokey Bear, so I will continue to purchase these watches.
I’m incredibly impressed with this piece. I’m an avid Rolex, Tudor, and Omega collector and this did not disappoint. The Smokey Bear collaboration drew me in given my family’s long term affiliation with various forestry departments and long term fans of the Smokey mascot. The quality and attention to detail on the watch is incredible. Not to mention the packaging and accessories are some of the coolest I’ve seen included with any watch!
Thanks for your review! We're so happy to hear you're loving your watch and getting great use out of it. A friend of Smokey is a friend of ours!
The Smokey Bear 80th Anniversary Edition Watch (Forest Green)
Loving this watch, it looks very presentable yet rugged where it counts. The watch dial is so crisp and catches light really well. Very impressed with this watch. It's functionality, durability factor, and appearance are superb. For the price the STRAP is a miss for me personally, it could be better... but that is easily fixed with personal customization. I am very pleased with my purchase. Thank you Vero!!
Thanks for your review of your Workhorse Backcountry! Stoked to hear you're loving it. And thanks for the feedback on the NATO/velcro strap. That really helps us in our design concepts for future releases. Best!
Gorgeous and high-quality piece. Absolutely worth it
Thank you for your review of your Smokey Bear watch! We're so happy to hear you're loving it!
Fantastic watch. Can’t take it off. Look like it should cost more. Luv Vero.
Hi Carmine, thanks so much for your review!
I jumped on the opportunity to own this 80th anniversary Smokey the Bear watch. I am old enough to remember TV commercials staring Yogi bear and his side kick Boo Boo. The watch is beautiful. Automatic wind keeps accurate time. I would highly recommend this watch as a piece of Americana. Vero only makes so many watches. So get this watch before they run out. This is my second Vero watch. Fantastic warranty. Expert watch assembly. Top notch watch movements and components.Thanks Vero.
Hi Jim, thanks so much for your review of your Smokey Bear 80th Edition watch! We're happy to hear you are loving your watch and all its fun features. We hope you take it on many adventures, maybe even a picnic ;) Thanks again, Jim!
Works, looks, and feels great
Hi Craig, Thanks for your review! We're so happy to hear you love your Smokey Bear watch!
If you’re a dial guy you’ll love this watch. The only issue I have with it is the brown strap that’s too thick to wear, however they do provide you with a spare strap that’s pretty good. Moving forward if they found a way to change the brown strap to something easier to and more comfortable I think it better.
Also the service from the owners is great if fully on the ball. Goodfellas these guys.
Hi Phil, Thanks for your review! Thanks for. your feedback on the leather strap. We're happy you were able to easily swap it out for the NATO strap. That's deffinitely a favorite in the summer months.