Another field watch. Another quartz. Another solar timekeeping device. Oh glory to modern, reliable, and affordable horological technologies which make it possible to create excellent worry-free and no-nonsense tool watches as we need more of them. You may be a mechanical snob but deep down there is a hidden part of you who wishes to be enthusiastic about the type of watch we’re about to discover today. Imagine the iconic quartz-powered CWC G10 but in a modern everyday and sleek envelope, ready for anything and everything, at home or abroad, in your backyard or atop Mount Fuji. We need—we want—good everyday watches just like people before the internet and computers needed good everyday watches because there is something beautiful in a simple tool we can carry and use everyday no matter what. And this type of horology is becoming more and more relevant in today’s world of inflamed luxury, perpetual inflation, and of the immense waste we create by not making the types of products we actually need and want. 

Behold the Kansas based Dryden (that's in ‘Merica to us foreigners) and its tried-and-tested recipe for good daily horology. A while back we explored the Heartlander Gunmetal Gray which I cheekingly dubbed For the Ian Fleming In You, as it is an excellent everyday/GADA-style watch which you can wear whilst writing your novels Monday through Friday, at a black-tie event at his Lordship’s mansion on Friday evening, and hiking the perilous jungle of the Amazon on the weekend. And whilst I thought I had seen the best of Dryden with the aforementioned timepiece, well I was left in awe getting a first glimpse at its newest and best-to-date creation at a recent watch show: the Heartlander Solar 38mm Slate Gray or the perfect field/everyday/sports watch for yours truly. This gem of straightforward everyday horology is readily available on the brand’s website and will set you back $279 American pesos on the FKM rubber strap and $379 American pesos on the stainless steel bracelet. Do yourself a favor and opt for the bracelet. 

You are very much welcome. 

Specifications 

At once I will tell you this: this new Dryden shows that we’ve come to a point in the history of our niche industry where brands have finally understood how much quartz technology makes sense. I’ve seen more and more options for good and handsome battery-powered watches come to market in the past few months because they make a whole lot of sense both functionally and financially. Quartz movements are cheap to buy, extremely easy and inexpensive to maintain, and accurate out-of-the-box. You don’t need to spend a fortune to get them regulated or repaired, as oftentimes they can be easily replaced should they not last a lifetime (I know, that goes against the being-good-for-the-planet thing but…), and in essence, can virtually replace—or prevent you from acquiring—many mechanical watches. (See? There was a positive to the replacement part.) Because if you are the type of watch enthusiast who is reasonable and wise, you will see that you don’t need to stock too many watches in your watch box. Just a few good ones will suffice. 

So at its core the new Heartlander Solar 38mm is a field watch on account of its dial layout and overall solid specifications and the movement that ticks inside. A Japan made Epson VS42 Solar caliber which has a standard (for quartz movements) stated accuracy of ± 20 seconds per month and a power reserve of six months once fully charged—that is it will continue to tick accurately for 180 days in total darkness after a full charge which takes anywhere between 5 to 47 hours depending on the type of light and illumination power. That is excellent because this is a long power reserve and because there is no battery you need to replace which makes this type of mechanism the perfect candidate for the ultimate no-nonsense, grab-and-go everyday/tool watch. This movement is also contained within a reasonably sized case measuring 38mm in diameter, 46mm lug-to-lug, 10.8mm thick, and a 20mm lug width. Dryden opted for the dimensions that best define what an averagely-sized watch is and that was smart. 

Given that you can and should do anything and everything with the Heartlander, it is equipped with a flat piece of sapphire crystal complemented by inner anti-reflective coating, so that it is scratch-resistant and clear and free of distortions. And the latter makes it easy to admire the darker gray dial and lumed hands and markers, made of BGW9 SuperLuminova and in generous quantities including small plots positioned outside of the Arabic numerals. Moreover, the deeply knurled and large crown screws-down, so does the case-back, endowing the Heartlander with more-than-enough 100 meters of water resistance, indeed perfectly adapted to all of your adventures save for deep diving. (But who are we kidding?) And moreover once more, the FKM rubber strap is excellent, thick and sleek to the touch, equipped with quick-release spring-bars. But the bracelet though: quick-release spring-bars, fully articulated, screwed links, and tool-less micro-adjustment mechanism. 

Come on, dish out those extra 100 pesos, would you? 

Design

If we are similar then you would decide to pull the trigger on the Dryden Heartlander Solar because you too have a passion for simply elegant and decidedly straightforward designs which come with the unique characteristic of being beautifully versatile. Though this model has a distinct utilitarian aspect—look at the syringe-style hands and full stack of Arabic numerals—it can easily be an everyday watch on account of the monochromatic color scheme, the perfectly proportioned dial, and the brushed/polished case. (Add to the versatility by opting for the steel bracelet I say.) And even though I’m not the greatest fan of colored dials, I will admit that the other three versions of the Heartlander are equally compelling for the point I’m trying to make: Dockside Blue, Forest Green, and Nightfall Black all can do well in the category of chameleon horology as all have contrasting white accents and color-matched FKM rubber straps for a perfectly unified look. This is really a home run release from Dryden. 

The dial is therefore gloriously simple and straightforward but not deprived of any character. What I like the most about it is how the brand went about proportioning all key elements so that they all coexist harmoniously and support one another. The syringe-style hands for example are printed in matte white and match the clean appearance of the printed Arabic numerals for the hours, the fully graduated minute track, and the lumed plots located at the periphery of the dial. Looking at each element individually is easy to do so it is as a whole, so that reading the time is as natural as it is to comb our hair in the morning. At the three we find a deeply set framed date aperture—positioned this way because of the solar cells located below the dial—with black printed numerals on a white date disc for superlative legibility. Above the pinion we find the brand’s name and the mention of the tech inside, and below it the collection name printed in orange to match the tip of the seconds hand, as well as the indication of the depth rating. 

And at last, the case. You won’t be shocked but pleased to hear that it is the same as the Heartlander I reviewed a few months back (I swear!) and so we find the same great wrist presence and arched mid-case which perfectly hugs my 16.5cm/6.50” wrist, long and narrow lugs flanked on their outside by thin polished chamfers which run all along the case, and a delicate alternation of horizontally and vertically brushed surfaces. I had forgotten about the glorious peak-shaped fixed bezel which slants down and in above the mid-case and is complemented by mirror-like polished surfaces below and radially brushed ones above. The new nature of the power animating the Dryden Heartlander is evoked on the case-back and crown in the form of etched flowers which is in full composition on the former and delightfully designed so. This is a nod to the solar powered nature of the Epson VS42 caliber of course which makes for a nice yet discreet piece of horological decoration.

The Heart of the Matter

In 2025, $279 and $379 will give you more than you can handle in terms of specifications, but rarely so in terms of design. If or when you decide to explore the blackhole-like universe of AliExpress and mass-manufactured homage watches, chances are that you will find similarly spec’ed watches as the Dryden Heartlander for half the price or less. And these make sense for a lot of people, surprisingly so to me, as some want the best spec-to-dollar ratio they can find with no regard or interest for design and originality. What they seek in our world of horology is the equivalent of putting a Ferrari engine inside a Fiat Multipla or space rocket on a trash can. It got the power but not the looks. And so when I handle the Heartlander Solar and mentally compare it to everything that is available on the market right now, I understand that I’m indeed handling a  gem of utilitarian horology—one which is original, affordable, reliable, and oh so sensical to purchase and add to a watch box. 

It makes so much sense actually that it doesn’t make sense that the brand did not create it before. 

Conclusion

Dryden also did another thing well with this new release: it announced it not long ago and made it readily available to purchase directly from its website. No pre-ordering period but an immediate ordering period only and fast international shipping. When you put these facts next to the generous spec list and handsome design of the Heartlander Solar 38mm, you find yourself in a no-brainer type of situation. And so you should opt for the stainless steel bracelet for an extra 100 bucks as you won’t regret it, trust me. Readily available and in four colors, this new collection from Dryden is as sensical as they come and so I’m wondering what you’re waiting for? 

Thanks for reading.