The Sycamore watch line represents our foray into contemporary watches, and we've designed and assembled the initial two watch models in Los Angeles to replicate - given our Washington, D.C. roots - the two sides of the foreign statecraft “coin” every state engages in on the world stage, diplomacy on one side, and espionage and military on the other.
And what better way to represent our enthusiasm for vintage watches then a dress watch with clear vintage stylings and a unique touch of Arabic?
The result is our automatic dress watch, the Sycamore “Hunter” (الصياد ), which represents the diplomacy side of foreign affairs statecraft.
In designing the Hunter, we took inspiration from vintage watches – particularly the case design and size, with the Hunter weighing in at 36mm in case width (not including the crown). After all, per GQ Magazine, the two biggest trends of 2023 were smaller watches and…Rolex. But also, oddly enough, Arabic-dial watches!
Despite the somewhat diminutive size, in our eyes its perfect, wears quite comfortably, and absolutely feels larger than it is. But the watch is also light, to the point you may forget you are wearing it - absolutely perfect in our opinion.
And the Hunter is everything a dress watch should be - namely, a simple watch able to discreetly fit under a dress shirt without being overly obvious. Various sport and tool watches receive the most attention from collectors and enthusiasts, but nothing looks better with a pair of jeans and a button-down than a thoughtfully designed and executed dress watch.
In common with the popular “Arabic Seiko” (the Seiko SNKP21J1) automatic popularized by Watches of Espionage, the Hunter features a Seiko automatic movement and Arabic dial. But the similarities stop there – the Hunter has a far more robust case, screw-down crown, and is pressure tested to 200 feet.
But let’s back up and hear from DCVW's founder, Nick Ferrell – “First and foremost, and as emphasized by Watches of Espionage is, ‘the deep meaning [the Arabic language-dialed Seiko SNKP21J1] has for our community.’ Many of us, myself included, have spent a considerable amount of time in the Middle East over the past 20+ years. I lived in the Middle East for years learning Arabic before a career in intelligence and diplomacy (and more time in the region) – I will always have a strong affinity for the culture and language of the Arab world. The Sycamore Hunter was designed to be a reminder of that period in my life.”
The Hunter dress automatic comes in two different variants - one a matte black PVD, and a second in stainless-steel - and both come with a likewise same variant bracelet, premium nylon strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.
Sycamore "The Hunter" Arabic Dial Automatic Dress Watch
DIAL: Sycamore-signed Arabic dial features “The Hunter” (الصياد) in classical Arabic – the dial’s Arabic hour indices and hands are lumed, and glow brightly.
CASE: Both the matte black PVD and silver stainless-steel case variants measures 36mm (39.5mm w/crown) x 44mm. The Hunter has been pressure-tested to 200 feet. Case features drilled lugs, for ease of springbar removal. Both variants come with a see-through sapphire crystal case back.
CRYSTAL: Flat sapphire crystal on front and sapphire crystal on case back.
BAND: The Hunter comes with either a matte black PVD-coated or silver stainless-steel bracelet, both of which will accommodate up to an approx. 8.5 inch wrist; it also comes with a premium khaki-color or black nylon strap that features a canvas-like texture and matte black PVD hardware. Supremely comfortable!
MOVEMENT: Seiko NH36A automatic movement – 24 jewels, hacking, and capable of both automatic and manual winding. We chose a bulletproof automatic Seiko movement for its dependability and its rich watch history.
CROWN: Unsigned stainless-steel screw-down crown.
Read more about our Sycamore Collection in GQ Magazine and Worn & Wound!