Name: Monsoon (Solar)
Brand: Redwood
Price: 219.0 USD
Availability: InStock

THE REDWOOD MONSOON WATCH

Heritage-Inspired. Rugged. Mission-Ready.

“We know how hard it is to find a watch with the right look, a solid build, and a fair price. That is why we started Redwood.”

The Redwood Brothers

"It's hard to imagine that there are many better options out there today"

"That’s a whole lot of character for the money"

"Inspired by one of the most influential early military dive watches ever made"

"Feels more like an ode to past generations than a revamped iteration of the classic design"

BEHIND ENEMY LINES: THE WATCH OF THE MACV-SOG

In 1964, the MACV-SOG was established to conduct covert warfare operations during the Vietnam War. Ben Baker, head of the CISO, was tasked with supplying “sterilized” military equipment to the SOG: all marks were removed to make identification difficult. This meant POW, MIA and KIA personnel would not be linked to the US military.

Our inspiration for the Redwood Monsoon were tough, understated watches with black dials, large illuminated numerals and hands and a waterproof case. Reinterpreted with modern movements and upgraded waterproofing, it is ready to report for duty. Even though most of us won’t infiltrate behind enemy lines, it is impressive to know the Monsoon has a strong historical background and the means to back its looks.

HIGH CONTRAST DiAL & HANDS

As is to be expected for a tool watch fit for Special Forces, one of the most important aspects the MACV-SOG watches was legibility of the dial and hands. The Redwood Monsoon's high-contrast dial is devoid of unnecessary details and features large numerals for quick and clear reading with military time indicated on the outer scale. The pencil-shaped hour and minute hands are all business and the high-contrast red second hand helps confirm correct movement operation with just a glance.

BULLETPROOF CASE CONSTRUCTION

The design of the Monsoon watch case is the embodiment of form following function, with a no-nonsense, rugged, all-stainless construction. The most noticeable update to the mil-spec watches is size. Whereas period watches had a diameter of 36-38mm, the Redwood is a modern 40mm, the sweet spot for a field watch. The brushed finish reduces unwanted glare with the PVD black model offering maximum stealthiness. The massive lugs are insurance against failure. They are drilled for convenient spring bar removal. The Redwood Monsoon watch is also equipped with an oversized screw-down crown for easier operation.

MONSOON-READY WATER RESISTANCE

A critical requirement for the watches issued to the MACV-SOG was a waterproof and dustproof case to protect the movement from the harsh environment encountered during covert operations. The Redwood Monsoon watch stays true to the mil-spec spirit and uses modern technology for a reliable 100m/330ft of water resistance. To achieve this rating, both the crown and caseback are screwed-down and equipped with high quality seals.

UNSCRATCHABLE SAPPHIRE CRYSTAL

The Monsoon is equipped with a flat sapphire crystal. Being one of the hardest materials - rated at 9 on the Mohs hardness scale (diamonds rate at 10) - it is very scratch resistant. Its flat shape also minimizes the risk of scratching it. It is mounted with special seals to ensure water tightness. Its 1.5mm thickness is designed to withstand the strong hydrostatic pressure experienced underwater.

ENERGY-INDEPENDENT MOVEMENT

With its solar-powered movement, the Monsoon watch offers a superior level of durability that will last you through any adventure. It is fully independent from external power sources.

The Monsoon watch is equipped with a miniature solar panel behind the translucent dial. A short exposure to sunlight or strong artificial light provides up to 12 months of power. A massive upgrade compared to the original mil-spec watches.

NIGHT VISION LUME

Original issue watches used radioactive tritium to provide illumination, causing safety issue during operation and disposal. Redwood uses non-radioactive Super-LumiNova pigments, a major improvement over period tech. The pigment appears white in daytime conditions and produces a strong greenish glow in low light after exposure to light or UV. All three hands and numerals 1 to 12 are coated.

DEATH CARD CASEBACK

The caseback of the Redwood Monsoon watch might appear cryptic for the uninitiated with a skull and bones and two lines of unintelligible text engraved into the solid stainless steel piece. The design was inspired by the death cards printed by MACV-SOG Spike Teams for use as psyops weapons during covert operations. The cards were left along trails in the jungle, near villages and at ambush sites to terrify the enemy.

CANVAS POUCH INCLUDED

Each Redwood Monsoon watch is shipped in a heritage-inspired watch pouch. Borrowing design elements from the M56 Compass bag, the sturdy watch pouch is made of a thick 18 oz. cotton canvas. It features 2 slots for the watch and tools or replacement straps.

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ASSEMBLED
N. AMERICA

SOLAR
MOVEMENT

10 ATM WATER
RESISTANCE

2-YEAR
WARRANTY

SPECIFICATIONS

CASE

Material: Stainless Steel
Diameter: 40mm

Length: 46.5mm

Thickness: 10.7mm

Lug Width: 20mm

MOVEMENT

Epson VS37

Solar Quartz Movement

Hacking Seconds

GLASS

Flat Sapphire
Internal AR Coating
Thickness: 1.5mm

CROWN

Screw-Down

Engraved

Coin-Edge

6.5mm

WATER RESISTANCE

10 ATM

100m

330ft

STRAP

Leather, Nylon or Rubber Strap
Brushed Stainless Steel Hardware

DIAL

Matte Dial

Super-LumiNova C3

WEIGHT

56g (Excluding Strap)

“Hey team!

Just wanted to send a word of compliment. I’m a big watch guy [...] But let me say, Redwood has blown them all out of the water. I need watches that are more than just accessories, but functional tools. I’m a firefighter/paramedic in a high call volume city in the US. My wife bought me a Redwood Tactical Frogman for Christmas. It came in the mail and I am blown away. This is by far my new favorite watch. It is insanely lightweight, crazy well built and the Lume in as good ifnot better than my luminox. Thanks for making such a high quality time piece, and please don’t stop changing the watch game”

Jay H.

“Dear Redwoods,

I received my watch today. About a week early! So far my experience with your company has been a delight from a quick answer on chat, to fast shipping and a watch that arrived set to the correct time.

Oh, yeah, and I love the watch - it is everything I hoped it would be! Keep up the good work. You definitely performed on your three promises! Sincerely”

Gary S.

“I’ve been a field-watch person [...] for many years. Not a big collector, not a watch scholar, just an appreciator and one who wears his field watch day and night. I stumbled on your website a few weeks ago, and I have to say that your Field v2 has quite stolen my heart. There are other field watches out there with the uncrowded Explorer-type dial, but I find there is something too mechanical and human-centered about them [...] for me the Redwood Field evokes taking low-key hike through the woods, or quietly putting one’s garden to bed on a late-fall afternoon—or any way of being at home in a world one recognizes as larger than oneself. I cannot think of a way to improve the overall look of the watch.”

Homer W.

THE REDWOOD PROMISE

Good design, rugged construction, fair price: When we were shopping for a watch, we were told we could only pick two out of the three.

Redwood was born from the desire to be able to own a watch with a great design anchored in history, a quality build with solid specs and a fair price. This is the Redwood Promise.

HERITAGE DESIGNS

At Redwood, we have great respect and admiration for heritage designs. Military watches from WW2 to the 80s and the outdoor lifestyle have been our biggest influence [read more]

RUGGED BUILD

We decided early on to build rugged watches because we wanted our customers to have a product that would last for years. By using quality materials, we ensure their durability and good looks [read more]

FAIR PRICING

Redwood is a small. independent, family-owned brand. We take pride in building solid watches and selling them at an honest price. With no corporate backers, we are free from pressures to reach sales goals and profit margins.

CANADIAN ASSEMBLY

Early on, we had the goal to manufacture watches at home. Since 2020, our watches are proudly assembled in Canada [read more ]

CHOOSE YOUR
WATCH

SELECT YOUR
OPTIONS

SPECIFICATIONS
Diameter	40 mm
Length (lug-to-lug)	46.5 mm
Thickness	10.7 mm
Strap Width	20 mm
Movement (?)	Epson VS37 Solar
Glass	Sapphire (scratch-resistant)
Water Resistance	10 ATM

USA / Canada	1 - 7 days
Europe	4 - 7 days
Rest of the world	5 - 12 days

	Order up to $99	Order over $100
USA / Canada	$12.50	Free
EU* / UK / CH	$12	$12
HK / Japan / South Korea / Singapore	$45	$45
Australia / NZ	$20	$20
All other countries	$50	$50

Monsoon (Solar)

FREE SHIPPING

EASY RETURNS

2-YEAR WARRANTY

Customer Reviews