LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto: an automatic watch with military styling
The LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto combines the aesthetics of a contemporary military watch with a construction designed for outdoor activities. Its Nordic camouflage dial, carbon-composite case and matching strap give it an immediately recognisable identity. Behind this tactical appearance, the model features Swiss mechanics with the La Joux-Perret G100 automatic calibre and a 68-hour power reserve. However, its military inspiration should be distinguished from that of a military-issued watch in the historical sense. The Gravel Nordic Camo Auto is a civilian tool watch that draws its visual codes from camouflage and field equipment, without claiming any official adoption by an armed force. It is available from €856.
A military watch inspired by Nordic camouflage
The most distinctive feature of this Gravel is, of course, its camouflage. Unlike traditional military watches with a uniform black, green or beige dial, the Nordic Camo uses a pattern made up of several tones that is also repeated on its strap. The overall design gives the watch a distinctly tactical character, while its architecture remains that of a contemporary Swiss mechanical watch. Legibility is enhanced by large applied hour markers and generously sized hands, while the three-dimensional construction of the dial adds depth. This pursuit of a military appearance does not involve reproducing a specific historical model. Instead, the Gravel offers a modern interpretation of the field watch, combining camouflage aesthetics with a design focused on durability and lightness.
A 43 mm carbon-composite case
The LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto replaces traditional steel with a composite material combining carbon fibre and polyamide. Known as Dense Carbon, this construction significantly reduces the weight of the case. The watch measures 43 mm in diameter and 12.9 mm thick. The lug-to-lug distance is 50.1 mm, while the lug width measures 22 mm. Despite these relatively generous dimensions, its weight is limited to just 62 grams. This lightness is one of the model’s distinctive features. Whereas a 43 mm automatic watch with a stainless-steel case can quickly feel quite substantial on the wrist, the use of carbon composite keeps the weight down. The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal. It features an anti-reflective coating on the inside as well as an external treatment designed to improve scratch resistance.
Discover the full specifications of the LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto
A construction designed to withstand shocks
The Gravel is not defined solely by its outdoor appearance. Its construction also incorporates a system designed to protect the movement against impacts and vibrations. The principle involves using a shock-absorption system around the movement to reduce the stresses transmitted to the calibre. This feature reflects the watch’s overall philosophy. The Gravel Nordic Camo is not a reproduction of the military field watches of the 20th century, which were generally much smaller and mechanically simpler. Instead, it translates their focus on functionality into a contemporary automatic watch. The composite case, sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and movement protection all contribute to this approach. Legibility also remains an important aspect of the overall design, in keeping with the principles traditionally associated with field watches.
A La Joux-Perret G100 automatic calibre
The movement is one of the notable features of the Gravel Nordic Camo Auto. It is powered by the La Joux-Perret G100, a Swiss automatic movement with 24 jewels and a 68-hour power reserve. This autonomy allows the watch to continue running for almost three days when it is not being worn. It also offers a more contemporary alternative to automatic movements traditionally providing around 40 hours of power reserve. The choice of the G100 places the Nordic Camo in a different category from many tactical watches that use quartz movements to prioritise autonomy and simplicity. Here, its outdoor orientation is combined with a genuine Swiss automatic movement. The watch is assembled in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. It therefore retains a direct connection with the Swiss watchmaking industry while adopting a design that differs significantly from the traditional codes of Swiss watchmaking.
Water resistance to 100 metres
The LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto offers water resistance to 100 metres, or approximately 10 ATM. A screw-down crown combined with a system of seals completes the case construction. This level of water resistance is consistent with everyday and outdoor use. However, it does not make the Gravel a dive watch in the strict sense: its construction, dial and lack of a rotating dive bezel clearly place it in a different category. The 22 mm strap extends the visual identity of the dial through its camouflage pattern. This continuity between the strap and the watch plays an important role in the overall appearance of the Nordic Camo and reinforces its military inspiration.
LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto: between a field watch and a modern tool watch
With its 43 mm diameter, 62-gram weight and composite case, the LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto differs quite significantly from the proportions of historic military watches. Nevertheless, it retains some of their fundamental principles: legibility, durability, lightness and suitability for outdoor activities. Its identity is primarily defined by the combination of two different worlds. On the one hand, the camouflage dial and strap, shock-resistant construction and carbon case evoke contemporary tactical equipment. On the other, the La Joux-Perret G100 automatic movement, Swiss assembly and 68-hour power reserve firmly connect it to mechanical watchmaking. The LIV Gravel Nordic Camo Auto can therefore be considered a military-inspired watch rather than one with a direct historical military lineage. This is an important distinction for a model that does not seek to reproduce a military-issued watch, but instead reinterprets the codes of the field watch using modern materials and mechanics.
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Editor: Éric Barse
Journalist, entrepreneur, and founder of the websites www.cafe-racer-only.com and www.scooter-3-roues.com, Eric Barse divides his time between his passions: motorcycles, travel, and watches. A graduate of the Saint-Cyr military academy and the 2nd RPIMA (Parachute Regiment) before pursuing a career in communications and digital media, he has a true passion for authentic watches that have accompanied his two-wheeled adventures for many years, from the Indian Ocean to Africa and Latin America!
