The Pursuit Pro on-wrist while assisting on the AT4 trainer
This field report started well before I had any idea that the Jack Mason brand would be debuting a "true" tool watch that was an evolution of their already-stellar Pursuit Pilot. While making sure things were running smoothly on our Facebook group, I stumbled upon a watch in our Buy/Sell/Trade thread that was an immediate want--the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT. To this point, I had virtually no interest in getting a GMT watch, not because there was something wrong with a GMT, but only because I lacked any interest in the complication. Because of that I paid no mind to them until that moment.
Unfortunately, the specific Strat-o-timer GMT (the Americana) that I was looking at ended up selling to another very active club member. I missed out and decided to move on with no intent to return to the possibility of a GMT, at least until one of my friends shot me a text showing his most recent piece: a Rolex GMT-Master II. Little did he know, I would end up looking at GMT watches again to get a feel for the complication and to see what was out there. Over the course of a few days, I came to learn that Jack Mason offered quite a few variants of the Strat-o-timer GMT, and even more interesting was that most all of them paid homage to their Texas origin. One in particular stood out to me, and being a native Texan, I decided to see if I could get my hands on it. About a week after making the decision, I ended up purchasing a Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT in the "Lone Star" livery.
Jack Mason's "Lone Star" Strat-o-timer on an SBWC x Grey Area Co. leather strap
I would be lying if I said that the setting of the GMT complication was not the most confusing thing I have ever done, but after learning how the watch functions, I set it and did not take it off for several weeks. It was at this point that I had come to appreciate the attention to finer details like the brand logo being a facsimile of the Lone Star, very well-executed engraving, the dial having a fantastic depth and texture despite being completely white, and strong lume. I reached out to my buddy CJ and asked him if he could put me in touch with Peter Cho (founder of the Texas-based brand) so I could pay my respects to the man.
After some great back and forth, I came to really appreciate Peter. A fellow Korean, the sharp wit and intellect is a given (as a people, we're basically God's gift to the world in that regard). Peter is genuinely a rare breed. The man's background in the watch industry and his study of industrial design makes for a killer recipe when it comes to putting a brand on the map. It is unique. To top it all off, he is an absolute gentleman and someone that I very much look forward to breaking bread with (KBBQ? I could go for some great samgyeopsal!). Peter mentioned that Jack Mason was poised to launch a new watch, and that it was their first "true" tool watch (as if the Strat with a 200m WR wasn't already setting a toe into that territory). He proposed a field test, and the timing was perfect given where my Company was in the training cycle. I picked a color, and off to the races we went.
I opted for the Pursuit Pro in Hunter. It was a definite departure from what I usually go for (black) and only recently had added a white dial in along with my new-found appreciation for blues. The watch arrived as my Strat-o-timer GMT did, in what I consider to be one of the smarter packaging options with their book-styled watch boxes (they definitely store easily and stay out of the way). They way that Jack Mason offers standard and an additional special packaging a la carte is a great way to pass on savings to the consumer, especially when you take into account the fact that most watch boxes never really see real use beyond shipping.
The Pursuit Pro was an immediate fascination: the bezel is a bidirectional, countdown timer. The insert is a very well-lumed ceramic piece placed into an aluminum ring with raised edges to protect it from damage (and it did a fantastic job at that, eating more than a handful of 5.56 and 7.62 NATO casings and links being spit out by 249s and 240Ls). For me a countdown bezel alone is enough to warrant a look, especially because the only brand that I could immediately think of that offered a countdown bezel is several thousand dollars more expensive, and that style is something that I see referenced fairly often within the community as a want.
The case is definitely worth talking about. While the bezel assembly is low-key black component with brutish, tool watch vibes, the case shows great attention to detail and the DNA of an emerging luxury watch brand with its sleek proportions and smooth transition from brushed to polished surfaces along the edges. The lug-to-lug is a very wearable 47mm paired to a 40mm case diameter and a 42mm bezel diameter. At 12.5mm high, it sits thin and unobtrusive. While there are no crown guards, the crown has to this point been in no danger of being sheared off on my wrist. Substantially-sized, emblazoned with a Lone Star and a rope border, it fits the look nicely and offers a smooth feel when setting the time. Now I am not sure if this is just pure luck or design, but both my Jack Mason watches have damn-near perfect upright orientation of the Lone Star. I really nerded out about that. Of course, being a tool watch, the Pursuit Pro offers 200m of WR.
There is really only one thing that I truly want to see different about the case, and it is that I wish that the lugs were drilled. Beyond that, the watch has no issues when it comes to swapping out the nylon two-piece strap it comes with for any number of options, to include chunkier options from ISOfrane and DiveCore or leather offerings from Grey Area Co. and Chesapeake Bay Leathercraft.
Inside the case we find a magnetically-shielded Swiss LJP G101 movement that the Jack Mason team has regulated to +/- 5 spd. More on accuracy later. Some people might complain about the lack of an exhibition caseback, others about some rotor noise. The reality here? Being magnetically-shielded, there is no point in an exhibition caseback. The rotor noise? That only matters if all you do is sit in a quiet office all day. Not once did I notice it until someone shot me a DM on Facebook to ask about how quiet the rotor was. I gave it a shake, and there definitely is some noise, but nothing I would consider problematic for me. The sound never bothered me over the sounds of gunfire or my daily use as an infantryman--and being frank, there are a lot of concerns that many white collar watch collectors have that aren't even a thought to green collars.
Speaking of DMs, one other person did ask me about any potential issues with the caseback being secured with screws as opposed to being screwed in. In all truth, I do not worry about that in the slightest. The watch is assembled very well, and the designer/engineer that did the work on it probably accounted for any potential concerns regarding that method of securing the caseback.
The dial is truly the star of the show. Pulled from the Pursuit Pilot, it sports the same Lumicast X2 indices, but also an improvement in the form of the numbers being solid pieces of Lumicast, too. This watch is bright when things go dark. If you need a frame of reference, it gives my Pelagos a run for the money.
Specific to the Hunter variant, the cream color sits nicely on the dial and is contrasted by both a single, Lone Star up top and rather unobtrusive orange and cream text at the bottom. Despite the color scheme being cream-orange-green, the second hand still manages to sport the Red White Blue you see across the lineup, and it works well. Even taking into account the fact that the Lone Star up top is polished, nothing feels truly out of place. I have photographed this watch alongside several other watches I own, and it absolutely looks like it belongs.
The first real exposure of the watch to anything "work-related" that was not PT or just being worn at work came in the form of the U.S. Army's Night Infiltration Course. I will fully admit that there is nothing inherently exciting or dangerous about the NIC (unless you have a kidney problem and you're doing it with a stent installed--yes, there will be blood), but it honestly is not a bad way to test your equipment. The NIC is a 100m low crawl with obstacles intended to simulate battlefield conditions and test trainees' physical and mental resilience. For many of them, this is a highly emotional event. I have yet to meet one person that has low crawled towards machine guns firing in their direction (safely overhead, mind you) prior to completing a NIC.
The terrain isn't the most forgiving--you essentially finish soaked in sweat and coated in sand, covering 100m of rocks, sand, and other abrasives. Occasionally your field of vision is lit by flares being shot overhead and the tracers being shot, and other than that, you just keep moving forward until you cross the finish behind the towers where the weapons are located.
To say that this kind of exercise is hard on kit is not a stretch. I've had high-end gear from companies that tout reliability miserably fail, and discovered bombproof kit from companies that I now only exclusively buy from because despite getting worn-in, even years later in one specific case, the equipment hasn't failed me. Putting the Pursuit Pro through this was great. There was no lock-up at the bezel, the crystal was fine, and despite being well-coated in sand (I did not stop to think about a picture before I cleaned the watch off on my pants, but grabbed one after--it was the first photo of the watch you saw here), there were no scratches visible and no issues with function.
The watch continued to prove valuable with the countdown bezel in the following weeks. I was able to time PT tests and other events, to include time hacks for land nav as well as general, daily use. When we shifted focus from the M4A1 to the M249 and 240L, I figured it would be prime time to get the movement shock tested. Thanks to ChatGPT, I was able to have the following analysis of both real-time and slow-motion videos provided:
"With an actively steadied M249, each round of M855A1 fired applies roughly 1.8g (plausible, single shot) to the wristwatch. Depending on pulse length of the recoil impulse, the range is plausibly estimated to be ~1.2 to 3.7 g."
"Each round of M80A1 fired from the M240L (short barrel, tripod, active steadying) imparts about 3 to 4 g acceleration spikes to the wristwatch, with occasional peaks up to ~6 to 7 g depending on firing dynamics."
I stopped counting rounds at some point on the SAW, but I can conservatively estimate that I pulled the trigger on at least 3,000 rounds of M855A1 within the span of a day and a half, and I estimate about the same number of M80A1 that I fired from the 240L. With that many rounds fired in less than one week, I figure any issues with the movement would come to light. Nothing happened. The movement was only 2 seconds off from when I set it before the first rounds were fired from the SAW and did not touch it until the power reserve ran out and it needed to be reset (I wanted to wear my Seamaster at some point, can you blame me for letting the power reserve dying?).
I also decided to see how the ceramic insert would hold up with the protection that the raised portion of the bezel housing offers. I took the watch off, set it down on a pile of brass and let rounds from several other shooters bounce off of it. No immediately noticeable damage to the crystal, case, or bezel assembly. In fact, it took me several days to realize that there was a scuff on the ceramic insert itself at approximately 57 minutes where part of a casing bounced off of it. I would say that the insert is most definitely protected after who knows how many casings and links it ate directly to the face.
From that early October reset of the Pursuit Pro, the watch remains well within the +/- 5 spd that Jack Mason advertises. That includes daily use from PT to the gym and me getting really, really into running again. Plenty of shock to the movement and no issues here.
The Pursuit Pro on a WoE x ZA Commando
While the watch ships on a two-piece nylon strap and does not have a bracelet option, as I mentioned above it definitely plays well with other options that I have. Other than the JM nylon strap, my most worn configurations are with an SBWC x Grey Area Co. leather strap, SBWC x Chesapeake Bay Leathercraft Rhodie, a DiveCore FKM HP strap, a WoE x ZA Commando, and a WoE 2.0 (though now that I think about it, I would love to see it with a WoE 3.0 given the colors on the dial...). I will be forthright that I normally do not like two piece nylon, but this strap is well-made. The quick release pins are a nice touch, with a robust, secure toggle, and the buckle where it passes through is great. I would love to see a thinner (unreinforced) single-pass version with the same buckle system. The only complaint I have is that the strap is definitely stiff at first, but most good nylon that lasts a long time is going to be. I took mine and soaked it for a few days before wearing it, and that definitely helped with the break-in period.
The Pursuit Pro is insanely comfortable, even with a stiff OEM strap. Pair it with anything you like, or soak it for a few days and let it break in and you won't have an issue. The watch wears well in OCPs, PTs, and pulls date night duty just fine under the cuff of an Eton dress shirt. I wore this watch for almost a month straight doing things that most people don't have a chance to do unless they decide to work for Uncle Sugar and his Department of War.
I truly came to enjoy the watch. The Hunter Green dial was a massive departure for me, and at first I thought I would have been happier with the Shadow Black version, but I'm glad I went with a more bold color. I have some ideas regarding a "unit" watch of sorts for the Pursuit Pro, and I've gotten the ball rolling with Peter on that subject. I seriously can't wait to see renders and introduce you guys to it. I wouldn't do that with a watch or a brand that I did not believe in and truly enjoy.
The Pursuit Pro is definitely a killer addition to any collection that places value on robust, high-performing tool watches. Whether you're riding a desk, training, or out doing the Lord's work, you have a watch that will stand up to whatever you can throw at it with zero questions asked--and when you're not out at some TA or downrange doing the damn thing for real, you have a watch that looks great. It doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. To an enthusiast that is grounded in reality (not those that think Rolex, Omega, Breitling alone are luxury in this space), it shows exactly what I said earlier in this report: DNA of an emerging luxury brand, and is topped off with strong tool watch appointments.
Jack Mason's Pursuit Pro on a DiveCore FKM HP with an SBWC x J&L Customs Forge Combat Flathead
Sitting at $1,400 MSRP, the Jack Mason Pursuit Pro is positioned as an obtainable luxury tool watch that packs some serious value and can stand up to the rigors of real-world use. I do not hesitate to recommend this to anyone looking for a first "nice" watch--especially when so many people are told to "Save another grand and get a used Breitling". There are other options out there, yes, but not every one of them are worth what you're paying and you don’t need to save another thousand to snag a used watch. Our paychecks in this field are earned with our sweat and occasionally our blood, and purchases need to be looked at with a bit more scrutiny. The Pursuit Pro is absolutely worth what Jack Mason asks.
The Pursuit Pro is a great entry into the Jack Mason brand. This is a watch that is executed just right. I've seen many people get turned onto watch collecting because of the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer and the fantastic smatterings of limited editions and various colorways, and this could be the exact same case for the Pursuit Pro within the military community. The watches are much easier to purchase than some competitors' offerings thanks to wider availability and supply, and it brings them to a brand that offers not only a robust tool watch for work use, but a sleek Pilot's watch in the Pursuit Pilot, a dedicated dress watch in the Canton, a GMT in the form of the Strat-o-timer GMT, and now a Strat-o-timer Diver GMT that can play any role mentioned here (note that the Strat-o-timer Diver GMT is available in titanium, yes--the want is real. I might even sell my regular GMT to get one, much to the chagrin of my wife whom I witnessed go wide-eyed with flared nostrils when I said this. She loves the Strat-o-timer).
If my wife being pregnant and stealing the Strat-o-timer from me is any indicator, then she birthed a third son who will really like watches
The beauty of this is that for a new collector, Jack Mason can serve as a one-stop shop and provide consistent quality and design language that allows one to branch out without too much trial-and-error.
*****
While in full field test swing, I asked Peter first and foremost what the goal behind the new watch being introduced was, as well as what the vision is for the brand. The Strat-o-timer was a marked repositioning of the brand into what I consider to be genuine luxury territory, and a tool watch coming next really made me think of Tudor with the introduction of the Pelagos.
Peter's answer was straightforward:
"We want to become the go-to American watch brand and be a household name. Kind of what Hamilton used to mean to the US, but we want to do it our own way and blaze our own path." Strong opener. Peter followed up with, "This isn't just a company I'm building to get a payout and retire. I truly believe that we can create an American legacy brand that will be here for the next 50-plus years", finishing with his desire to "Inspire and lead the charge in reviving the strength of American watchmaking" because he is "Tired of being overseen by the Swiss on our own turf". And that right there is honestly something that I think that Jack Mason can achieve.
The conversation did not end there. It came up a few times between us in texts. There are a couple brands out there that have a strong position with relation to the U.S. Military. Some of them are even issued to certain units. With a watch like the Pursuit Pro, I genuinely believe that Peter and Jack Mason can position themselves as a new contender for an "issued" watch. All that they need is the right connection, and I hope that someone out in the community working on the procurement side of the house comes across this and decides to reach out. I would love to help that conversation take place.
If this is you--please, reach out to me. Let's make this happen.
*****
By day, @RoofKoreanActual is a husband and father to three sons and is an active duty Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army, with a prior enlisted background in the National Guard serving in the Field Artillery. His most recent assignment included overseas service as part of a Korean Rotational Force where he was a Mechanized Infantry Platoon Leader in charge of a Stryker Platoon. He is currently serving as a Company Executive Officer. He moonlights as the 2IC and co-founder of the Sketchy Boyz Watch Club.