As wildfire season returns to the Pacific Northwest, an Oregon watchmaker is quietly doing something unusual: sending a percentage of every sale directly to the federal agency that fights forest fires.
VERO Watch Company, based in Portland, has held an official licensing agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to use the Smokey Bear brand since 2023. Over the past two years, the partnership has generated more than $100,000 for the agency, drawn from 10 percent of each Smokey Bear watch sold, along with revenue from a companion Forest Service Edition line.
The original Smokey Bear watch debuted in August 2023, timed to the mascot's 79th birthday. The timepiece was built around a Seiko NH38A automatic movement, flat sapphire crystal, and a 38mm case with 120-meter water resistance. At $490, it was positioned as a serious field watch rather than a novelty item, a deliberate choice by the brand.
A second edition followed in 2024 for Smokey's 80th anniversary, offered in Forest Green and Brilliant Blue with a satin-finish bronze case that develops a natural patina over time. The $595 anniversary models drew attention from both watch collectors and outdoor recreation communities.
VERO has credited part of the line's appeal to Smokey Bear's standing as the face of the longest-running public service announcement campaign in American history, now in its ninth decade.
The watches are available at VERO-Watch.com.
