Hamilton, a US origin brand with a well-established past for Military and Pilot watches, was the guest of our Hands On corner with the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 50mm PVD, which was released as a part of the brand’s Baselworld 2018 novelties.
Pilot watches, which have been featured in the collections of many brands from different segments, are considered as one of the important product groups of the watchmaking industry. Within this specific product group, whose history is almost as old as the aviation history itself, it is possible to come across a variety of models offered within a very large price scale.
The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 50mm PVD model, which we have here today, is a special model that draws attention with its affordable price tag as well as its enormous case and classic dial design that offers un-matched legibility.
“The model is inspired by the Ref. FAPD 5101, also known as Type 1 Navigator, which has been exclusively designed for US Navy back in 1969. The model was powered by a hand-wound movement that was able to Hack (stop the second hand when the winding crown is pulled), which made it quite popular in its era thanks to the movement’s user-friendly synchronizing feature.”
One of the most striking features of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 50mm PVD is its 50mm diameter case. The case is made of micro-bead blasted and anthracite PVD coated stainless steel, which granted the model its professional look. It is possible to say that the model looks a tad smaller than the non-PVD coated version due to the darker color scheme. However, I am not talking about a 42 or 44mm small here.
The case is equipped with a scratch resistant sapphire crystal on the front side and a solid case back at the rear side engraved with aviation related patterns. The model is water resistant to 100 meters / 10 bars.
The other important detail about the model is hidden in its dial. You may miss that detail on the classic Military style 12/24h dial at first glance but everything changes when you are in a darker environment. The large Arabic number hour markers on the dial are made of pure molded Super LumiNOVA phosphor material. Measuring a full millimeter in height, the glow-time of those hour markers are twice of standard phosphor-filled indices. In addition to this, we can add the darker Super LumiNOVA filled triangular markers that emphasize the model’s retro design.
The new model is powered by the hand-wound Caliber ETA 2804, which is manufactured by Swatch Group. The movement, which reinforces the retro appeal of the model with its hand-wound architecture, offers a power reserve of 80 hours.
The last element to complement the Vintage character of the model is its brown soft calf leather strap. Adorned with contrast stitching, the NATO style strap is secured by a Hamilton signed standard buckle made of PVD coated stainless steel.
In addition to the version we have here Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 50mm is available in two more iterations: a brushed stainless steel case with a black dial and an all-black version with a black-coated case.
