Hamilton Khaki Field: The affordable Tool Watch
The Hamilton Khaki has been a staple in watch culture and is arguably one of the best bang for your buck watches available on the market. While people recognize the Khaki for their notorious Khaki Field Mechanical offering, the Khaki lineup is much more expansive, having 3 different model categories: the Khaki Field, the Khaki Navy, and the Khaki Aviation. Each of these categories have various offerings which seem endless, leaving the consumer perplexed when attempting to find the watch that suites their needs. In this article we will clear the confusion by breaking down each Khaki model and it’s various offerings, attempting to simplify the lineup and aid in finding the watch that optimally suites you.
Khaki Field:
First on the chopping block is the Khaki Field; This model is the most popular offering for it’s utilitarian and militaristic like design ques. Within the lineup you will find an array of automatic movements, manual wind movements, and even quartz options. Complications are left somewhat minimal with the standard being time only watches with the occasional day-date complication. While simplicity is the standard, there are a few watches with additional complications (such as a chronograph) that are offered; however, these are rare and break the underlying tone of the Field lineup. All in all, the Khaki Field lineup is designed for those seeking simplicity, functionality, and reliability at an exceptional price point.
Automatic Pieces:
Auto:
The Khaki Field Auto is one of the more abundant offerings from Hamilton, having numerous variants ranging in dial colors, case sizes/materials, and strap configurations. These pieces are offered in 38mm, 40mm, 42mm, and 44mm options and share the common H-10 automatic movement, harnessing an 80 hour power reserve. All watches, with the exception of two titanium pieces, feature time on center and a date display at 3 O’clock; the two titanium pieces are time only watches. All of these pieces have water resistance up to 10 bar and come in at a reasonable price, ranging from $575 to $995.
Functions:
Time on center
Date display at 3 O’clock
Materials: Stainless Steel & Titanium
Case Size(s): 44mm, 42mm, 40mm, and 38mm
Frequency: 21600 Vph
Movement: H-10
Power Reserve: 80 Hours
Price Range: $575 to $995
Day Date Auto:
The Hamilton Khaki Day Date Auto is as the name suggests, an offering which features a day and date complication. All pieces in this lineup have a 42mm case size and feature the H-30 movement from Hamilton, boasting 80 hours of power reserve. Even though the same movement is utilized, there are a couple variants within the lineup, each of which have a unique orientation of the day/date register. The first configuration is with the day/date indicator at the 3 O’clock location with the second configuration having the full day at 12 O’clock and date at 6 O’clock. The pieces that have the day/date indicator at 3 O’clock have a water resistance of 10 bar with the later having a slightly less, 5 bar water resistance. All pieces in this lineup are reasonably priced between $895 and $995.
Functions:
All Time on Center
Type 1:
Day/Date Display at 3 O’clock
Type 2:
Full day display at 12 O’clock
Date display at 6 O’clock
Materials: Stainless Steel & Stainless Steel PVD Black
Case Size(s): 42mm
Frequency: 21600 Vph
Movement: H-30
Power Reserve: 80 Hours
Price Range: $895 to $995
Auto Chronograph:
The Auto Chronograph stands alone within the Khaki Field lineup and veers slightly from the simplistic nature of the rest of the lineup. Offered in stainless steel PVD black, this watch utilizes the H-21 movement, featuring a chronograph with hours at 6 O’clock, minutes at 12 O’clock, and seconds on center. Standard time is displayed with hours and minutes on center and a day/date display at the 3 O’clock location. Standard to the H-21 movement is a frequency of 28800 Vph and a 60 hour power reserve. Due to the additional complications of the H-21 movement and the black PVD coating, this piece is a bit higher priced in relation to the rest of the Khaki lineup, coming in at $1795.
Functions:
Chronograph w/hours at 6 O’clock, minutes at 12 O’clock, and seconds on center
Day/Date display at 3 O’clock
Materials: Stainless Steel PVD Black
Case Size(s): 42mm
Frequency: 28800 Vph
Movement: H-21
Power Reserve: 60 Hours
Price Range: $1795
King Auto:
The King Auto is similar to the standard Auto with a few unique and distinguishing differences between the case geometry and the movement. The King Auto comes in a 40mm case size, encasing the H-40 movement which features all time on center and a full day/date display at the 12 O’clock location. The H-40 movement still operates at 21600 Vph and has a power reserve of 80 hours, just like that of the H-10 seen in the Khaki Field Auto. While the King Auto has limited offerings in comparison, the pieces range from a reasonable $575 to $695.
Functions:
All time on center
Full day and date display at 12 O’clock
Materials: Stainless Steel & PVD Black Stainless
Case Size(s): 40mm
Frequency: 21600 Vph
Movement: H-40
Power Reserve: 80 Hours
Price Range: $575 to $695
Murph Auto:
The Murph Auto can be considered a special edition within the Khaki lineup. What makes this piece special is that it is a recreation of the timepiece worn by Murphy Cooper in the 2014 movie “Interstellar”. Utilizing the H-10 movement, this piece operates at 21600 Vph, has a power reserve of 80 hours, and simplistically features all time on center. Considering the collectorship around this watch, the price is naturally a bit higher when compared to the other time only offerings, coming in at a price of $995.
Functions:
All time on center
Materials: Stainless Steel
Case Size(s): 42mm
Frequency: 21600 Vph
Movement: H-10
Power Reserve: 80 Hours
Price Range: $995
Skeleton Auto:
The Skeleton Auto is another offering that veers away from the traditional, losing a bit of the continuity when compare to rest of the Khaki Field lineup. As the name suggests, the piece is skeletonized, allowing you to see the movements innerworkings from the watch face. The movement in this piece is the H-20-S, operating at 28800 Vph, having a power reserve of 80 hours, and featuring all time on center. While this watch is not everyone’s cup of tea, it is a unique offering within the Khaki Field lineup and is steeply priced at $1295 for a time only watch.
Functions:
All time on center
Materials: Stainless Steel
Case Size(s): 42mm
Frequency: 28800 Vph
Movement: H-20-S
Power Reserve: 42 Hours
Price Range: $1295
Manual Wind Pieces:
Mechanical:
Transitioning to the manual wind pieces in the Khaki Field collection there is only one model available, that is the Khaki Field Mechanical. This model is arguably one of Hamilton’s most popular pieces. The Mechanical lineup features quite a few variants; majority of the watches utilize the H-50 manual wind movement with one piece in particular deviating by using the ETA 2805-2 movement. The H-50 movement sports an 80 hour power reserve operating at 21600 Vph and features all time on center with some variants having a date display at the 3 O’clock location. The ETA 2805-2 movement features a lesser 44 hour power reserve operating at 28800 Vph and features all time on center with a date display at 3 O’clock. The Mechanical lineup is featured in mainly stainless steel and is offered in 38mm, 42mm, and a stand alone 50mm case size. Prices range significantly, starting at a low $425 and topping off at $1245 for the 50mm stand alone variant.
Functions:
Type 1
All time on center
Type 2
All Time on center
Date display at 3 O’clock
Materials: Stainless Steel, Stainless Steel PVD Black , and Bronze/Titanium
Case Size(s): 38mm, 42mm, and 50mm
Frequency: 21600 Vph & 28800 Vph
Movement: H-50 & ETA 2805-2
Power Reserve: 80 Hours & 44 Hours
Price Range: $425 to $1245
Quartz Pieces:
Quartz:
The Khaki Field Quartz shares much of it’s design cues with the automatic and manual wind variants at a slightly lower price point. The Quartz features all time on center with a date display at 3 O’clock and is offered in either a 38mm or 40mm case size. The 38mm variant is powered by the F06.111 movement while the 40mm variant is powered by the F07.111 movement. Aside from having no mechanical basis, these piece look the part and are offered at a lower price point, ranging from $325 to $495.
Functions:
All time on center
Date display at 3 O’clock
Materials: Stainless Steel & Stainless Steel Black PVD
Case Size(s): 38mm & 40mm
Frequency: N/A
Movement: F06.111 & F07.111
Power Reserve: N/A
Price Range: $325 to $495
King Quartz:
The last piece in the Khaki Field lineup is the King Quartz. Similar to the King Auto, the King Quartz features all time on center with a full day and date display at the 12 O’clock location. This watch is encased in a 40mm stainless steel case featuring the 955.132 movement, and is offered at a price range that is nearly half of its automatic counterpart, starting at $375 and topping off at $425.
Functions:
All time on center
Full day and date display at 12 O’clock
Materials: Stainless Steel
Case Size(s): 40mm
Frequency: N/A
Movement: 955.132
Power Reserve: N/A
Price Range: $375 to $425
What is your ideal pick from the Hamilton Khaki Field lineup? Let us know in the comments.
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