Hamilton Releases the Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze Watch

The new Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze watch is powered by a hand-wound movement. Its full-of-character bronze case develops a patina on the wrist that unfolds a story unique to its owner

A little on the history of the Khaki Field watch

Picture this, you’re on the frontline during the First World War and you suddenly realize that synchronizing your movements at the front with larger artillery blasts happening from the back could potentially save your life. But what tool could you possibly use to assist you with such a critical skill? A watch of course. And they hadn’t been long invented at that point. Well, the wrist-wearing type at least. Before that, watches were merely a gentleman’s object until the so-called “wristlets” were invented -  elegant companions for the female wrist.

When wrist-worn timepieces were invented, soldiers could reference the hours, minutes and seconds of the day and control important timings with a tool that was strapped firmly to the wrist. This freed up the hand for more important stuff. After the war, military watches were worn more casually and utilized for things like fishing, hiking and bicycling. The evolution of the wristwatch heavily relied on a manufacturer to come along and merge the civilian and military qualities of a watch into one compact design.

The name “khaki” emerged on the scene quite early on. In 1917 in fact. It featured a strap made of beige webbing. Before long, Depollier was manufacturing moisture-proof watches with luminous dials under the “khaki watch” name. These watches weren’t just popular with military personnel, they appealed to those who wanted to move away from the elegance and daintiness often associated with wristwatches during this time. Field watches were associated with the great outdoors. Between then and the release of the Hamilton Khaki watch, many timepieces would launch in the style of the military watch. The Rolex Air-King, the Longines Hour Angle and the Rolex Explorer are to name just a few examples, not to mention the more affordable Tudor Danger watch.

Hamilton was sticking to military specifications after the war and by the 1960s, the U. S Department of Defense issued a watch specification named MIL-W-46374A. Hamilton’s military wristwatch with a 24-hour track would be produced by the millions according to these specifications, its popularity swelling during the time of the Vietnam War. The brand continued to produce watches for the military, partnering up with the likes of L. L. Bean to produce versions of its 9219. The watch was offered alongside Swiss Army knives and compasses before hitting the civilian market.

Why the Khaki Filed watch is still ticking

By the time the Hamilton Khaki Field watch was released to civilians, the world was waiting for a watch that communicated masculinity and bravery. WWII - themed films like The Frogmen helped to secure the popularity of the Hamilton Khaki watch but before that one would wonder why anyone would not want to put the war bar behind them. So why the demand for military-inspired wristwatches? Well, military men were sex symbols. The style of these watches endorsed very bold and confident masculinity. The Hamilton Khaki Field watch was an outdoorsy lifestyle watch with mass appeal. It became incredibly fashionable during the 1970s and 80s. The watch was styled alongside aviator glasses and camouflage print attire. In 2018 Hamilton released the Khaki Field Mechanical watch in a hand-wound version, breathing new life into the already-popular military wristwatch look. The collection is now home to all-black models measuring a giant 50mm diameter, as well as more svelte steel models measuring a much more manageable 38mm. This resurgence has proved the timelessness of the military tool watch look.

The new Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze watch

The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical watch now has its own sub-collection, becoming one of the brand’s classics. Earthy colours that hark back to time spent on the frontline have never been more fitting, especially now that the brand has launched this upgrade, complete with a bronze case that develops a patina over time. The bronze case of the new Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical watch looks aged already. Its 38mm diameter is water-resistant to 50-meters and frames a classic black dial with luminescent 24-hour inner scale, along with larger Arabic numeral hour markers in a bright white hue.

Staying true to the style of the thousands of watches produced by Hamilton for U.S., British and other military forces during the 20th century, the deep sunset tones of the watch and bronze-tone hands feel like an authentic military wristwatch with plenty of practical appeal. The surface of the dial, complete with an arrow-tipped central second hand and clear minute scale, is protected by a strong pane of sapphire crystal glass treated with anti-reflective technology.

The new bronze case of the Hamilton Khaki Filed Mechanical Bronze watch houses the H-50 movement. The hand-wound engine is based on the ETA 2801-1 movement and has featured in the Khaki Field Mechanical 50 and 38 models. It produces a power reserve of 80 hours and performs at a rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour. Thanks to the lack of a winding rotor, the hand-wound movement provides a lightweight advantage inside the case, as does the caseback, crafted from titanium to prevent any tarnishing to the skin.

The new Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze watch is fitted on a soft brown leather NATO strap with a traditional bronze pin buckle. If you’d like to secure the watch with Jura Watches today, you can call and speak to a member of our team on 01335 453453

Technical Specifications of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze watch

• Case: Bronze – 38mm – sapphire crystal glass front with anti-reflective treatment – titanium caseback – 50-meter water-resistant
• Dial: Black – luminous 24-hour inner scale – white Arabic numeral hour markers – bronze-tone hands – arrow-tipped second hand
• Movement – H-50 – hand-wound – based on the ETA 2801-2 – 80-hour power reserve – 21,600 v.p.h
• Strap: Soft brown leather NATO strap – bronze pin buckle
• Reference: H69459530
• Price: £720