Hamilton
Available to Buy: Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze
Hamilton
Available to Buy: Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Bronze
This is exactly where the genre of watch known as the field watch fits. Hard-wearing, robust and functional — the field watch typically doesn’t boast the bells and whistles of more specialized sports watches, but it doesn’t need them. Field watches have been around in one form or another for over a century, and they have proven themselves in some of the harshest environments imaginable. While many brands have created their own take on a field watch, one name stands above them all, and that is Hamilton. Before we learn about the brand’s latest Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm, let’s find out where the field watch was born.
Exploring the Field
There are a few contenders for the title of “first” wristwatch, be that the timepiece commissioned by a Neapolitan queen, or the one made for the pioneering Brazilian aviator. In truth, these singular examples did little to shift the needle of popular taste when it came to moving watches from pockets to the wrist. The necessities of modern war drove that shift.
In the First World War and other conflicts, an accurate and rugged watch could be a literal life-saver. Of course, this style of watch, born on the field of battle, didn’t end there. The utility of the wristwatch was proven, and as thousands of veterans returned home wearing them, the era of the wristwatch had begun. But beyond firming up the future of the wristwatch, the defining qualities of a military field watch — legibility, reliability and durability — had been clearly established. More importantly, it quickly became evident that these attributes weren’t just for the armed forces. Outdoorsmen, explorers and backyard adventurers found uses for these hard-wearing watches. The field watch was a proven hit with civilians and service members, and watch brands paid attention, with many making their own version of this practical timekeeper.
From Lancaster to the World
When it comes to field watches, the name of Hamilton looms large. Founded in 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the heart of American watchmaking, Hamilton’s watchmaking played an important role during the Second World War. In 1942, Hamilton ceased all consumer-focused production to concentrate on the needs of the armed forces because more than ever before, timekeeping mattered in war. Hamilton played its role brilliantly, delivering more than one million timepieces during the war. The trying conditions of wartime production required the watchmaker to innovate, developing new lubricants and their own non-metallic alloy for use in hairsprings, Elinvar Extra. Of particular significance were the 10,000-plus marine chronometers the brand produced. These gimbal-mounted, high-grade pocket watch mechanisms were primarily used for naval navigation — in a hostile environment when radio signals could be intercepted, navigation by dead reckoning was the only viable option. That required an accurate chronometer, and the ability of Hamilton to produce their incredibly accurate chronometers at scale had a material effect on the American war effort. Admiral Arleigh Burke, chief of staff to vice admiral Marc Mitscher during the battle for Leyte Gulf, wrote: “The ships of the 3rd and 7th Fleets that fought at Leyte Gulf were absolutely dependent upon Hamilton Marine Chronometers for the accurate time that was essential to successful naval and air operations. This United States victory, in one of the greatest naval battles ever fought, marked the beginning of the end of World War II.”
From the Field to the Jungle
It is a different watch, from a different war, that serves as the template for the Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm. It is a watch made according to the military specifications laid down in 1964, known as MIL-W-46374, which listed the requirements for the general issue military watch, requiring an economical and mass-produced timepiece. This document, more than any other, effectively codified and standardized the modern field watch. It wasn’t long before these watches started being issued in bulk by quartermasters across the American sphere of influence as American combat troops entered the Vietnam War from 1965, with more than half a million in the theater by 1969.
The Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm in Bronze
In 2019, Hamilton, now part of The Swatch Group, took the field watch back to its roots with a remake of the popular Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm collection, a direct descendant of the military watches of the 1960s, albeit with some welcome modern twists. Today we get the latest evolution of Hamilton’s best-selling model.
The real talking point about this case is the material. Bronze, an ancient alloy with great corrosion resistance and the tendency to develop a patina unique to its wearer and the environment it’s in, is a popular material in watch cases. Of course it also makes sense in the context of a military-inspired watch, as bronze is a metal commonly used for military decorations and medals. The warm tones and charm of the alloy certainly synergize with the world-weary aesthetic of the Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm beautifully. What’s more, the titanium caseback and 20mm leather NATO strap ensure that the watch won’t leave any patina on your skin, which is a bonus.