Introducing: The Hamilton Khaki Field Quartz
What We Know
Hamilton, the king of the field watch. In most conversations with our editors, you’ll find a Khaki Field mentioned just about any time entry-level Swiss watches are discussed. Today, Hamilton releases a new, revitalized collection of quartz-powered Khaki Fields, providing a lower price tag option for a go-anywhere, do-anything Swiss tool watch. This time, they introduce the collection in both 38mm and 33mm, in a move certainly intended to create a range of unisex options for a broader audience.
Around a month ago, my colleague Mark Kauzlarich wrote about three new dials of Hamilton’s Khaki Field Mechanical 38. To me, the standouts in that bunch were the white dials, and it seems that through this release, the white dial is here to stay for the Khaki Field in many of its variations. This new Khaki Field Quartz line encompasses three colors: white, blue, and black, with different shades of Super-Luminova on the dial and hands. This comes out to four variations – white with “old radium” colored Super-LumiNova, blue with white Super-Luminova, black with green Super-Luminova, and finally black with “old radium” Super-Luminova. On the white dial, the hands and printing are done in black for higher contrast.
“Old Radium” lume.
Both the white dial and black dial with old radium lume are paired with a green textile strap, and the blue and black dials with non-aged lume come on color-matching textile straps. These straps are a signature in the Khaki Field line, with leather keepers to make them feel a little more upscale.
An original Hamilton G.S. watch from the late 1960s.
A 1980s “Khaki” watch, as sold by AnalogShift.
The “Khaki” logo has been added to this release, but in a much smaller proportion to the rest of the dial.
Hamilton attributes this new Khaki Field Quartz design to the Hamilton G.S. (“General Service”) model from the sixties – a watch produced for non-military personnel in the British government. It most certainly leans into the vintage military aesthetic, and the brand says that elements are modernized throughout – including a dial with improved contrast and a railway minute track for better legibility. The Arabic numerals are large and bold – proportionally larger than on the original. In place of where you would have found “G.S.” below the center of the dial, a stylized Khaki logo takes its place, seemingly inspired by the civilian, commercially sold Khaki Fields of the 1980s.
All variants of the watch, in either size, are available for $395.
What We Think
While this release is nothing necessarily groundbreaking from Hamilton, it slots well into the product assortment. In the lineup of Khaki Fields, Hamilton has strengthened their product range at $700-$1,200 over the past few years, occasionally hitting the top of that bracket for versions in titanium.
With this new collection, quartz no longer feels like a compromise or just a “cheaper” offering from the brand. The design is unique enough to stand on its own in the assortment, and I think that $395 is a fair price for the product being offered. Looking at all the currently listed Khaki Field Quartz watches on the Hamilton website, it seems that this generation will finally align the quartz offering in the family with the current design language of the mechanical Khaki Fields.
A 33mm Khaki Field from the 90s, as sold on WannaBuyAWatch.
From a design perspective, I like these watches. First, I think the stylized Khaki logo is such a nice touch, given its historical connection. In addition, I think having the smaller size come in at 33mm, rather than 35 or 36mm, is quite brilliant – it’s an immediate recall to the vintage Khaki Fields that came in that size. I remember once seeing a friend’s vintage Khaki Field find and being shocked at how small the thing was. My only criticism, however, is that in optimizing the dial for legibility, the proportions of elements like the “Khaki” logo and numerals lack some of the vintage charm in the original watches.
Overall, these are very welcome, clean designs that I can see having a wide audience. For someone’s first foray into the Swiss tool watch scene, this would be a perfect entry. But it begs the question – is the mechanical equivalent worth the $200 upgrade?
The Basics
Brand: Hamilton
Model: Khaki Field Quartz
Reference Number:
-33mm: H69301910 (white dial), H69301940 (blue dial), H69301430 (black dial), H69301930 (black dial with “old radium” lume)
-38mm: H69401910 (white dial), H69401940 (blue dial), H69401430 (black dial), H69401930 (black dial with “old radium” lume)
Movement: Quartz
Diameter: 33mm, 38mm
Thickness: 7.5mm (33mm case), 8.3mm (38mm case)
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: Black, blue, and white options
Indexes: Printed
Lume: Yes, Super-LumiNova
Water Resistance: 5 bar (50m)
Strap/Bracelet: Textile NATO strap with leather accents in various colors
Pricing & Availability
Price: $395 (all sizes and colors)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No
For more, click here.
Hodinkee
