The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Is A Quintessential Dad Watch
The watch can be worn for a lifetime and give its next owner a tangible piece of the past.
Wristwatches are one of my many interests. I wouldn’t say they are a hobby because I think you should get better at a hobby over time. I don’t imagine I’ll be better at wearing a watch in 20 years than I am now. But that doesn’t mean my tastes shouldn’t evolve.
I purchased my first automatic watch in 2018. It was a Seiko SKX009K1—the one with the Pepsi-style bezel. Upon receiving the watch, I put it on a thick NATO strap, and I wore it everywhere. Looking back, there’s no way I’d wear such a big watch on a thick double NATO strap. It’s like strapping a hockey puck to your wrist. At the time, I didn't know any different. I was—and still am—vastly ignorant of the watch world.
However, my experience from the past five years has landed me where I am today. I was once into big and bold watches, but I’m now liking smaller and restrained watches. I’m guessing I’ve owned around 50 watches. No, I don’t own all of them. I bought and sold many during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to amuse myself to pass the time. Regardless, my experience with watches has been one of refinement.
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm Watch
The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm watch was one of my acquisitions during COVID. I bought this watch based on photos and articles I read online. I don’t remember how much I paid for it but it was below retail. I wore the watch for about three months and then sold it on eBay.
I remember thinking that the watch looked fantastic but had ridiculously long lugs. It didn’t look good on a two-piece strap. The water resistance was just OK. I didn’t like how small and insignificant it felt. Essentially, I didn’t buy the watch because I really wanted it. I wanted to check off a box and move on.
A few years and a dozen or so watches passed by and I started thinking about the humble Hamilton once again. Suddenly, this little field watch looked more appealing to me every week. I’ve grown tired of big, bulky watches that have all the right specs. Instead, I’ve discovered that I prefer comfortable, iconic, and restrained watches. I started looking around for some deals but everything was over $500. I thought about going used but couldn’t find a great deal either.
During a lunch break last month, I stopped by my local jeweler to see what they had in stock. To my surprise, they had the Hamilton I was after for 60% off. I paid $235, with taxes for a brand new Khaki Field Mechanical watch—cheaper than even a used watch.
Things I love about the Khaki Field Mechanical
As a general rule of thumb, if I own something, sell it, and buy it again, that usually means I should have just kept it cough, Volvo, cough. After having worn the Khaki Field Mechanical almost daily for the past month, here’s what I love about it:
Wearability: I can wear this watch from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day and not feel uncomfortable once. It disappears on the wrist.
Legibility: The dial is easy to read. The bold Arabic numerals and black dial make telling the time a breeze. The lume lasts all night. I prefer using this watch for seeing the time in the dark versus a digital watch that lights up.
Thinness: This watch slides under the cuff while wearing a jacket or long-sleeve shirt. Mind you, this is true while wearing the watch on a NATO strap, which typically means the watch sits higher.
Power reserve: The H-50 manual wind movement can last 80 hours when fully wound. That means I can wear a different watch on the weekend and pick up the Hamilton Monday morning without setting it.
Manual wind movement: I’m an absolute sucker for manually-wound movements. Automatics are all the rage but I will always take a manually-wound watch over an automatic. The lack of a rotor makes the movement slimmer, which in turn makes the watch thinner. Plus the winding action of the H-50 movement is on the same level as the 1861 movement in the Omega Speedmaster Professional.
Things I dislike about the Khaki Field Mechanical
No watch is perfect. That’s what I love about these little machines. They’re a product of compromise designed to fit a specific need and function. The fewer compromises the better.
Lack of strap options. The gap from the lug holes to the case is longer than normal. This isn’t a problem if you wear the watch on a NATO strap. The issue becomes apparent when you put it on a two-piece strap. The gap is unsightly and weird. This is nit-picky since this watch was designed to be worn on a NATO but it’s nice to have options.
The water resistance. At only 50 meters of water resistance, the Khaki Field Mechanical watch isn’t as robust as a dive watch. This is probably the most noticeable compromise made on this watch. In order to have the manual winding movement, you can’t have a screw-down crown due to the risk of overwinding. I’m OK with the lower water resistance because the watch is thinner and more comfortable. But it does make me think twice about exposing it to water.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a time-only watch that can be worn on various occasions then the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical watch is a must-buy. Often watches are viewed in an ideal situation but rarely meet the needs of day-in and day-out wear. This watch can be an everyday watch that also works great as a weekend beater. I wear it at my desk job and while doing yard work—it’s extremely versatile.
I’m a sucker for tool and military watches. And the ultra-utilitarian design of this Hamilton delivers what I love about great watches. The fact that Hamilton made a near-perfect recreation of its iconic watches from the Vietnam War era shows how well it knows its audience.
This watch is an absolute heirloom timepiece. No, it won’t be worth thousands or millions of dollars like some Rolex models. But it can be worn for a lifetime and give its next owner a tangible piece of the past.