With its long and illustrious history that stretches back over 130 years, it’s hard to choose just one line that represents Hamilton. From the railroad watches that helped build the American West to ever-futuristic watches like the Ventura that graced the wrists of both Elvis and the Men in Black, there are plenty of icons to choose from, but it’s hard to argue against the Khaki line of field watches. Hamilton is now announcing the newest addition to the Khaki line: the Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition, an all-terrain adventure watch available in two sizes and three colorways and ready for any adventure.
The Khaki line can trace its roots back to the trenches of World War I. After securing a contract with the U.S. military in 1914, Hamilton shifted its focus from pocket watches to wristwatches, producing field watches like the appropriately named Officer’s Trench Watch. Over a century later, the classic design cues of the military field watch remain — large, legible numbers, along with luminous hands and indices. Used by countless thousands of soldiers over the decades, Hamilton issued field watches to soldiers during both the Vietnam and Korean wars, the watches often returning home to be used as rugged and reliable companions.
Over the years, the Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition line has become synonymous with field watches. And the brand has plenty to choose from. With more than 60 options to choose from in the Khaki family, there’s a field watch for every style and wrist size. The Khaki Field Expedition retains all the hallmarks of the Khaki line, including large, Arabic markers and a distinct vintage military aesthetic. With the Field Expedition, Hamilton adds a functional and trail-ready compass bezel for analog navigation. This is a Khaki built for the outdoors, for nights beside the campfire and endless singletrack along mountain paths. With the Field Expedition, Hamilton gives you the choice of either a 37mm or 41mm stainless steel case. Both provide 100m of water resistance, screw-down crowns, and a slim case height of 10.45 or 11.5mm, respectively. The case is fully brushed — perfect for an adventure-ready watch — with the standout feature being its new compass bezel.
If you’ve never used a compass bezel before, it’s surprisingly easy to do. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, your first step is to keep the dial level and point the hour hand in the direction of the sun. Next, set the South marker to the mid-point between the hour hand and the 12 o’clock marker. Now you’ll have a rough indication of direction (swap south and north you’re in the southern hemisphere). While you should certainly have a proper compass or GPS while out deep in the field, two is one, and one is none, as the saying goes, so it’s always best to be prepared. In addition to the two case sizes, the Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition is available in three dial colors: black, white, and blue. Each colorway features oversized Arabic numerals and no date, keeping the dial clean and symmetrical. Super-LumiNova on the hour markers and hands provides both nighttime legibility and a touch of warmth and vintage charm. The Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition is powered by the H-10 a Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition utomatic movement that features 80 hours of power reserve and a Nivachron balance spring. The Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition is available on your choice of brown or green leather strap or a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp. However, with the 20mm lug width, it’s quick and easy to customize the Field Expedition to your tastes.