Hamilton's Most Faithful Khaki Field Tribute Ever Made

Gentlemen, synchronize your watches. The Hamilton khaki-filled mechanical has been one of the maker's best-selling references at Topper since its refresh in 2018, thanks to its classic mid-century looks, genuine military-issue pedigree, and an approachable price point. Now, for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, Hamilton takes that aesthetic to a new level of detail with a new khaki-filled mechanical that looks like it came straight out of a boot camp gear locker from the 1960s. This new offering comes in at 36 millimeters, a rarely-used option that's slightly smaller than the majority of khaki-filled references. This is Rob from Topper Jewelers, and this could very well be the khaki-filled mechanical you've been waiting for. Since the 2018 refresh, and in the years that have followed, the khaki-filled mechanical has primarily been available in 38 and 42 millimeter case sizes, both of which are beloved for the way they translate the classic 1960s military-issue field watch aesthetic into a reliable modern classic that's perfect for everyday wear, whether you're actually in the field or just in the field office. There is also a lot of demand for the 36 millimeter size, but what makes this anniversary edition special is not just that Hamilton has gone back to the 36 millimeter case size, but that the details closely adhere to the source material of one of the rarest and most sought-after variants, the U.S. Air Force Navigator's Watch, the FAPD-501 Type 1. This particular version was only given to Air Force Navigators, as it featured a number of upgrades over the standard field watches. Also setting this new anniversary edition apart from other modern offerings is the way the straps attach to the watch. Like most Hamilton watches provided to the U.S. military, it features fixed instead of removable spring bars, a signature of many military-issued watches over the years. This makes the watch perfect for threading NATO straps without any concern that the spring bar could fall out. Now, the khaki field has something of a strap monster reputation, and if you have a box full of cool two-piece leather and canvas straps that you're hoping to deploy here, I'm sorry to report that this might not be the watch for you. But the trade-off in versatility grants extra utility for NATO straps. You will find viewing the dial through the crystal a little different than popular 38mm khaki field watches. While those watches use a sapphire crystal, this piece uses a period-correct box acrylic that is similar to the source material. It's also a little less reflective. The caseback is also inspired by the original FAPD-501 Type 1 caseback. While the original featured traditional military-style engraving of details, such as the federal stock number, issue date, reference number, and manufactured part number, the modern edition uses similar engraving to call out the 250-year anniversary of the United States, the watch's water resistance, limited edition count, and country of origin. Like the original, a dust cover sits between the movement and the caseback. This U.S. edition comes with both leather and fabric NATO straps. The watch ships in a utility-first field kit-inspired leather and canvas military roll housed in an olive green box. The Hamilton Khaki Field U.S. edition is $725 and is available for pre-order for a May delivery. For more pre-order information, visit TopperJewelers.com. Enjoyed the video? Please like and subscribe. We have big plans for our channel this year, and we hope you can join us.