Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Review: The Quintessential Modern Field Watch

It’s both an accurate throwback to vintage mil-spec watches and an impressively-finished timepiece for its price.

Published July 10, 2023

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Although released only in 2017, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical is so popular, so basic and so genuine that it feels like a quintessential part of the horological landscape — almost as if it’s always just been there. A worthy starting point for many a modern watch collector, it represents everything from ruggedness to versatility, personality and Swiss quality. It’s a modern classic, in part because it’s rooted in history.

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical

$595.00 at hamiltonwatch.com

It’s hard to say when the current fascination with military timepieces began. Wristwatches and war have been linked since pilots and soldiers started strapping pocketwatches to their arms back prior even to WWI, and militaries worldwide have issued everything from Rolexes to Bulovas.

Watch enthusiasts have always seemed fascinated by these artifacts, but lately stylish young men (that aren’t necessarily indoctrinated watch dorks) have also taken an interest. An overall growth in enthusiasm for vintage watches probably has something to do with it, but there’s something special about the field watch — and today it’s become a core genre of watches nearly as fundamental as dive watches or pilot’s watches.

Notably, however, Timex was ahead of the curve, collaborating with Todd Snyder and taking heaping amounts of inspiration from general issue field watches of the Vietnam era made by a couple of manufacturers — most notably Benrus and Hamilton. Though made by different companies, they all conformed to a specific specification set forth by the U.S. Government.

A 1960s Benrus DTU2A/P and a 1980s Hamilton MIL-W-46374D.

The forbearer for these watches was the MIL-W-3818B, introduced in 1962, which eventually morphed into the MIL-W-46374. The latter has actually persisted for decades, with numerous revisions, the last of which was specified in 1999. Tweaks and improvements have been made over the years, but the basic look and layout have endured.

Which brings us to the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. It is not technically a continuation of these military watches, nor does it meet any current military specification. But you wouldn’t know that from looking at it — it appears nearly identical to the many mil-spec Hamiltons made decades ago and shares many of the same features. Like those Timexes, it’s an homage to those early pieces, albeit one with a touch more authenticity. What better watch to pair with a bomber jacket or leather boots?

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical: What We Think

The affordable end of the mechanical-watch spectrum can feel lacking in captivating pieces, but the Hamilton Field Khaki has so much to bring to the table, both in terms of design and tactile joy. The considered details that make this an accurate reinterpretation of the early Hamilton mil-spec watches will surely continue to capture the admiration of collectors both established and new. If you’ve been toying with the idea of trading up from your Timex for something with a bit more robustness and horological oomph, it’s hard to think of a watch that can offer everything the Field Khaki does at its price.

It Packs a Hell of a Value

Vintage Hamilton mil-spec watches from the ’60s and ’70s aren’t hard to come by or expensive to acquire (they’ll often run you only a couple or a few hundred bucks), but if you buy one you’re putting up with the quirks and questionable reliability that can come with a decades-old timepiece.

hamilton khaki field watch on green waxed cotton background — The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical looks like a vintage military watch but includes desirable features such as sapphire crystal.

That’s where the Field Khaki Mechanical comes in: to the uninitiated, it looks like it’s an actual vintage piece from this era thanks to some thoughtful design from Hamilton. It’s a great alternative that’ll be much less of a pain to own. Starting under $600, you get a Swiss-made hand-winding timepiece with sapphire crystal, and it holds up as an excellent value even though its price has risen since its introduction (along with everything else in the world, of course).

Because of its low price point, this is undoubtedly going to be a potential purchase by folks wanting to get into their first mechanical watch, especially if they came to love watches though Timex’s military-inspired collaborations. That said, most watch enthusiasts, especially those who have a predilection for military pieces, are going to really enjoy the spot-on vintage design and the hand-winding movement inside.

It’s Got an Authenticity That Goes Beyond Merely Its Looks

Watchmakers have always understood the value in embracing history and reviving old models through reissues, but in the last several years, this approach has come to dominate the industry. Reinterpretations that look and, more importantly, feel like the originals are plentiful, and the Hamilton Khaki Field was one of the early notable examples — and it’s still one of the best. Much of its success is rooted in simplicity, just like the watches it’s based on.

a green watch strap on green fabric — Hamilton offers the watch on a NATO-style strap with a bit more luxury touches than genuinely military equipment would offer, but we’re not complaining.

Just look at a photo of a MIL-W-46374 (further above) then look at the Khaki Field Mechanical and you’ll see just how similar they really are. There’s no extraneous branding apart from the Hamilton logo and the “Swiss Made” moniker at the very bottom of the dial. No date window, just a clean, purposeful and legible dial: it’s pure military function-first design. The printed font on the Khaki Field looks like it was practically pulled from the MIL-W-46374, while tan-hued lume around the chapter ring and on the hands give off the convincing look of faded tritium.

It’s Small, as a Field Watch Should Be

The Khaki Field Mechanical is on the smaller side, at least for a modern watch, at 38mm. The original mil-spec timepieces of the ’60s were a mere 34mm, a size that was relegated to women’s watches for a time but is making a comeback of late. The bump in size is understandable, and at least Hamilton kept the matte-finished case super-thin at 9.5mm which, more than anything, gives the watch its vintage feel. Too often, reissues have been needlessly-bloated reinterpretations of their forbearers — if you do want a needlessly bloated reinterpretation of the Khaki Field, however, Hamilton also offers it in 42mm.

the hamilton khaki field mechanical watch laying on its side — Thanks to its hand-wound movement, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical measures only 9.5mm thick.

Its Hand-Winding Movement Is No Small Part of Its Charm

Inside the watch, you’ll find a hand-winding movement. While the first generation of Khaki Field Mechanical watches used an ETA 2804-2, the current (second) generation has an updated movement — as does nearly every brand in the Swatch Group using movements from its sister supplier ETA. Dubbed the H-50, this is an evolution of generation of movements that included the 2804, and it features a range of upgrades including, most notably, an extended power reserve of 80 hours. Longer power reserves are especially appreciated on hand-wound watches because you have to manually wind them to keep them ticking.

white dial hamilton khaki field mechanical watch on wrist — The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical comes in a range of variants offering different dial colors and even case materials like bronze.

The crown winds up the watch in a smooth, tactile way that’s sure to pull at the heartstrings of any wistful enthusiasts (and bring newbie watch guys aboard onboard the mechanical train). The choice here over automatic winding is key to this watch’s character and charm: its simplicity keeps the watch compact (read: thin) and echoes the bare-bones utility of the early mil-spec watches it pays homage to (and which were also hand-wound).

We Wish It Had Shorter Lugs

It’s hard to find a fault with the Filed Khaki Mechanical, but if we must quibble, it pertains to the lugs — they’re too long, in my opinion. This, for one, throws off the proportions of the case; it also means the watch wears bigger than its 38mm diameter suggests on paper. The bigger issue, though, is that the gap between the spring bar (where you hook on a strap) and the case is too wide. You won’t notice it on a passthrough NATO because the part of the strap running under the case back fills in this space, but if you put it on a two-piece leather strap on the watch it’s gonna look a little goofy.

hamilton khaki field mechanical review gear patrol slide 1 v2 — The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical is completely no frills, and that’s what makes it perfect.

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical: Alternatives

You’ve got a lot of options for field watches today, but the Hamilton Khaki Field is still the one to beat. Some of the best options come from Hamilton itself, and we can’t help but love the brand’s faithful reissue of the W10 (reviewed here) ($845).

As noted, the Field Khaki does not meet military specifications, but if you want to buy an actual mil-spec watch, brand new, you have a couple options: Marathon builds watches to the American MIL-PRF-46374G specification, both in quartz ($240) and automatic ($420) variants. Both also happen to cost less than the Hamilton, though they do not have the same sort of vintage charm as the Hamilton. Similarly, CWC makes modern versions of the British G10 from the ’80s (~$295) (as well as the same W10 from the ’70s as Hamilton for ~$580). If you can go for more refinement and higher price, you might also check out reissues from resurrected brand Timor of its historic “Dirty Dozen” watches ($1,032).