Introducing Hamilton Revive A Rare Vintage Military Watch For The USA's 250th Anniversary

While many of Hamilton's most prominent recent releases have underscored its reputation as "The Watchmaker of Filmmakers" (and increasingly, of Video Game Makers too), another pillar of this American-Swiss watch brand's identity is its long history of producing military timepieces. It's that rich history that Hamilton has drawn upon for its latest release, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States of America by fairly faithfully reviving an obscure and rare vintage model. 

The reference in question is the FAPD 5101, which, as Hamilton explains, was only produced for a short period in the 1970s and was issued to U.S. Air Force navigators. Notable features of the watch included a large-for-the-time 36mm parkerized case with fixed bars and the Hamilton calibre 684, a manually wound movement with an anti-magnetic dust cover that was developed specifically for the model and never used elsewhere.

As you can see from the above photos, this new Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm ref. H69399930 preserves many of the FAPD 5101's key details: the diameter, the fixed bars, and an acrylic crystal, which instantly differentiates this model from mainline Khaki Fields.

Other details worth calling out include a retro italicised Hamilton wordmark at 12 o'clock (as found on some but not all FAPD 5101s), a unique NATO strap with a coarser texture than the standard nylon NATOs paired with Khaki Fields, and a closed caseback with engraving detailing its status as a 250th anniversary special edition.

Specs-wise, it's powered by the manual-winding H-50 calibre utilised by other mainline KFs, offering an 80-hour power reserve, but curiously, it's actually twice as water-resistant (100 metres versus 50 metres for the 38 and 42mm Khaki Field Mechanicals). There's a case to be made, then, that this is an above-average KF model, especially when considering it's also slimmer and smaller than other KFs - although the fixed bars restrict strap options.

Here I am, Editor of HODINKEE Australia & New Zealand, and I'm writing about a watch celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States! Who woulda thunk it. Semiquincentennial connection aside, I think this is a particularly compelling execution of the Hamilton Khaki Field: the KF in virtually any guise already has a strong retro look, but this reference feels particularly vintage.

Brand: Hamilton
Model: Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm
Reference: H69399930

Diameter: 36mm
Thickness: 10.2mm
Lug Width: 18 mm
Case Material: Sandblasted stainless steel
Crystal: Box-shaped acrylic with hard coating and anti-fingerprint treatment
Dial Colour: Matte black
Lume: Super-LumiNova X2
Water Resistance: 100 metres
Strap/Bracelet: Textile NATO strap, steel pin buckle

Calibre: Hamilton H-50, ETA 2801-2 base
Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds
Diameter: 25.6mm
Thickness: 3.35mm
Power Reserve: 80 hours
Winding: Manual
Frequency: 21,600 bph (3 Hz)
Jewels: 17
Chronometer Certified: No

Price: 1,100 AUD
Availability: From May 20th
Limited Edition: No

For more, click here.