Hodinkee
Hands-On: Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm – The Return Of A Vintage Military Legend
As the United States of America celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, reflecting on two and a half centuries of history, Hamilton is also looking back on its past. Instead of the 1770s, however, the Swiss-based watch brand has drawn inspiration from the 1970s and has announced the release of the Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm, a virtually 1:1 recreation of the famed 36mm Hamilton FAPD-5101 Type 1 created as a navigator's watch for the U.S. Air Force in the 1970s. The Hamilton Boutique in Lancaster, PA - formerly the Bowman Technical School for watchmakers. The FAPD-5101 Type 1 variant was produced in September of 1970 and was intended for use by U.S. Air Force personnel during the Vietnam War as a navigator's watch. While Hamilton also produced many other watches for the U.S. Military throughout the 20th Century, this particular piece was unique in that it was slightly larger and therefore more legible than its contemporaries. Due to its modern proportions and rarity, it remains highly prized among vintage watch collectors today. Hamilton's American Roots The launch of the watch was celebrated in Hamilton's ancestral home of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, just ahead of Memorial Day Weekend. Hamilton was founded in 1892 in Lancaster, where a budding watch industry had been struggling for several years to get off the ground. Seeing the need and potential for high-quality watches in the booming railroad industry, a consortium of local ent...
