Hamilton has introduced a significant update to its Khaki Field Mechanical lineup — a new model equipped with a power reserve indicator, a first for the series. While the core design remains largely intact, the addition of this practical complication marks a notable evolution for one of the most recognizable and widely owned field watches in the hobby.
Now, for anyone who’s had a Khaki Field Mechanical disappear off their wrist and onto a shelf for a few days (only to pick it up dead as a doornail), this update actually makes a ton of sense. Sure, it’s not historically faithful in the strictest sense, but this isn’t a reissue — it’s a field watch still doing what it’s always done: evolve slowly, quietly, and with purpose.
This is the first time Hamilton has added a complication to the Khaki Field Mechanical since its 2017 launch, which itself was a modern revival of trench watch DNA dating back to World War I. For a watch that’s mostly been about restraint — 38mm, hand-wound, no date, no frills — the decision to add something functional rather than ornamental feels like the right kind of shake-up.
The new model (or rather, models — there are four references total) is built around a 40mm bead-blasted steel case. That’s up from the usual 38mm, but still safely in “field watch classic” territory. The dial comes in either black or white, with that warm Old Radium-style lume that’s become standard fare for the Khaki. You’ll get your pick between an olive green NATO with leather keepers or a three-link steel bracelet with a proper quick-release and folding clasp. Both options look the part, though I’m already imagining this on a leather two-piece with a bit of wear on it.
Now, about that new feature: the power reserve meter sits tucked at nine o’clock and somehow manages not to ruin anything. Hamilton didn’t slap on some shiny modern arc or weird typography — instead, it looks like a fuel gauge pulled from a ‘60s Jeep. There’s a little red “F” and “E” on either end, a subtle “1/2” at the top, and four dashes filling in the rest. The hand even has a diamond tip that echoes the styling of the other syringe and arrow hands on the dial. It’s so period-correct you almost want to believe this thing came out of a prototype drawer in Lancaster.
To make room, Hamilton dropped three numerals from the 24-hour inner track (8 through 10), but they kept the outer minute ring fully intact. And in an uncharacteristically assertive move, they added “Power Reserve / 80 Hours” at six o’clock. It’s the only part I’m still chewing on — maybe too on-the-nose for an otherwise stoic dial? Still, not a dealbreaker.
Inside, you’re getting the new caliber H-23, which is basically the proven H-50 (from the 38mm Khaki) with a power reserve module tacked on. It’s part of Swatch Group’s Powermatic 80 family, which means you’re getting a full 80 hours of juice from a hand-wound movement. No rotor here, no winding shortcut — this thing still wants your attention.
Prices land at $945 for the NATO version and $1,025 for the bracelet. Still entirely reasonable — and still very much the field watch that’s topped countless “first mechanical” lists for years. Only now, it tells you a little more.
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Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.