Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date H64635560 Review

I was about to review an Omega watch, but then I heard a knock at the door.

And it looks like Hamilton had express shipped me a watch from the new Khaki Aviation Pilot collection. I wasn’t sure exactly which reference, but it turned out to be the 42mm Day Date Ref. H64635560 with a deep military green dial, on a brown leather strap – that we’re looking at here. Perfect.

While 36mm would have been more suitable for my wrist, the 36mm variations don’t come with the day and date complication in this new release collection. So I’m really happy to have received this one for review.

The Unveiling

I’m always taken by surprise when handling a Hamilton, it’s like I forget the extreme value they offer in their watches sometimes. It’s pretty incredible what Hamilton is accomplishing on what most dedicated watch collectors would consider an entry level Swiss watch – as usual this specimen here is astonishingly thin for housing a mass produced automatic movement.

How do they constantly accomplish this? It must be all that fresh air in the alps helping the watch designers.

Another aspect that I find really incredible on all Hamilton watches, and especially on this new release here since it just reminded me, is the great high quality finish on the entire watch especially the case. The case is entirely beautifully brushed including the bezel and every section of the lugs, but it’s not an average job, it’s an ultra fine brushing, leaving the case looking matte in texture, and making it impossible to discern any distinct brush markings.

At a glance:

• Movement and Power Reserve: It houses the Hamilton caliber H-30 automatic movement, notable for its day-date function and an impressive 80-hour power reserve. This movement is known for its reliability and precision.
• Case and Design: The watch has a stainless steel case, measuring 42mm in diameter and 12.1mm in thickness. It features an open case back, adding a touch of elegance and allowing a view of the movement.
• Dial: The dial is green with a matte finish, offering a distinctive and stylish look. It is complemented by sword-shaped hands and Arabic numerals for easy legibility.
• Crystal and Water Resistance: The watch is equipped with a sapphire crystal, known for its scratch resistance. It has a water resistance of 100 meters, making it suitable for swimming and snorkeling, but not for diving.
• Strap: The strap is made from cow leather, ensuring durability and comfort. It features an H-buckle and is easy to click on and off.
• Additional Features: The watch includes anti-reflection properties for better visibility and a Nivachron™ balance spring, which enhances its performance.

Inspecting the Dial

The dial on this one is extremely legible, with a very dark green color and paper white indices and markers, unfortunately none of which appear to be applied. The dial is quite roomy but the marker size and font choice fills it out and doesn’t leave any open spaces which personally really bother me on minimal field watches. The marker size and text is not clownishly large either which can sometimes also look cheap. The day and date window is well blended with a white background at the traditional Hamilton location at 3’oclock.

Size

For 42mm the watch wears small, as usual for most Hamilton’s without chronograph functions, or packed with extra features. The lugs are short and curvy which is really what’s helping here.

The H-30

For a utilitarian movement like the H-30 – it’s very attractive. Making the exhibition window in the back a good idea. This movement has a 80 hours of power reserve and is actually very lightly decorated with some snail and pearled patterns. I’m really not sure what more you can ask for here. Perhaps a screw down crown? – only one could wish.

This is a really great release from Hamilton, not as extravagant as the Khaki Field Expedition from last fall, but still a fantastic offering.