Hamilton?s newest offering is a thorough and largely accurate rendition of a much loved military-issued aviation watch, the W10. Following many years of producing issued watches for the US military, Hamilton got the contract for a simple pilot?s watch for the Royal Air Force in the 1970s. The new Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical pays tribute to the classic W10, and truly gets all the little details just right. Let?s take a closer look.

Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical

Two Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanicals flanking a vintage W10.

Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial: Textured black
Dimensions: 33mm x 36mm
Crystal: Hardened mineral crystal (box shape) with double AR  
Water Resistance: 100 meters
Movement: H-50 (hand-wind caliber based on the ETA 2801) with 80 hours of power reserve Strap/bracelet: Leather or nylon mil-strap
Price: $845 on grey textile; $895 on leather
Expected Release: Available now

The first thing to understand about this watch is that it hasn?t been dramatically up-sized, as is the case for many vintage reissues and reinterpretations, including those from Hamilton. The Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical measures just 33mm across by 36mm in height. It?s a roughly square shape, so the case wears larger than a circular watch at 33mm in diameter, but this is still very conservative sizing from Hamilton and they get kudos from me for resisting the urge to make this thing a dinner plate on the wrist. Another nice vintage touch is the box-shaped min...