The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical H69429931 is one of those watches that’s had a lot of articles written about it. Which is totally understandable, it’s a great watch. It’s a modern reincarnation of a classic military spec watch, in a super comfortable size. Well suited to many wrists due to its slim profile and decent lug to lug length, it works on most strap styles and doesn’t break the bank. I’ve worn it on NATO straps, camo cordura and distressed leather, often for days at a time. The case finishing is great, the lume is okay and manually winding it each day is a joy for a geek like me. There is so much to like about this little mechanical marvel. It is one of those watches that appealed to me straight away.

In 2018 my wife and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary! To mark the occasion we planned a big trip to Canada and America, we spent time in Toronto, Montreal and New York, touring around, seeing the sights, winning and dining, and generally having a good time. My Dad gave us some money so that we could pick up a memento each on our trip. I decided to pick up a Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical due to their combination of “American Spirit and Swiss Precision”. It seemed like the perfect memento. I tried authorised dealers in all the cities and could I find one anywhere? No! Clearly I was trying to find a watch at the height of its popularity. I was slightly disappointed but the trip and the memories were way more important than the watch.

A couple of days after getting home an online watch shop in the U.K. had a sale on some watches and remarkably the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical H69429931 was included, so I ordered one straight away. It has been one of my favourite watches ever since. It’s not especially fancy, but it is a great watch that will always remind me of our 10th anniversary trip and my inability to buy it over the pond.