El Hamilton Khaki Takeoff auto chrono, which I present to you herea review, was announced at the last Baselworld 2014 fair but has not reached Spanish distributors until the end of this year. It has been published in a series limited to 1999 pieces, and being an unusual watch like this one it remains to be seen if it is an excessive quantity or on the contrary and thanks to the popularity ofHamilton WatchesOver time it will become a collector's item. And I say unusual because the Hamilton Khaki Takeoff auto chrono is a chronograph with unusual measurements (46mm in diameter and 16mm high) and unusual operation: bullhead (crown and pushers at twelve instead of three) and a separable “head” so that it can be mounted either on the watch itself or on a square support simulating an instrument panel.
a flight instrument
The dial indicates hour and minutes, seconds (at six) and day of the month, while in the chronograph part we find a thirty-minute counter (at twelve) and the central treadmill with the end in yellow, a color that gives it a lot of visibility against the black background. The minute and hour hands are treated with Superluminova, although their outer part is chrome-plated, as are the hands of the subdials: in my opinion, a major mistake if the intention is to pass theHamilton Khaki Takeoff auto chronoby a flight instrument given the (logical, on the other hand) aversion of the pilots for any flash in the cockpit. Likewise, I think that the sapphire crystal should have a better anti-reflective treatment.
It has an internal bezel divided into minutes that can be operated from the outside (grabbing the knurled bezel itself) through some type of transmission, since the crystal remains fixed. I deduce that this circumstance, together with the fact that the buttons are not threaded, is what causes the declared water resistance to be only 50 meters (be very careful: this does not mean that you can go scuba diving with it). The minute scale is regressive (going from plus to minus) and the last fifteen minutes are highlighted in yellow. There is a lot of unnecessary information (the words “minutes” and “seconds” on the subdials, the minute inscriptions on each index…) but it contributes to giving the whole aviator appearance.
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The system for securing the head to its supports (whether the panel or the watch) is done by aligning the crown with the red dot of either of the two and exerting light pressure while turning it clockwise (counterclockwise to release it). The four small bearings that I imagine are held in position by some type of spring provide a reasonable sense of security as they snap into their housings with a loud click. To be able to carry out the operation comfortably, there are two grooved areas on the case (at 2-3 and 8-9 o'clock) followed by “LOCK” indications in yellow accompanied by arrows that mark this closing direction. These grip areas are not sculpted or molded into the case but rather attached to the case using four tiny screws.
Good finishes
Los acabados de la caja del Hamilton Khaki Takeoff auto chrono, as should be no less in a brand from the Swatch group, are excellent, especially taking into account the PVD treatment and the number of elements it presents when most of them could have been saved in a simpler (and certainly more nondescript) construction: in addition to the four screws that I just mentioned, the transparent back is fixed by another six and there are four more on the internal/external bezel. And there's more: the bracelet holder has the handles also fixed by screws; and they are not decorative in the sense that they are “drawn” on the handle itself: the machining to house them is perfectly visible. By their measure, any of them could be part of the movement. Handling the crown and pushers is comfortable thanks to both their size and location. Being in the twelve o'clock position, the crown is much more accessible and allows it to be unscrewed and operated (setting the time) with the watch on, although in reality it is an unnecessary maneuver because the lazy can simply remove the head from its housing, make the adjustments they need and put it back in its place.
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The set is complemented by a ridged calfskin strap that is very pleasant both to the touch and to look at. Well finished, the buckle, also in black PVD, has the brand's H die-cut and a flat nail that makes the holes in which it fits equally flat, giving a good feeling of quality. The interior of the strap has a type of engraving that helps keep the watch in position even in hot/sweaty situations, which is appreciated given its proportions and weight (157 grams).
The movement
El Hamilton Khaki Takeoff auto chronoIt uses an H-31 caliber, derived from the Valjoux 7750 and from which it differs, apart from the arrangement of the subdials, in a greater power reserve (60 hours) and in that the quick passage of the date is carried out using a pusher located at 7 o'clock in the style of calibers with moon phases. A mistake, in my opinion, because it requires, of course, an auxiliary element (the punch that comes as supplied, easily lost) that we will not always have on hand. I don't understand how they haven't kept the fast pass through the middle position of the crown, although there are probably technical reasons for that. Being a model with an exposed back, it presents some decoration although without great fanfare: the bridge that supports the rotor is engraved with what could be called “Hamilton côtes” while the oscillating weight itself shows the brand and the rubies (27). And speaking of oscillating mass: the H-31 has inherited the one-way loading and the characteristic “crazy spin” of the Valjoux 7750.
El Hamilton Khaki Takeoff auto chronoIt is certainly not a watch for every day or for every arm. To begin with, its height (16mm) makes it almost impossible for it to fit under a shirt cuff, and its diameter (46mm) means that – in my opinion – it does not fit well on wrists less than 17 cm in circumference. If we add to this its decidedly “work without a tie” instrument appearance, we find that it is not going to be the only watch in the enthusiast's box, but what enthusiast has only one watch? One thing is certain - or almost -: he will have little competition when it comes to being chosen because all those characteristics make him quite unique. The same regarding the purchase decision: its price, €2,500 in Spain, places it in a peculiar area since for that amount there is a lot to choose from, but at the same time there are very few watches with its characteristics.
And what do you think?
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