Hamilton has introduced the Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm, a reissue of a 1970s U.S. Air Force navigator's watch. The model pays homage to the original FAPD 5101 and celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States. It features a faithful design with modern specifications.
The new Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 36mm draws inspiration from the FAPD 5101, a short-production-run watch issued to U.S. Air Force personnel. Originally featuring a 36mm case considered large at the time, fixed bars for strap security, an acrylic crystal, and a dust cover, the reissue retains these elements. Hamilton has updated the stainless steel case with a media-blasted finish to mimic the vintage phosphated look, while adding a hard-coated acrylic box crystal and 10 bar water resistance. The watch ships on a textile NATO strap with an 18mm lug spacing limited by the fixed bars to one-piece straps. The case back is engraved with “United States of America 250th anniversary,” marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. Inside beats the H-50 manually wound movement from the Powermatic 80 family, offering an 80-hour power reserve, 21,600 vibrations per hour, and a Nivachron balance spring for antimagnetic properties. The black dial uses Super-LumiNova Grade X2 on hands and markers for a warm, aged-tritium glow. Priced at CHF 595, €675, or US$725, it appeals to fans of smaller field watches. In the U.S., it is named the Khaki Field Mechanical 250 with reference H89399930, limited to 1,776 pieces each engraved “1 of 1776 pieces” on the case back.