This is Hamilton’s Best Field Watch - The Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical

[@12and60]

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[@jancarlosantos8504]

This is my one & only watch. 2.5yr old, Wear it everyday. No issue, no scratches on the crystal. I love this watch.

[@wastedaga1n]

cheers!

[@kylepark8770]

Great content with beautiful camerawork and thoughtful discussions! I'm a big fan of both kfm and pioneer, they are both GREAT watches. Love the work you do, I think your production value is really up there with some other big watch channels. Plz Keep up the good work I hope your channel continues to grow.

[@12and60]

Thank you very much! It means a lot to hear that. 🙂

[@ricardor9163]

I bought this watch about 5 months ago and I can tell this watch is one of my best purchase that I've ever done refering to watches, the size, the texture of the dial, hands, crown, and the brushed on the case is just top tier (for the price) only issue that I found was tje crystal! Other than that this watch is just perfect. Awesome video!! Keep it up!

[@carlosmcse]

Why is the crystal an issue? It’s beautiful. And it’s very expensive to bend and dome sapphire. If people complain this is too much at $700, then don’t ask how much it would be if they had to dome sapphire. Also, mineral crystal is more legible and doesn’t reflect light like the sapphire.

[@typebflieger]

Great video. I love both the KFM and the W10 (I own a vintage CWC variant). Regarding the crystal. I could see them avoiding sapphire if the boxed shape added an ugly milky ring to outer edges of the dial (which is often the case). I own a watch that has this ring, due to the boxed shape. It is incredibly distracting and ruins the aesthetic of the watch, effectively shrinking the visual area of the dial. Sapphire isn’t always better. It depends on whether or not it imparts this negative visual effect. What I don’t understand is why Hamilton didn’t just go with acrylic. It’s prettier than sapphire and mineral, smudge-proof, doesn’t require a treatment of AR coating, and the scratches buff out easily. Plus, it would be in line with the heritage of this piece.

[@Qjemuse]

I'm thinking of getting one and leaning towards the cwc Would you suggest the same?

[@carlosmcse]

Sapphire is very expensive to some and make it right like the Speedmaster sapphire. I don’t know why this guy is “confused”.

[@joelmariani]

Hamilton went with the mineral crystal because it is more clear and has anti- reflective qualities. Much less glare when viewing in sunlight. Its not as scratch resistant but much better from an optical standpoint.

[@soccernerd200]

Yep - when you compare it to the KFM it's pretty obvious why they chose mineral.

[@johnnelson9252]

It is - until you scratch it.

[@djapojunior]

Great review, both this one and for the KFM, spot on! 👏

[@12and60]

Thanks!

[@EDHBlvd]

While I couldn’t see myself buying this watch, I find it very intriguing and cool. Hamilton makes a hell of a watch for the money.

[@12and60]

They sure do!

[@carlosmcse]

Try it at the store.

[@colinbenfield326]

Was eyeing it in a shop window today. The case is beautifully finished and glistens in the sun. Shame they didnt use the MOD arrow on the face but the vintage lume is perfect

[@12and60]

Yeah, a broad arrow on it would have been a nice touch

[@RichardsModellingAdventures]

Great video. As you have said in the content, you have owned a lot of field watches. So what is you favourite field watch so far?

[@ivermec-tin666]

I agree that this is a far better watch than the khaki. It is certainly more expensive to manufacture. It is a shame that they didn't go the extra mile and put a sapphire crystal in it, or commit to the original design spec and go with an acrylic crystal. CWC makes a watch that is very similar to the Hamilton Pilot Pioneer. It has fixed lugs, an acrylic crystal, and a broad arrow on the face. Sadly, it only has 50M WR. IMO, the difference between 50 and 100M WR is an order of magnitude when one is considering a field watch or an all purpose watch that is NOT disposable. The original general purpose watches were designed to be disposable. IMO, with modern materials and machining standards, there is no excuse for anyone making a field watch with less than 100M WR. Now, do yourself a favor and put your Hamilton Pilot Pioneer on a single pass canvas strap with canvas keepers from Haveston, in tan or olive. It is the perfect combination, and wears well in the heat of the Summer. Thank me later.

[@12and60]

Yeah, I'm with you on 50m Vs 100m WR. I've also looked at the CWC before. It's got some charm, but it looks to be less well finished than the Hamilton.

[@ivermec-tin666]

@@12and60 My view as well. Do check out the Haveston canvas single pass straps. They look a lot like an uprated original MOD or General Service single pass canvas strap from the 40's through the 70's.

[@johnbuckmaster569]

I have 4 Hamilton models. I was able to find this one for $540 US. At that price I think it’s a great value… However at the list price I think it is considerably overpriced… Thanks for the great review!

[@12and60]

My pleasure! And yeah, the RRP is a bit rich for me.

[@davidbreckler5327]

Agreed...it's a cut above their other models... worth the money...

[@67NewEngland]

Love the look of this Hamilton case. Check out the RZE Valour. Awesome simple field with better build such as screw down crown.

[@choond]

Great review

[@stevefox8605]

Love the design, but too small for my tastes and handwound really doesn't appeal either. Love the case shape and that it's no date! Love the khaki king but gave it to my Mrs because of the pointless date ( really despise that complication). This in a 39 & automatic would be perfect..... Excellent review as always, thank you 👍🏻👍🏻

[@carlosmcse]

It’s the perfect size for most. I think anyone can wear it. If you make it bigger then you’re just destroying it. Because thats not what they did with field watches in the 70s. Like the Explorer I at 36mm, the smaller sizes are coming back. The huge plates on your wrist is really going out. I think 39mm is as big as I would want to get.

[@stevefox8605]

@@carlosmcse I'm 51, eyes rapidly declining so a bigger watch is a matter of necessity rather than a style choice. My comment was what'd make it an instant buy for me, not necessarily representative of what I think would be best for the market. ...I absolutely agree that it should be sized as per the original & be as authentic as possible ( with non cosmetic practical upgrades). Thank you for your comment 👍🏻

[@carlosmcse]

@@stevefox8605 Better see in person. The dial is clean and the numbers and big and bright.

[@TheJoaninhaMendes]

I have been thinking to get a KFM for a long time now... and then started looking at some pictures of this beauty. Decided to watch some videos and came across yours. I clicked on it to hear your opinion... and heard this: 03:10 I stopped to watch immediatly. My decision is made and I will buy the Khaki Field Mechanic.

[@jsytac]

I’d suggest that people buy the CWC Mellor 72 over the Hamilton every time. It’s far more authentic and much closer to the original watch.

[@joeygreen77]

Great video mate. For me it’s a pass on a £700 watch with mineral glass. Awful decision from Hamilton. Especially for clumsy me. One Good Knock and the glass is scratched and ruined.

[@12and60]

Cheers Joe! Yep, mineral glass just makes zero sense! 😂

[@davidb9531]

Nobody ever paid £700 for these, they always on offer and a steal at £500ish

[@jamessher6956]

Why buy this watch over the CWC Ray Mellor unless your not aware of their brand?

[@ztnupe8]

Bars being fixed on the CWC is a no for me as well as looking at both side by side the CWC appears more rounded.

[@ekkanofiqandriyana7325]

The only reason why i didn't buy it because there is baltany w10 out there, the baltany version is high quality materials and finishing not to mention the screw down crown with very very very cheap price Then when i looked at this hamilton i instantly thinking that they are trying to scamming me. I skipped this w10 hamilton and go for baltany.

[@tomasinacovell4293]

Does anyone make a sapphire crystal replacement for it?

[@jorglorenz1834]

I'm a fan of Hamilton watches and I have a couple of them. Exactly this model is lacking any appeal to me. There is huge gap between price and value. Hamilton has mispriced this model relative to others. For me the 70's look is somehow overdone anyway with many manufacturers. A real stunner is the Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer.

[@Ferien7]

I’ll take a mineral crystal over a non ar coated sapphire crystal any day. Way too much reflection with sapphire

[@EDHBlvd]

I’m on the other side of the tracks. Every single mineral crystal watch I’ve owned has gotten nasty scratches on the crystal within a year of purchase. I no longer will buy a mineral crystal watch. In comparison, I’ve owned so many sapphire crystal watches over my lifetime and only 1 of them got a scratch (minor). That scratch also happened only after wearing the watch for more than a decade without a single issue. Must have been a freak incident too, as I didnt even notice when it happened.

[@12and60]

I think you both have valid points. I'd insist on a sapphire if it was a watch I was going to bash about, but at the same time the KFM has a very reflective crystal.

[@Ferien7]

@@12and60 I’m curious to know your thoughts on the 38mm khaki field auto and why you didn’t choose that one over the kfm or the pilot pioneer.

[@tomasinacovell4293]

Only reason why I didn't buy it is they should have used sapphire or plexiglass, never glass, that and I didn't like the custard lume.

[@jimwatchyyc]

Forget both this and the KFM, go with the KF Automatic.

[@freethinker585]

With a reputation as good as Hamilton's, why does he tolerate such rough print quality?

[@brett2396]

I tried this watch. It’s very small, has a very tall mineral crystal and is expensive for what it is. Unfortunately I passed on it.

[@12and60]

Yeah, the size won't be for everyone. But luckily the KFM is available in two sizes, and both are larger than this, so there are alternatives.

[@3581tossit]

I agree, it's overpriced. I absolutely love the case shape of this watch. Improvements would be a sapphire crystal, screw-down crown and case back. So, the answer is buy a Tandorio for 10% of the price.

[@bngr_bngr]

That’s a watch for a lady.

[@davidb9531]

Yeah sure, the RAF is full of them, genius comment

[@bngr_bngr]

@@davidb9531 I doubt members of RAF have lady wrists.

[@user-eq1jv3oo5v]

Yes I'm sure all the ladies flying for the raf in the 70s all had one

[@bngr_bngr]

@@user-eq1jv3oo5v I don’t know how low the bar was lowered for women pilots in the 70’s.

[@davidb9531]

@@bngr_bngr donk comments abound on this thread