I found it! The best Hamilton Khaki Field-to-date (for me...)

I think this is the ultimate Khaki Field. Whatever version of the Khaki Field comes out in the future, I have absolutely no intention of switching from this reference. I hope for anyone reading this will see what I see – that the 9415A is the best Khaki Field. It's not easy when everyone buys the watch I bought and I don’t like it when my watch becomes common, but this is a watch I really want to recommend.

First, I am not particularly interested in the Khaki Field model itself. It's not that I bought it because I had to buy a Khaki Field, but I had a style I wanted to express with this type of watch, and it fit that style perfectly. But "why didn't I buy the current Khaki Field model and bought this one instead" you may ask? I would never buy that unless it’s renewed. Of course, the Khaki Field model itself is excellent. It is based on real military watch history, and it has a lot of charm in and of itself, and Hamilton continues to sell the most upgraded product at a good price. But it was lacking a spoonful of sentiment, which is important in a watch. To get the feel I wanted, it had to be smaller. Without dissing the current Khaki Field, I absolutely couldn’t accept fake patina. I don’t know about watches bought for fun, but I couldn't get over the fake patina on a watch I'm serious about and plan to keep for a long time. Fake stylishness can never become truly style.

Let me first talk a bit about the lineage of Khaki Field. First, there’s the choice of gg-w-113.

ref: gg-w-113

This is the epitome of Khaki Field, a real military watch. Aside from the fixed lugs, there’s really nothing to complain about in terms of appearance. However, the downside is the movement is a bit outdated and difficult to service, so it feels a bit risky to continue owning. The price has risen so much lately that to buy one in good condition, you have to shell out close to $800 USD. So, the next thing you look at is the mil-w-46374B, which is quite cheaper than the gg-w-113. Still, it is a watch that has the same seven-jewel movement. So then to finally land at a watch that has a serviceable movement, we have to look at the mil-w-46374D which houses the 2801 ETA movement.

ref: mil-w-46374D

But still, compared to gg-w-113, there’s something more written on the dial, right? They used H3, tritium for the luminous paint. Some people like this, and I really understand, but personally, I think the Khaki Field should be rugged but also have a certain clean look.

So, the watches I mentioned so far were military watches. This model, the 9415A, was released in the mid-90s for civilian use.

ref: 9415A

I will explain about five reasons why this watch is perfect for me. First, the case size is 34mm, because it was calculated directly from the military watch case, and that size is so sweet to me. Of course, for those who have wrists of 18cm or 19cm, it may feel excessively small, but occasionally there are those who think that a watch needs to be big for it to be masculine. In the case of this watch, when it’s worn small, it actually looks better. But it's not just a small watch; that’s the pivotal point, and you shouldn’t just think of it as a mere 34mm watch. It’s a rare case because of the width of the strap.

People still look for the old Patek Philippe Calatrava, right? It’s 31mm but doesn’t feel too small and feels sexy when worn, because the strap is wide.

Usually, if there’s a case diameter, you divide by two to determine the strap width. So, for this one, it would be 34mm divided by two, so it should be 17mm, but it’s released with 18mm lug width, and I can even squeeze in a slightly softer 19mm strap. When we see someone’s watch photo and think 'why does that person's watch fit so well, it looks cool,' one of the secrets is this: the watch is small, but the strap is wide. This model makes it possible. That’s why it's a rare and valuable watch.

The thickness is also very good; just the case measures 7mm in height and even with the domed acrylic glass included, it’s only 9mm thick. It’s not even a quartz watch. Inside there is an ETA 2801 manual movement, and it’s a watch with a second hand but doesn’t waste space and has well-managed thickness. And just reading to what I’m saying now, some of you might think this watch is worth buying. I mentioned the domed acrylic glass, right? A frequent complaint about the current Khaki Field is the glass. The reflection is too intense. The white dial is a bit better, but people usually buy the original color dial, and the glass is almost like a mirror. That’s why, in my experience, there are people who switch to the acrylic glass and wear it, but not many who wear it long with just the original glass. The glass of the 9415A is very clear and clean. The dial, which is clearly visible through this clear glass, also has a very classical balance, from the Hamilton logo font to the size of the Khaki lettering – everything is perfect. There are different dials within this size range, but this version was my favorite. And it’s a perfect black and contrasted with the patinaed white. I like this design, but I also like it for psychological reasons. To put it simply, it feels like a more mature watch. The ones with yellowish luminous paint ultimately rely on a nostalgic feeling. They feel dependent on the demand for past models. But with this white-painted watch, do we even need to call it a white-painted watch? It’s obvious. Old models are cool, but that’s them, and this is the next generation of watches. It has the feeling of a regular product that takes on the competition head-on. That’s when this model has its own significance. We could also talk about strap matching. We often make the mistake you can’t put an expensive strap on a cheap watch. But that’s not true, it’s just instinctual. But I think there’s no need for that because putting an expensive strap on a cheap watch to bring it to life is a real value for money. Just buying a cheap strap isn’t value for money. The strap defines this watch for me. If I just put on a cheap NATO strap that fits the price range, I would consider this watch a cheap tool watch. By fitting a strap that I really cherish and like, I treat this watch as a valuable piece when I wear it.

With all this said, I hope you see my PoV and consider this beautiful classic when looking for your next Hamilton Field watch!