Hamilton Khaki Field 'Brigade Quartermaster'
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Why We Love it
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Why We Love it
–Hamilton’s military watch history stretches back over a century.
From pocket watches to field watches to ships’ chronometers, the American-founded brand has provided soldiers with reliable timepieces for decades upon decades. An interesting subset of this impressive output, however, lies in a military-adjacent watch: the humble, 34mm ‘Khaki’ line of the 1980s and 1990s.
Having surplus on hand of its American-issued military watches from the 1970s and earlier, Hamilton began selling these (and similar) timepieces through outdoor stores such as L.L. Bean and Avirex. Each was signed with the name of its retailer on the dial, making for a wonderful collector’s market in which one could accumulate a relatively large number of field watches at affordable prices.
This particular Khaki is one of the rarest of all. Retailed by Brigade Quartermaster, a now-defunct mail-order business of military surplus items, it seems that very few were made.
Housed in a 34mm ‘parkerized’ stainless steel case with an acrylic crystal and a stepped bezel, it features a matte black Tritium dial with printed 'Arabic' indices, a matching ‘syringe’ handset, the rare ‘hooded archer’ logo of Brigade Quartermaster at the 12:00 position, and 12- and 24-hour scales in white.
Powered by a hand-wound ETA 2750 — a hardy caliber with a large balance that can be regulated by any qualified watchmaker — this well-sized field watch is a stellar reminder of the place of outdoorsmanship in the American psyche.
Strap on this humble Hamilton to be transported back to a different time!
Brand Story
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Brand Story
+The DoD contracted GI watches from many manufacturers, the most notable among them being Hamilton and Benrus. While other manufacturers cast their cases in plastic or fiberglass, Hamilton--the first manufacturer to receive the contract in 1964--cast theirs in steel throughout the entire 30 years of production. The look of these watches remained more or less the same during this interval, in keeping with the utility of their design and construction.
Their dials were spartan, and featured printed Arabic indices for both 12- and 24-hour graduations with luminous plots at each interval, with matching luminous 'syringe' hands and a 'spear' central seconds hand which was coated with a healthy dollop of Tritium to ensure maximum legibility. The 17-jewel, manual wind movements fitted were equipped with a hacking feature: a mechanism that stops the second hand from moving when setting the time. This enabled soldiers to synchronize their timepieces for maximum accuracy during elite operations and coordinated maneuvers. Despite the compact size of 34mm, these watches were designed to take a beating.
A:S Guarantee
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A:S Guarantee
+Our Pledge
Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.
Condition
Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.
Warranty
We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.
International Buyers
Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.
Shipping & Returns
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Shipping & Returns
+All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.
Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.
We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.
Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.
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Hamilton Khaki Field 'Brigade Quartermaster'
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- Sold