Post by kkdanamatt on Sept 30, 2017 8:05:57 GMT -6
I'm new to this forum, although I've been a watch enthusiast for many years. I've been aware of the Hamilton Khaki for quite some time, but just pulled the trigger last week. I'm not sure if this qualifies as a "frugal" wristwatch, but for less than $350, it certainly fits into the affordable category, at the very least.
The Hamilton Khaki H70555533 Automatic watch has been popular for many years because it looks good, is made very well, and is extremely accurate. The diameter of the case is 42mm and the thickness is 12mm. The strap is 22mm wide. There are other similar Khaki models that are 38mm and 40mm in diameter. I have a small wrist and usually prefer 40mm or 38mm watches, but this 42mm Hamilton fits very well on my wrist and doesn't look out of proportion. The visibility is excellent, as the white Arabic numbers stand out well against the black dial. The date window is not magnified, as with a Rolex Submariner, for example. However, I have no difficulty in reading the date under normal lighting conditions. The sword hands which have elongated tips and the Arabic numbers glow in the dark, but after an hour or two the luminescence diminishes considerably. Apparently there are two versions of this watch, both manufactured with 25 jeweled movements: one uses the Hamilton Calibre H-10 movement with an 80 hour power reserve, and another version uses the ETA 2824-2 movement with a 38 hour power reserve. I have the ETA version, which has a higher beat rate, so the second hand moves more smoothly than on the H-10 version, according to what I've read. The reserve automatic winding is 38 hours, so the watch can be "rested" for more than one day and still run accurately. The movement can be easily seen through the clear display back. The stainless steel case is brushed with a polished bezel. The sapphire crystal is slightly raised and domed. So far, it seems to be very robust. The crown, decorated with an "H", is rather large, so setting the time and date is very convenient. The supplied brown strap is thicker than a normal cheap leather strap and is decorated with white stitching all around. The laser engraved Hamilton buckle is of a standard tang design and appears to be polished stainless steel. This Hamilton model H70555533 has a hacking feature, which allows the stopping and starting of the second hand precisely. I set the exact time according the the National Atomic Clock and one week later this watch is only 2 seconds fast. This is now my daily watch and except for not being "dressy" enough for a formal occasion, I would give it a perfect rating.
The Hamilton Khaki H70555533 Automatic watch has been popular for many years because it looks good, is made very well, and is extremely accurate. The diameter of the case is 42mm and the thickness is 12mm. The strap is 22mm wide. There are other similar Khaki models that are 38mm and 40mm in diameter. I have a small wrist and usually prefer 40mm or 38mm watches, but this 42mm Hamilton fits very well on my wrist and doesn't look out of proportion. The visibility is excellent, as the white Arabic numbers stand out well against the black dial. The date window is not magnified, as with a Rolex Submariner, for example. However, I have no difficulty in reading the date under normal lighting conditions. The sword hands which have elongated tips and the Arabic numbers glow in the dark, but after an hour or two the luminescence diminishes considerably. Apparently there are two versions of this watch, both manufactured with 25 jeweled movements: one uses the Hamilton Calibre H-10 movement with an 80 hour power reserve, and another version uses the ETA 2824-2 movement with a 38 hour power reserve. I have the ETA version, which has a higher beat rate, so the second hand moves more smoothly than on the H-10 version, according to what I've read. The reserve automatic winding is 38 hours, so the watch can be "rested" for more than one day and still run accurately. The movement can be easily seen through the clear display back. The stainless steel case is brushed with a polished bezel. The sapphire crystal is slightly raised and domed. So far, it seems to be very robust. The crown, decorated with an "H", is rather large, so setting the time and date is very convenient. The supplied brown strap is thicker than a normal cheap leather strap and is decorated with white stitching all around. The laser engraved Hamilton buckle is of a standard tang design and appears to be polished stainless steel. This Hamilton model H70555533 has a hacking feature, which allows the stopping and starting of the second hand precisely. I set the exact time according the the National Atomic Clock and one week later this watch is only 2 seconds fast. This is now my daily watch and except for not being "dressy" enough for a formal occasion, I would give it a perfect rating.