Try two new colorways from the Hamilton Khaki Airlines Piot Pion model

Hamilton has a rich tradition of creating rugged military tool watches, and Khaki Airlines’ Pilot Pie Online is a prime example of this legacy. The collection is drawn from both World War II navigation equipment and practical wristwatches delivered to pilots over the decades that followed. Today we take a closer look at two refreshed references in this collection: the 38mm Hamilton Khaki Airlines Piot Pion and the 40mm mechanical chrono.

Both Hamilton watches received a new dial and strap combination that deserves good visibility. So join me to give it exactly that!

Hamilton Khaki Airlines Pilot Pion History

Khaki Airlines’ pilot Pion model pays direct tribute to Hamilton’s legacy in military aviation timekeeping. During World War II, the brand created a Model 23 Chronograph pocket watch for US Air Force navigators, setting a benchmark for reliability under harsh conditions. This functional DNA was brought to pilots’ watches worn by military aviators around the world. Famous models of the Vietnam War may ring the bells with enthusiasts.

The modern Pilot Pioneer Collection guides this legacy through vintage design clues, including box-shaped sapphire crystals, large Arabic numbers, and overall case shapes. Today, the collection consists of many competitive price models, most of which are inspired by vintage and military.

The two watches I practice today are both new colorways of existing models. I don’t remember all of the entire Hamilton catalogues, so let’s start with a quick review course for both watches.

Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Mechanical Chrono

The Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Mechanical Chronograph comes with a 40mm x 49.8mm stainless steel case with 14.3mm thick and 22mm thick lug spacing. The brushed surface contrasts with the polished pushers and crown, while the boxy sapphire crystal with a double reflective coating provides a vintage-style view of the dial below. Hamilton rated the watch’s water resistance to a 10 bar (100 meters) that is adequate.

The internal Tick Hamilton H-51-SI caliber is a hand-wound mechanical chronograph movement that offers a 60-hour power reserve and a beat rate of 28,800 VPH. The silicon balance spring adds resistance to magnetism. This Hamilton caliber finds its technical roots in the Valjoux 7753.

Two options are selected for today’s new Pilot Pioneer mechanical chronograph. A vegetable-covered brown leather strap and a folding stainless steel mesh bracelet. My press samples appeared on leather straps, as can be seen in the photos.

Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer Specification

Hamilton Khaki Airlines’ Piot Pioneers have adopted a more compact approach while enhancing the vintage feel. Its stainless steel case offers a diameter of 38mm, 11.4mm profile and 18mm lug spacing. Again, the water resistant rating is 100 meters. Again, there is a sapphire crystal on the top, featuring a double anti-erective coating. Surrounding the crystal is a bidirectional bezel. Feel free to use it for dead calculations, pizza timing, or both.

The interior carries Hamilton’s H-10 automatic caliber with a reduction of 21,600Vph. This movement offers a standard 80-hour power reserve and uses Nivocron balance springs. The Spartan Caliber is also visible through the display case back.

The model was already present in black, but I got a variant with dark green or burgundy bezel and an eggshell dial. As you can see, my sample is in green.

New colour

OK, today’s news – Colorway. Let’s start with the chronograph. The original came in a massive amount of fake patina and matte black, while the newer model has a crisp white with sunburst blue. The results are markedly different, looking fresh and modern, and significantly less retro. The look may not be completely gelled with vintage military themes, but I find the watches very appealing. Without the beige room it looks a little more authentic and original.

The Dark Green Pilot Pioneer is an interesting product. The eggshell dial and cool shades of green give it a very classic look. It somehow reminds me of an old leather-covered book I have. The combination is very original and you can’t think of any other watch with this exact pairing of eggshells and greens. It’s pretty straightforward, so I guess you probably won’t get bored of it.

In a way, these releases go in a very different direction. Blue’s chronograph is a fresher and more recent version of the existing models. Meanwhile, the pilot pioneer transforms vintage-style watches into even more ancient watches. Perhaps one of these approaches will resonate with you.

Close thoughts

The latest additions make the Hamilton Khaki Airlines Pilot Pion series even more wider. It’s unlikely that every model will suit your taste, but there should be something for everyone within the range of large products.

Both the 38mm automatic and the 40mm manual winding chronograph remain solid options offered at competitive prices. The chronograph comes in leather with CHF 1,995 and CHF 2,075 on the mesh bracelet. Meanwhile, the cost of a pilot pioneer is CHF 950.

For enthusiasts looking for a modern, reliable, accessible, historically grounded pilot watch, these latest Hamilton Khaki Airlines Piot Pion models continue to create compelling cases. In my book, chronographs make particularly attractive products.

What do you think about the colors of these new Hamilton Pilot Pioneer series? Please let us know in the comments section below.

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