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The Hamilton Khaki Aero Converter Automatic Chronograph Is Stunning A very capable aviation chronograph for pilots (and enthusiasts).

If you're familiar with Hamilton's portfolio of tool watches, you know that its various khaki collections are designed and built for adventures in the water, on land and in the air. The company has a long history in all three areas of tool watches and is very capable of providing quality, reliable timekeeping instruments at reasonable prices. Introduced in 2020, the Khaki Aviation Converter range fits the bill perfectly. It includes time and date, GMT and chronograph, and it has a very specific purpose; flying. Of course, the clue is in the name, but each one is equipped with a slide rule bezel construction for precise calculations "on the fly". Now, we bring you the Blue Khaki Aviation Converter Automatic Chronograph, a variant that was added to the collection a few months ago.

With over a century of aviation-related watchmaking experience, Hamilton certainly knew a thing or two about the subject. After all, Hamilton first supplied watches to the US airmail service in 1918. It hasn't been that long since the Wright brothers' successful flight, to give you an idea of the time frame. The outbreak of World War I undoubtedly accelerated this process, and in the following years, pilot watches became the main products of many brands. This history is reflected in Hamilton's line of Khaki Aviation Pilot Watches, which are both vintage and contemporary.

The Khaki Aviation Converter Auto Chrono is the most versatile watch in the Hamilton collection. The 44mm wide stainless steel case is beautifully brushed and partially polished and feels durable enough for the task at hand; take off. At 14.60mm tall, it's a fairly large watch, but not much larger than a standard chronograph. Modern features such as double-sided sapphire crystal glass and 100m water resistance are standard. It has a bi-directional rotating slide rule bezel on top, which, along with the scale inside, is based on the principles of the E6B flight computer first developed in the late 1930s and still in use today.

It is basically a mechanical analog computer that performs timing and calculations in a single device and is an important tool for pilots. As explained in our hands-on story when we launched the series in 2020, slide rules allow you to calculate distance, speed and fuel consumption, as well as perform unit conversions such as kilometers to nautical miles, pounds to kilograms and feet to meters. Of course, the premise is that you have mastered the user manual, because it is quite complicated to use. But to trained pilots, and perhaps hardcore enthusiasts, this should be well known territory.

This new version features a cool blue color scheme for both the bezel and the dial. The sunray brushed finish plays nicely with the light, and despite the many indications on the watch, it's still fairly easy to read (very important for a pilot's instrumentation!). The dial has an inner slide rule scale on the sloped outer flange and a tachymeter scale on the outer edge of the main dial. The hour markers and hands are treated with Super-LumiNova. The central chronograph seconds hand stands out for its bright red tip, a color that also appears on the slide rule element. Three subdials are recessed into the dial, and the outside of the chronograph subdials have polished bevels. The third is at 9 o'clock and is used for the running seconds hand. Finally, the day-date window has a silver frame with the Hamilton logo on it and the word 'Converter' underneath. All in all, it feels hectic but balanced.

When you want to be able to rely on your wrist calculator, you need a reliable engine, and the Khaki Aero Converter Automatic Chronograph certainly fits the bill. We’re already familiar with the H-21-Si automatic chronograph movement from previous versions, including the Air Zermatt Limited Edition, which is based on the tried and tested ETA/Valjoux 7750. This sturdy movement has been improved to provide a 60-hour power reserve. It is also equipped with an antimagnetic Nivachron hairspring. It's visible through the sapphire crystal case back, though the large rotor hides most of it.

The powerful Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter Automatic Chronograph is available on a leather strap with a typical H-shaped pin buckle or a stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp. While the utility of such a tool on a bracelet cannot be denied, the combination of blue and cognac works wonders on the wrist.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – HAMILTON KHAKI AVIATION CONVERTER AUTO CHRONO
Case: Diameter 44mm x Height 14.60mm - Stainless steel case - Bidirectional "slide rule" bezel with K1 mineral glass insert - Screw down crown - Sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective coating - Water resistant to 100° m
Dial: Sunburst brushed blue dial - Tachymeter and slide rule scales - Nickel-plated hour and minute hands with Super-LumiNova - Nickel-plated central chronograph hands with red tips - Recessed subdials for small seconds , 30-minute and 12-hour chronographs - framed day date window
Movement: Caliber H-21-Si (ETA 7750 base) - Automatic cam lever chronograph - 25 jewels - 4 Hz frequency - Silicon hairspring - 60 hours power reserve - Hours, minutes, seconds, with 30 minutes and 12 Chronograph Hours Counter, Date Function
Strap: Cognac calfskin with H-shaped pin buckle - optional steel bracelet
Reference: H76746540 - blue dial, leather strap
H79746140 - blue dial, steel strap
H76726530 - Black dial, leather strap
H76726130 - Black dial, steel strap