Hamilton’s Call of Duty Special Edition Khaki Field watch is now on sale
Zach BlassGet a lobby together: Hamilton has just launched its Khaki Field special edition in collaboration with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Did any of us really have historic watchmakers teaming up with video game franchises on our horological bingo cards? Probably not. Then again, now that Hamilton has blazed this trail, it becomes clear just how much this is the right next step. Let’s talk about what this collaboration entails, and about the IRL watch that’s just gone on sale.
The context: from film to video games
No watch brand in the world is more synonymous with film and television than Hamilton. Over many decades, Hamilton has not just had its watches merely placed in films. Instead, its timepieces have become integral to their narratives, with perhaps the most beloved example being the Khaki Field Murph watch from Interstellar. This watch was so important to Interstellar’s plot that it may as well have been nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Now, most brands would rest on their laurels and stick with what they know: Hamilton, however, sees where the future is heading, and that future is video games.
@culturecreatortour They have an $118 million gaming facility?! @Gabbers @Cole #college #syracuse #syracuseuniversity ♬ original sound – CultureCreatorTour
It may seem strange and silly to those who’ve never picked up a controller, but video games have become massive. The video game industry has long surpassed the film industry in terms of revenue, and we now even have professional e-sports. Universities in America, like Syracuse University, have even created a first-of-its-kind e-sports degree program – handing out scholarships to professional gamers in the same manner it would to football or basketball players.
Various sporting events or codes have Official Timekeepers, no? Perhaps Hamilton should become the Official Timekeeper for e-sports… But let’s not focus on what Hamilton could do. Instead, let’s dig into what it has already done.
In the same manner that Hamilton has established dominance in regard to watches in cinema, it has a huge head start in regard to watches in video games. For example, Hamilton created a watch for the major video game franchise Far Cry that was not only wearable in the game, but also purchasable in real life. It then created a whole new model for Death Stranding 2, pushing the boundaries of what you could expect from Hamilton design with an incredibly faceted and intricate shape.
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We even recently saw Hamilton merge the worlds of TV and video games, partnering with the Splinter Cell: Deathwatch series on Netflix, in which its watches were heavily visible and incorporated into the show’s story.
The watch: Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38mm Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Special Edition
This brings us to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. In the same way that you do not have to drink soda to know what Coca-Cola is, Call of Duty is such a well-known franchise that you don’t need to be a gamer to know what it is. In the highly anticipated Black Ops 7 video game, the Khaki Field Automatic 38mm is worn by the in-game character Axel Vermaak. With Hamilton’s existing catalogue already very military-inspired and rooted, it’s a fitting timekeeper for an in-game soldier, but, of course, the watch is available in the real world.
The design is not as radical as the Death Stranding 2 watch. Instead, from the front, it looks very much the same as what you would already find in the standard production catalogue. You have the same primarily brushed stainless steel case with a mirror-polished bezel. The 38mm case measures 11.5mm thick, around 46mm lug-to-lug, and has a daily-wearer-approved 100-metre depth rating.
The black dial, handset, and even the red tip of the running seconds hand are identical to the standard model in the catalogue. So we would forgive you if you’re having a bit of déjà vu there. Its surface incorporates multiple textures, with a raised sunburst-finished central medallion that then steps down to a concentric-finished hour numerals ring. The hours and minutes hands, along with the Arabic hour numerals and their corresponding pips, are coated with ample Super-LumiNova to ensure visibility in darkness. Lastly, you still have a dial-contrasting calendar complication at the 3 o’clock position with a legible black-on-white date disc.
Inside, you will find Hamilton’s tried and true H-10 automatic movement, which notably boasts 80 hours of power reserve on a full wind, and the watch is affixed to a familiar khaki green NATO strap that perfectly fits the Call of Duty tie-in. That being said, you have a 20mm lug width with this case, so you pretty much have limitless options to play with, factory and aftermarket, if you are so inclined. What ultimately makes the watch more special (which ironically is hidden beneath the passthrough of the NATO) is the solid, engraved caseback that features a Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 icon.
The verdict
Whereas the Death Stranding 2 watch design was very innovative, I won’t pretend this CoD special edition has reinvented the wheel here. The novelty is ultimately limited to the engraved caseback. That being said, the partnership continues Hamilton’s groundbreaking and innovative trajectory, bringing traditional Swiss watchmaking into the world of video games.
This special edition run is limited to 5,000 pieces: not a particularly limited or small number. However, considering the highly alluring entry-level pricing paired with top-notch specs and a design revisited with a Call of Duty twist, the number of fans of the game and franchise far surpasses 5,000. I don’t know about you all, but if I added up all the hours I spent playing CoD online over the last few decades, the culmination of those hours could likely add up to months – dare I say even a year.
So, yes, this watch may already be very familiar to watch geeks, but it is about to become very familiar to a whole new audience of gamers who have yet to discover Hamilton. That’s a win for Hamilton, and a win for bringing more people into the world of mechanical watchmaking with an irrefutably value-driven, high-quality watch ripe for daily wear. In the same way Hamilton is the undisputed champion of watches in film, Hamilton has certainly cemented itself as the watchmaker of game makers – so far ahead of the curve, other brands have not even realised they should be jealous.
Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38mm Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Special Edition pricing and availability
The Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38mm Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Special Edition is available now for purchase, limited to 5,000 pieces. Price: CHF 795
| Brand | Hamilton |
| Model | Khaki Field Automatic 38mm Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Special Edition |
| Case Dimensions | 38mm (D) x 11.5mm (T) x 46mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 100 metres |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire front |
| Dial | Black |
| Strap | Khaki green NATO strap |
| Movement | H-10, ETA C07.611-based, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 80 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Limited edition of 5,000 pieces |
| Price | CHF 795 |