INTRODUCING: The Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic 46mm is a supersized tool watch that’s built for action
D.C. HannayThere are times in life when a standard amount of French fries just won’t do. Or a measly two pairs of socks. Why should you settle? Go big. You, my friend, require a silo of deep-fried starch sticks with extra ketchup. Likewise, a 24-pack bale of tube socks is the minimum quantity to meet your current footwear needs. You know yourself better than anyone, and sometimes in life you just gotta say, “Screw it, supersize me”. Let others compromise.
Well, Hamilton has heard you. If you read the watch press on a regular basis, you’d be forgiven for thinking that every new watch release has a case under 39mm, and that vintage sizes are all anybody’s wearing these days. And you’d be wrong. Facts are facts, and along with opting for a watch with a date window, most buyers just flat-out prefer a larger case size. And by “most buyers”, I mean the overwhelming majority of customers, i.e, not watch nerds like me. Not for nothing, but a true tool watch is often necessarily bigger, especially when it comes to massively depth-rated divers. Welcome to the Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic 46mm, the biggest, baddest, most capable stainless-steel dive watch in Hamilton’s current stable. And while it’s a spiritual evolution from Hamilton’s original WWII-era Frogman issued by the US Navy, the two couldn’t be further apart.
The Case
At 46mm in diameter, with a case height of 13.58mm, the new Frogman Auto 46 dwarfs the original Frogman’s diminutive 31mm case diameter, and bests the standard 42mm stainless Frogman Auto by a good margin. Whether you’re girthy of wrist, or actually use your watch as a backup dive tool worn outside a wetsuit, there are quite a few of you that prefer a watch with a little extra mustard on it. For you, a larger dive watch is just common sense. And instead of the oversized canteen-style screw-on crown cover of the original, Hamilton has outfitted the Frogman 46 with a burly new bumper-like guard to protect the screwdown crown. There is seriously nothing that’s going to disturb it from its function. And apart from setting the time, this crown’s primary job is to prevent water ingress to the case (and the movement within), and it does, to 300 metres.
Case finishing is mostly brushed, with a minimal amount of edge polishing for a bit of contrast, note-perfect for a serious tool watch. And if you happen to like your dive watches a bit more tactical than purely practical, you have the option of a stealthy black PVD finish as well. The bezel comes in three different flavours, depending on the dial, strap, and bracelet options. The black/white-dialled models on rubber come equipped with a black bezel featuring silver embossed markers, the bracelet model gets an all-silver bezel (one that recalls the monochromatic bezel on the Rolex Yachtmaster), and the blacked-out case version gets an appropriately murdered-out, all-black bezel. The dial is protected from the elements by the total hardness of a sapphire crystal with antireflective coating.
The Dial
About that dial: along with the case choices, you’re presented with a couple of dial options. The untreated stainless-steel cased versions get a highly legible black dial with silver applied indices (including a big ‘12’) filled with Super-LumiNova. Visibility is excellent, and it stands to reason that white-on-black is the most popular dial configuration for divers. If you opt to go for the clandestine option, the indices are black, yet still filled with a dark grey lume, although the glow will obviously be reduced. The choice of a no-date dial will please fans of symmetry, and makes sense, since most of us probably aren’t referring to our appointment calendars at depth. Dial text is kept to a minimum, with the Hamilton logo under 12 in white, depth rating in orange above 6, and “Swiss Made” in white at the lower edge of the dial under 6. Logically, the black version greys out all that text. The big, broad hands are nickeled on the stainless models, and black on the stealth version, and both variants have a bright orange minute hand and second hand tip. Lume is, of course, present on either choice, although you’ll again receive the grey lume on the blacked-out model. Side note: I really love the way the orange pops against the blackout model, neither too much or too little colour. Goldilocks would be chuffed.
The Movement
Having a movement manufacture as one of your corporate siblings is a big plus, and Hamilton’s H-10 automatic takes full advantage of that. Based on ETA’s C07.611, the H-10 has 25 jewels, a rate of 21,600 Bph, and boasts a weekend-proof 80 hour power reserve. Many other companies could stand to improve this spec in their own calibres, as ETA has become something of a gold standard for mass-produced movements with long reserves. Not that you’ll see it behind a solid caseback, but the finishing is nice, if basic, featuring some varied surfaces and a cutout Hamilton ‘H’ in the rotor. A solid movement choice, and a nice bit of corporate synergy at work.
The Bracelet and Strap
The bracelet has an Oyster-like three-link construction, with brushed tops and some subtle polishing along the links’ edges. It’s well-made and classically handsome, but for serious water activity, I’m always going to opt for the more functional accordion-style wave rubber. Available in a tactical khaki green or basic black, it’s just a far less fussy choice when actually using the watch as a dive companion. Adjustment is simpler and faster with its basic-but-effective stainless pin buckle, and if you’re ever in a situation where the strap gets damaged, a rubber version is much cheaper to replace than a stainless bracelet.
The Verdict
If you have any doubts about the real-world capabilities of the new Frogman Auto 46, you need look no further than world champion freediver Pierre Frolla, a longtime Hamilton ambassador who tests the brand’s timepieces to the limit in the unforgiving depths of the sea. This is a man who dives to unfathomable (sorry) depths without the use of SCUBA tanks, so you can assume he knows of which he speaks. The Frogman Auto 46’s larger size is perfect for wearing over a wetsuit, and its bedrock-solid build quality and excellent legibility make it a no-brainer choice for most any adventure. A choice of finishes is always welcome, and I find myself leaning toward the stainless/khaki green for practicality, but the covert ops-ready black wins for undercover cool. If you prefer a bigger timepiece, the new Frogman delivers a lot to like, and a good bit of value too, at around $1200 USD for such a truly compelling option.
Hamilton Frogman 46 pricing and availability:
The Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic 46mm is available now. Price: $1,195 USD in stainless steel, $1,295 USD in black PVD
| Brand | Hamilton |
| Model | Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic 46mm |
| Case Dimensions | 46mm x 51.3mm x 13.9mm |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 300 metres |
| Dial | Black with white lume Blackout with grey-lumed indices |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Strap | Black or drab green rubber strap Stainless steel bracelet |
| Movement | H-10 automatic, 80-hour power reserve |
| Price | $1,195 USD (stainless steel) $1,295 USD (black PVD) |
Time+Tide is an authorised retailer of Hamilton Watches for deliveries within Australia, please visit here. Should you wish to reserve the Frogman please email [email protected] we anticipate delivery over shortly.