When it comes to the Hamilton watches that you most frequently see out in the wild on people’s wrists, the Khaki Aviation Pilot series is easily one of the most popular, and the classic three-handed models have a reach that extends far beyond just watch enthusiast circles. Joining the lineup for 2024 are two new versions of the Type B Flieger-inspired Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto, and the latest additions to the collection include four different time-only watches with 36mm cases, along with three different iterations of a 42mm Day Date model.

The first of the two new models is the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto 36mm, which takes the core aesthetic blueprint of the series and renders it in a smaller and simplified format. All four versions feature cases constructed from stainless steel that measure 36mm in diameter by 11.15mm thick, with a lug width of 18mm. Flat sapphire crystals with double anti-reflective treatment sit above the dials, while screw-down display casebacks are fitted to the reverse side of the watches, and water resistance for the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto 36mm models comes in at the same 100 meters that is offered by the larger three-handed models from the collection.

At the time of launch, the four different versions of the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto 36mm consist of two classically styled models with matching stainless steel bracelets and two strap-equipped versions that embrace more refined and traditionally feminine colorways. The two bracelet models are the ref. H76215130 and the ref. H76215140, which are fitted with brushed nickel-plated hands and either black or blue dials, respectively. Meanwhile, the ref. H76215850 features a silver dial with rose gold accents and a white leather strap, while the ref. H76245840 features a 4N rose gold PVD finish on its case and receives a blue dial with a pink leather strap.

Powering the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto 36mm models is the brand’s Caliber H-10 automatic movement, which is essentially Hamilton’s version of the modified ETA 2824-2 that is exclusive to Swatch Group’s various brands. Similar to other variations of this movement (such as the Tissot Powermatic 80), the 25-jewel Hamilton Cal. H-10 lowers its operating frequency down to 21,600vph (3 Hz), which allows it to achieve an increased power reserve of approximately 80 hours, and it also features a Nivachron balance spring for superior resistance to magnetism, shocks, and temperature variations.

While the dials fitted to the various models from the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto 36mm series are largely based upon the design of a Type B Flieger watch, they do offer a few key differences, with the most notable being the large luminous baton markers that are located at the cardinal points. Similarly, the sword-shaped hands are partially skeletonized, and while the minute hand features an open base with a tip that is filled with Super-LumiNova X1, the hour hand offers an inverted structure, and it has a luminous base with an open tip that rather cleverly lines up with the corresponding hour track that is printed below on the surface of the dial.

The other new model joining the lineup is the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date Auto 42mm, which is available in three different configurations and represents an updated version of the brand’s full-size double calendar pilot’s watch. From a design and construction standpoint, these larger models are very similar to their 36mm time-only siblings, and they feature stainless steel cases that measure 42mm in diameter by 12.1mm thick with a lug width of 20mm. Just like their smaller no-date counterparts, the 42mm Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date Auto models also feature flat sapphire crystals with double anti-reflective treatment, display-style casebacks, and 100 meters of water resistance to protect against daily contact.

Unlike the smaller 36mm time-only series, none of the larger Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date Auto 42mm models have rose gold accents, and all three of them feature stainless steel cases paired with nickel-finished hands. At the time of launch, the trio of 42mm Day Date watches consists of two strap-equipped models and one version that comes with a matching stainless steel bracelet. The ref. H64635140 is the bracelet version and it is fitted with a blue dial, while the ref. H64635550 receives a silver dial with a light brown leather strap, and the ref. H64635560 has a green dial paired with a dark brown leather strap.

The dials and hands fitted to the 42mm Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date Auto watches are largely the same as what you will find on their smaller time-only counterparts, although the major difference between them is that the 42mm calendar-equipped models feature long rectangular apertures at 3 o’clock, which contain both their day and date displays. Additionally, just like their 36mm no-date siblings, the Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date 42mm watches only feature Super-LumiNova X1 on their hands and cardinal point indexes, rather than having a fully luminous display like a number of other models in Hamilton’s modern catalog.

Due to their double calendar displays, the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date Auto 42mm watches run on slightly different internals than their 36mm time-only counterparts, and powering the trio of watches is the brand’s Caliber H-30 automatic movement. Just like its no-date equivalent, the Cal. H-30 is Hamilton’s version of the Swatch Group-modified ETA 2824-2 that features a Nivachron balance and runs at a frequency of 21,600vph (3 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 80 hours. For all intents and purposes, the Hamilton Cal. H-30 is the same exact 25-jewel movement as the Cal. H-10, with the one difference between the two designs being that one features dual calendar displays.

Despite their different sizes and functionality, the time-only Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Auto 36mm costs the exact same as the larger Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date Auto 42mm, and both models are accompanied by an official retail price of $995 USD when purchased on a leather strap or $1,045 USD should buyers opt for one of the models that comes with a matching stainless steel bracelet. The one exception to this pricing structure is the rose gold PVD version of the 36mm no-date model, which costs the same as its bracelet-equipped siblings despite being fitted with a pink leather strap. The Khaki Aviation Pilot series is one of Hamilton’s core-collection offerings, and this latest batch of automatic models represents a subtle evolution of one of the brand’s most popular and enduring designs. For more information on the Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot collection, please visit the brand’s website.