Head-To-Head: The 1969 Trinity - Unlocking the Holy Grail of Automatic Chronographs

If you have been following my horological journey, you know that my appreciation for watch collecting went into full bloom back in 2010. From my career perspective as a statistician since 1990, an actuarial analyst since 1992, a financial analyst since 1994, and a financial engineer since 2008, I bring an analytical eye to technical specifications, movement architecture, value-for-money, and historical design ethos.

In the entire history of horology, no single year holds more legendary status for chronograph enthusiasts than 1969. It was the watershed year when three independent, competing horological factions simultaneously unlocked what was long considered the Holy Grail of mechanical watchmaking: the automatic chronograph movement.

Those three historic factions were:

1. Zenith, which unveiled the high-beat El Primero.
2. Seiko, which introduced the Caliber 6139—the world’s first automatic chronograph featuring both a column wheel and a vertical clutch.
3. The Project 99 Consortium (Heuer, Breitling, Buren-Hamilton, and Dubois Depraz), which developed the micro-rotor Caliber 11 "Chrono-Matic".

To mark the 50th anniversary of that momentous 1969 race, members of all three historic groups released special commemorative timepieces. After acquiring the tribute models from Seiko and Hamilton, I was finally able to complete my personal "1969 Trinity" with the addition of the Zenith Revival.

Today, we are putting these three 50th-anniversary milestone chronographs from my collection head-to-head: the Zenith Chronomaster Revival El Primero A384 (Ref. 03.A384.400/21.C815), the Seiko Prospex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary "Panda" Limited Edition (Ref. SRQ029J1 / SBEC005), and the Hamilton American Classic Chrono-Matic 50 Auto Chrono Limited Edition (Ref. H51616731).

Long Term Assessment: The Quiet Field Companion – A Multi‑Year Wearing Review of the Hamilton Khaki Field Officer Auto H70615733

There are watches that impress at first glance—and then there are watches that reveal their true worth only after years of ownership.

The Hamilton Khaki Field Officer Auto H70615733 belongs squarely in the latter category. It is not a watch built for spectacle, nor does it attempt to compete in the arena of modern hype-driven horology. Instead, it offers something subtler, and perhaps more enduring: consistency, purpose, and quiet confidence.

This is not a conventional review. This is an account of what happens after the initial excitement fades—when a watch becomes part of everyday life. 

For reference, I bought the watch in 2013. The initial review on the watch can be found here (click for the original review). 

Head-To-Head: Seiko 5 Sport Military 100M SNZG09K1 versus Hamilton Khaki Field King Automatic H64455133

In this article, I will conduct a simple head-to-head comparison between two iconic field watches from Seiko and Hamilton, the Seiko 5 Sport Military SNZG09K1 (left) and the Hamilton Khaki Field King H64455133 (right).

 

Both have the classic field watch dial arrangement with a main 12 hour scale and an inner 24 hour sub-scale. The day and date complication overrides the 3 o'clock markers for the Seiko whereas the same set of complications overrides the 12 o'clock marker for the Hamilton. Apart from this major visual difference, there are some size differences as well. Please refer to the comparison table provided below.

Head-To-Head: Hamilton khaki Field Officer Auto H70615733 versus Glycine Combat 6 Vintage Reference GL0122

Comparative Review: Hamilton Khaki Field Officer Auto H70615733 vs. Glycine Combat 6 Vintage GL0122

Left: Hamilton; Right: Glycine 

 

Hamilton American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition Reference H13605130 - Futuristic Art, A Review (plus Video)

The Hamilton Watch brand has some of the most iconic designs in the watch industry. The Face2Face series (Version II & Version III which are in the collection), the Ventura Elvis, the Aviation X-Wind, the PSR, the ChronoMatic, the Aviation Takeoff and the Belowzero, among others have cultivated a strong following of watch collectors. The brand is also famous for having tie-ins with blockbuster movies with the brand's first on-screen appearance in the 1932 film Shanghai Express. In fact, the Hamilton watches has graced the silver screen in over 450 major feature films. As a result, over the last 93 years, Hamilton has become known as the movie brand, thanks to its close association with Hollywood productions.

 

For me, despite being part of the Swatch Group, Hamilton still has design independence and the innovative drive to create something different than the typical run-of-the-mill offerings by some of the brands in the group. 

In all honesty, my acquisition of this watch has nothing to do with it being a tie-in with the Death Stranding game franchise but more to the aggressive design.

Hamilton Ventura Elvis80 Automatic Reference H24585331 - Unique and Practical, A Review (plus Video)

I love weird shaped watches. I had my eyes on the Ventura for many years but only now have I taken the opportunity to get one for the collection. Currently, some of the oddly shaped watches in the collection are Hamilton Face to Face II and the Seiko Prospex Giugiaro Diver.

 

The only beef I have against the watch which stopped me from getting one earlier was the proprietary strap design. Although there is one option for a bracelet, all the models available at the shops uses rubber straps. Unfortunately, such straps will deteriorate over time and the only option for replacement is getting back to Hamilton. 

Over the years, I have come to a conclusion that such risk is something that I must bear. Having noted that the strap is a silicone compound (which should last much longer than pure rubber), I finally decided to get one.

Having looked at the various options available, I have decided to go for the Elvis80, a model slightly smaller than the biggest Ventura model current available, the "XXL" series but bigger than the "S" series. The model I chose is the Reference H24585331.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Face 2 Face III Limited Edition Reference H32876550 - An Ingenious Solution, A Review (plus Video)

The Jazzmaster Face 2 Face is a unique series by Hamilton. First launched in 2013, the series have gotten a reputation that has split the watch community. Although having two faces is deemed positive, the case design has the complete opposite effect to watch aficionados. 

Already in the collection is the Hamilton Jazzmaster Face 2 Face II. When Hamilton came out with the version 3, I was delighted as the design was more in-lined with what I felt needed to be changed in version 2. Having a horizontal oval shaped watch casing on the version 2 alienated a vast majority of watch enthusiasts. The revised version 3 corrected that problem as a round casing is more acceptable to most fans.

 

In early 2023, Hamilton launched the version 3 in the form of the Hamilton Jazzmaster Face 2 Face III Limited Edition. Only 999 units were made available and I had to wait for sometime before an allocation was allotted to Malaysia. I made my order and waited for about a month before a call came in to collect the watch. What was told to me by the dealer that only three units were allocated to Malaysia. I am so happy that I got one of them.

Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Automatic Reference H77825331 - The Ultimate Beater Diver, A Review (plus Video)

When Hamilton relaunched the Khaki Navy Frogman in 2016, I was immediately taken by the crown guard designed. I was particularly interested in the Titanium model but due to other commitments, it wasn't priority. On hindsight, it could also be because I had some negative views about the crown guard design (love versus hate; weird isn't it?). 

In 2022, Hamilton introduced a revised design to the Frogman that actually appealed to me. The original crown guard was redesigned to be more symmetrical and give a better protection. Immediately, this model went up the priority list.

I visited Hang Thai Watch outlet in Bangsar Village. They have a good collection of Hamilton watches. There was the light khaki green strap version which I fancied and I decided to bring it back home.

To be honest, I would preferred to get a model with a bracelet. Nevertheless, I could live with a strap version.

 

Hamilton Thermos Tumbler from Hamilton

Recently I was given a nice door gift, a thermos tumbler from Hamilton.

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Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Wind Auto Chrono H77906940 (similar to H77916920) - This Watch Does Have The Look, A Review (plus Video)

I have been eyeing the Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Wind Auto Chrono ever since it first debut back in 2016. Granted the special complication that the watch was designed for would not be useful to me, I was taken more by the beauty of the design than anything else.

The number of pushers and crowns on the watch intrigues me. Having two inner bezels as well as an external bezel in a watch appears to be an overkill. Nevertheless, the watch has a few ingenious use of the moving parts of the watch to do rather complex computations. In reality, the Hamilton Khaki Aviation X-Wind Auto Chrono (the X-Wind for short) is a mechanical computational device that is already obsolete when computers are already taking over the same job and more. 

Looking passed the question of efficiency, you start to appreciate the way form and function designed into the watch would be able to do such calculations. To me, what makes this watch desirable is the way a mechanical 'calculator' has been made to look like a brilliant piece of art. The X-Wind should be in the collection.

Hamilton American Classic PSR Digital Quartz Reference H52414130 (similar to H52424130) - A Time When it Became an Industry Disruptor, A Review (plus Video)

I found a tribute watch that represent my birth year (1970). The Hamilton American Classic PSR Digital Quartz Quartz Reference H52414130 (let's call it the PSR from now) is a modern reinterpretation of the famous Hamilton Pulsar. That particular model was Hamilton first digital quartz timepiece.

 

Hamilton PSR on my wrist

The PSR was created to mark the 50th anniversary of Hamilton's key milestone of creating the first digital watch. A short history of the milestone can be found in the next section.  

Hamilton American Classic Chrono-Matic 50 Auto Chrono Limited Edition Reference H51616731 - A Great Tribute Watch, A Review (plus Video)

Recently, I was fortunate to get my hands on a 50th anniversary timepiece from Seiko that commemorates the brand’s first automatic chronograph movement launched in 1969. The Seiko Prospex Automatic Chronograph 50th Anniversary Limited Edition SRQ029J1 was made in honour of the Seiko Caliber 6139. It was a major milestone for Seiko but it also was part of a gigantic battle by big watch makers to come out with the first truly automatic chronograph. In fact, three competing designs were launched in 1969 by the three competing teams. The first team was Seiko, the second team was Zenith and the third team consists of Breitling, Heuer, Buren-Hamilton with the help of Dubois Depraz. I am happy to note that I also just gotten my hand on the 50th anniversary timepiece to commemorate the third team’s first automatic chronograph movement, the Caliber 11 Chrono-Matic. The Hamilton American Classic Chrono-Matic 50 Auto Chrono Limited Edition is the timepiece that Hamilton would like to remember that momentous event.

Like the Seiko commemorative timepiece, the Hamilton design is actually an interpretation of a 1972 model called the Chrono-Matic E GMT Countdown instead of a model designed in 1969 (Seiko chose a 1970 model instead of a 1969 design for their commemorative timepiece). Nonetheless, it was a great choice by Hamilton as the Chrono-Matic E is a classic and much sought after by collectors today.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Face 2 Face II Auto Chrono Limited Edition Reference H32866781 - Very Unique, A Review

In 2013 Hamilton released something really non-Hamilton-like in so many ways. The Jazzmaster Face 2 Face caught many off-guard with its oval shaped watch casing, its unique double ETA movements powering opposing dials. The opposing watch faces can be flipped between a standard 3-hand watch face or a chronograph face (hence the name of the watch). Unfortunately, the value proposition which Hamilton envisage for the watch and the pricing set was not conducive and put off a lot of people.

Having listened to the feedback, Hamilton tried again in 2016 with the latest rendition, the Jazzmaster Face 2 Face II reference H32866781. This time around, Hamilton's designers have created something more contemporary and utilising the many dead spaces in the original Face 2 Face. More importantly, the value proposition which Hamilton envisage for the new watch and the pricing set is now more grounded in reality.

Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical H76419931 - A Re-craft of the Classic W10, A Review (plus Video)

One of Hamilton's enduring legacy is its connection to military watches. No, I am not taking about "wannabes" military style watches but actual watches endorsed and pressed into actual military service. In the 1960s and 1970s, Hamilton became one of the manufacturers of watches for the British Army. These pieces are very easy to recognise thanks to their “broad arrow” markings on their dials. Hamilton's more famous design was the W10. This went into production between 1973 and 1976. It was made specifically for the Royal British Air Force.

In 2019, the brand announced a re-craft of the original W10. In the press release, Hamilton used the term “exact remake of the W10” which I believe only refers to the dimensions. This in itself is very good as a lot of 'remakes' nowadays do not strictly follow the original dimensions, just the basic shape.

The Hamilton Khaki Pilot Pioneer Mechanical came at the heels of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. In Hamilton's website, the expected release date was September 2019. Imagine my suprise to see a few examples already on display in a Hamilton AD in Kuala Lumpur by early November 2019. I had to get it and I chose the nylon NATO strap version.

Hamilton Khaki Navy BeLOWZERO 1000m Automatic H78585333 - One of the Most Comfortable Deep Divers Around, A Review (plus Video)

In 2015, Hamilton launched the Khaki Navy BeLOWZERO 1000m Automatic H78585333 to be featured in the Hollywood blockbuster movie The Martian on the wrist of the hero, Mark Watney played by Matt Damon. The BeLOWZERO has a futuristic feel to the design which fits in nicely with the movie tie-in. It has the typical black-out military styling with the casing, dial, Arabic numerals, hands, bezel and everything else except the numerals on the date wheel either in black or in various shades of grey. Although paired with a rubber strap straight from the box, the watch does come with a stainless steel bracelet that you can replace by using a strap replacement tool provided as well.

Although I took note of its existence, I did not put in on my priority list then. However, much later I started to see that the specifications of the watch does not correspond to the price demanded. In fact, the watch was underpriced in my opinion. Think about it: dive watch with 1,000 meter water rating; automatic HEV system; sapphire crystal; PVD case surface; a strap and a bracelets as options; Swiss made; ETA 2826 Caliber; and a strap replacement tool - all for just RM6,080.00 MSRP in Malaysia.