When watch brands are looking for partners to work on projects together, those who work primarily in leather just make sense – can take their knowhow (and name recognition) to create some interesting straps. Here in Chicago, I most commonly see that with local crew Horween, but Hamilton has stuck in New York and gone to work with the folks over at Schott NYC.
While I’ve certainly experience Hamilton up close, Schott is a brand that I’ve admired from afar. I dig many of the styles of leather jackets they turn out, it just never made sense in the budget for me to pick one up. If you’re like me, this new Hamilton Khaki Pilot Schott NYC just might be the ticket.
Of course, the Hamilton Khaki Pilot Schott NYC itself is going to be a familiar watch for fans of Hamilton, as it’s a known quantity, one that’s immediately recognizable as a pilot’s watch. What you’ve got going on here, along with the team-up, is a design exercise. Here, you’ve got that emerald green dial set against the rich brown of the Schott leather strap.
That combination of green and brown – while classic – is not one we see nearly as much as you might expect. I guess it’s just the green dial that is not as popular. To my eye, though, it’s a great combo, and really accentuates the richness of the leather. It’s worth noting that this is the same leather used in military bomber jackets, so you’ve got an additional tie-in there. On the underside of the strap, you’ve got the Schott name appearing, but nothing on the dial, surprisingly.
This limited edition watch (1,892 pieces, which is the year that both Hamilton was started and the founder of Schott NYC was born) does come in a very nice-looking leather travel wallet, which I think could sell like hotcakes just on it’s own. The question for you is this – is that wallet, and the high-quality leather strap, worth the price of $1,145 – a premium of $150 over the standard (non-Schott NYC) model. While you’re thinking that over, we’ve reached out to the brand to see about getting a loaner in for a review. hamiltonwatch.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Hamilton Khaki Pilot Schott NYC
- Price: $1,145
- Who we think it might be for: You like classic watch designs paired with long-lasting movements and high-quality leather
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen? There’s a lot to like here – I’m just not sure the pilot watch is one I need in my life
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Let’s try for a more compact case – 46mm fits the heritage, but 38-40mm would be more versatile.
Tech Specs from Hamilton
- Case: 46 mm stainless steel
- Dial: Khaki green dial
- Hands: Nickeled hour, minute and seconds hands with light green Super-LumiNova®
- Movement: H-30 automatic day-date movement with 80-hour power reserve
- Bracelet: FS30099 Earth Brown top grain, full aniline, lightweight steerhide leather strap provided by Schott NYC
- Glass: Sapphire crystal
- Water resistance: 20 bar (200m)
