A MOD to a classic watch – The Namoki Khaki Field NMK09

When we talk about the most affordable, recognizable and good looking field watch on the market, I can assure you that the in the top 3 mentions, the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical will be there, it is one of the best bangs per buck nowadays.

There are many features of this noble no-nonsense watch that offers a Swiss movement, no date and a price that can scare rivals easily. We still do not know how Hamilton managed to offer this level of heritage and finishing to many of us watch nerds but, that is not to say that it has it short comings, it is not perfect.

Of course, me being me, I am not going to focus this review on bashing what it is an institution of a watch (which I’ve own in the past), instead, I am focusing on how that Khaki Field inspired Namoki Mods to prepare something with a bit more refined and even more affordable.

As you might be aware Namoki has become my go to place when I try to find quality and affordability, not only on their components but also on their off the shelf watches. This NMK09 has a lot of things going for it, so join me to discover one of the coolest watches on their catalogue. Let’s begin.

The specifications

As I mentioned I do not want to do a bashing or do a complete comparison with the Hamilton counterpart, but we must highlight where the NMK09 shines and the dimensions is the first feature that stands out. The 38mm in diameter feel similar but is the 46.5mm lug to lug that I adore, the easy to wear compact case  is something that we all watch enthusiasts have asked to Hamilton and Namoki has deliver the first punch. The bead blasted case still keeps that military feel alive and then paired with that all printed dial and aged lume, the NMK09 feels outstanding.

The dial is hard to describe, it is an olive green that becomes a gold brown when the sun hits it, quite a nice effect compared to the matte dial of the Hamilton, it is more complex and it really showcase versatility when matching the syringe hands also with beige lume (the seconds hand also receives this treatment) and white surroundings, it all matches. The classical layout of 24 hours in the center and 12 in the periphery provides legibility and no extra information apart from the Namoki logo at 12, a very restrained but well executed dial. Staying with the dial, the NMK09 gives a clean no date look that is not possible to get in the green version of the Hamilton so quite a novelty.

The sapphire crystal has a good dose of AR coating and is held by somehow a thicker bezel, making it feel a tad smaller than 38mm, to me this is good news as it is easier to wear and manageable.

Being a printed dial, the lume is very bright and roams free on the dial, it is potent and lasting, I must say that is one of the brightest beige C3 Super-LumiNova® I’ve seen on a watch at this price point, more on that later.

There are also 2 parts of the NMK09 that truly excel. One is the fact that it has a screw down crown which to me is a must in a field watch. It gives 100 meters of water resistance and controls the NH35 automatic, again, another upgrade from the standard manual one found in the Khaki Field Mechanical.

On the wrist

With the dimensions described, you can already see that the Namoki fits my 6.25 inch wrist to perfection. The shorter lug to lug is something that we wished for a long time and feels outstanding to have it available.

The crown is also smaller than the Hamilton one, this makes it less obtrusive and easier to wear on a daily basis, so many simple details that make as an overall a great watch.

The drilled lugs allows the change of strap a simple breeze. The NMK09 comes with a premium nylon glossy green strap, it has a great quality and feels very durable, it matches the whole military vibe, but because I cannot stay still, I’ve added a green olive CTS rubber strap that matches the dial feeling more OEM. It made the NMK09 a true GADA watch, you really do not need anything else.

On a rubber strap or a nylon, the NMK09 feels at home everywhere and that’s where I took it. I went to Albania and wore it for a full week, then into the gym, then to the office. There isn’t a place where this watch feels out of place, it is not extravagant but it is not boring, it is a good blend of what it needs to be to become interesting  but not detached from the world, I do not like to think about the watch I am wearing and just like the Hamilton, it can do it all.

I haven’t being the most careful person with the watch and mainly because I use it for a lot of activities but because of the bead blasted case, marks and scratches are harder to show, and when they do, they look like a muted war scar that I enjoy. It is like watching the tires of a racing motorcycle, when the corners of the rubber are worn out, you know that the bike has been put to good use.

Concluding thoughts

There is no surprise that this is a watch that will stay with me for a long time, I enjoy its simplicity and ease of use. It is not pretentious and also feel quite easy to pick when the watch box gets larger and larger, it performs in any scenario.

The price for the NMK09 is 226 GBP which is outstanding for something so well made. There is the possibility of buying the components alone and do a bit of a mix and match, black dial, white, you name it. That said this NMK09 is the one that I would have, not only because it brings a smile to my face but also because is well assembled with a large dose of quality.

If you are in the market for a great watch under the 250 GBP mark, this would be in my top 3, no wonder why we keep going back to the brand.

For more information please visit https://www.namokimods.com/en-gb/collections/khaki-collection/products/nmk09-automatic-field-watch-khaki

Technical specifications

• 38mm Case Diameter

• 46.5mm Lug to Lug Diameter

• 20mm Lug Width

• 11mm Thickness

• NMK912 38mm Sandblasted Field Case  with Sterile Slim 10ATM Caseback

• Clear AR Sapphire Crystal

• NH35A from SII - Hacking and Winding movement

• Olive Green NATO Strap

• Water Resistant to 100m