Simultaneously acting as a wrist, cockpit and table watch, the Khaki Takeoff AC Air Zermatt Limited Edition was created with Air Zermatt, the Swiss mountain rescue service, to be used in the dashboards of the team’s fleet of helicopters, to measure the exact time when on a rescue mission. Inspired by Hamilton’s strong aviation heritage, dating back to 1919, the high-tech watch offers a modern twist on the Hamilton elapsed time clock that was produced during World War II.
True to its cockpit instrument inspiration, the contemporary pilots’ watch has a bi-directional turning flange, driven by the bezel, which has the capacity to record a countdown. In the absence of a propeller, the theme of rotation continues by the turning action required to unlock the case from its part-time home within the wristwatch. The characteristic dial displays a fully-functional chronograph equipped with a 30-Minute and 12-Hour counter. The Takeoff AC Air Zermatt Edition houses an hour counter instead of a date counter, in order to measure the elapsed time in flights that last longer than one hour.
The stainless steel with black PVD case of the Hamilton Automatic Chronograph houses a H-31 movement offering 60 hours of power reserve.
Accurately reflecting the appearance of its World War II ancestor, the color scheme of today’s timepiece is predominantly black with red markings. The red painting pays a special tribute to the color of Air Zermatt’s helicopters and is also the iconic colour of the region Valais, where the rescue and transport company is based. The hands are a re-interpretation of the classical hands of traditional pilots’ watches. A red, plane-shaped pointer on the chronograph second hand provides another themed styling signature. The crown is positioned at 12 o’clock for pilots’ ease of use, while simultaneously bringing perfect overall symmetry to the piece. The fine black leather strap offers a comfortable, structured rubber lining.
Only 60 pieces of the Khaki Takeoff Air Zermatt Limited Edition will be produced and sold exclusively in Switzerland. Each of the 60 case backs will be numbered and engraved with the name and altitude of one of the soaring 4000m plus mountain peaks, visible from the Matterhorn.
