Hamilton Frogman: A Robust and Stylish Watch for Dive Enthusiasts
Hamilton took the entire horology world by storm when they re-released their state-of-the-art diver watch, the Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman. The original Frogman model was famous for being the brand’s first-ever timepiece to appear on the silver screen. It was a perfect fit for the 1951 smash-hit movie The Frogman, which was about the U.S. Navy’s Underwater Demolition Team. The original Hamilton Frogman’s debut in The Frogman resulted in it developing a highly-regarded reputation as a robust watch, trusty enough to be used by the military.
In line with the fame of the original Frogman, the modern Hamilton Frogman is a sturdy and powerfully built dive watch packed with incredible features. Hailing from the brand’s Khaki Navy collection, this updated timepiece is just as rugged as the other models in this range, albeit with a slightly more military-inspired design. Without further ado, let us take a closer look at the excellent features offered by the Hamilton Frogman.
First Impressions
The Hamilton Frogman, without a doubt, is a visually striking diver watch. With its vibrant all-red bezel and incredibly sporty ridged rubber strap in black and grey, this is a handsome watch that would appeal to virtually anyone. Its distinctive appearance easily allows it to stand out from its counterparts in the same price range. On the whole, the Hamilton Frogman is an ultimate must-have dive watch for divers who enjoy masculine, adventurous styles.
Anatomy of the Hamilton Frogman
Case, Bezel, and Crown
The modern Hamilton Frogman is presented in a 42mm stainless steel case, with a full satin-brushed finish that enhances the watch’s sleek, lustrous appearance. This 42mm diameter is a relatively standard size, allowing this watch to fit wrists of virtually all sizes. Fixed on top of the case is a hexagonal bezel with a vivid red elapsed time scale insert made of aluminium. This insert bears pronounced indicators in white for the elapsed time scale, allowing for optimal legibility at all times. This watch also shows off thick, curved lugs, which adds to the Hamilton Frogman’s rugged look and makes it appear larger than it actually is.
One of the most distinctive things about the Hamilton Frogman is its bezel. On the right side of the Hamilton Frogman’s case, you can find an oversized stainless steel crown with ridged edges that provide wearers with a better grip. The surface of this crown also bears an embossed image of Hamilton’s famous logo. Interestingly, in lieu of the traditional crown guards that are placed on either side of the crown, Hamilton instead opts to protect the Frogman’s crown using a thick, curved crown guard on one side and a literal lever lock on the other.
Engraved with the word ‘LOCK’, this lever extends up the crown and keeps the crown fixed in place. This lock ensures that the crown will not be turned unnecessarily, even when exposed to harsh underwater pressures and conditions. Wearers will have to physically undo the lock before they are able to turn the crown and adjust the time. This allows for more precise timekeeping, which is especially crucial during a dive. In addition, the crown, crown guard, and lock all bear the same satin-brushed finish as the rest of the case.
Turning the watch over to its back, you will find a solid caseback made of stainless steel. Aside from bearing details about the Hamilton Frogman, this caseback is also marked with the watch’s brand name and a cool engraving of a scuba diver’s mask. With its tightly screwed-down crown and caseback, the Hamilton Frogman is given an impressive 300-metre water resistance capacity, protecting its inner mechanisms from any external elements like water droplets or dust.
Dial
While the striking red bezel might be the most memorable part of the Hamilton Frogman, this watch’s handsome looks are anchored by its simple matte black dial. As a dive watch, the Frogman follows a very straightforward layout that maximises legibility. It comprises broad arrow-headed hands along with white hour markers in the shapes of triangular and rectangular indices. On the rim of the dial, you can also find a minute track with white indicators. At 12 o’clock, the hour marker is replaced by an Arabic numeral marker which forms a sexagesimal scale. Meanwhile, between 4 and 5 o’clock is a compact date display with black text and white background.
The hands and indices of this watch are all generously coated with lume, allowing for optimal readability even in poor lighting conditions. In addition, the minute and seconds hands are also accented with red, which adds a touch of colour to this otherwise monochrome dial and serves to give it a bit more of an edge.
Finally, protecting this watch face is a layer of sapphire crystal. As the strongest watch glass on the market, this crystal keeps the dial safe from any scratches and impacts. It has also been treated with anti-reflective coatings, which ensures that wearers are treated with a clear view of the dial that is unhindered by light glares and visual distortions.
Movement
Powering this ultimate military diver watch is a top-notch Hamilton H-10 Calibre. This in-house automatic movement is an alteration of the first-class ETA Calibre C07.611. Held together by 25 jewels, this movement has an outstanding power supply of 80 hours. It is also fitted with a date adjustment feature, including quickset and hacking functions that allow wearers to stop the watch from ticking simply by pulling the crown out, which enables you to set the time more precisely. With this superb H-10 movement, you are guaranteed an excellent timekeeping experience while wearing the Hamilton Frogman.
Strap
The Hamilton Frogman is typically equipped with a rugged rubber strap that measures 20mm wide. This rubber strap has an unusually sleek and outdoorsy design, which perfectly complements the watch’s robust case and bezel. This strap is black at the centre and has ridged sides in a suave dark grey hue, giving the watch an extremely sporty look. In addition, this strap is also equipped with an adjustable folding clasp made of stainless steel, which ensures that the strap stays comfortably and securely fastened to your wrist.
However, if you are not a fan of this black and grey rubber strap, Hamilton also offers wearers a collection of comfortable stainless steel bracelets. Pairing the Hamilton Frogman with a stainless steel bracelet is also a great option, as it gives the watch a more professional, formal vibe. Simply pick and choose which strap you prefer to wear based on your tastes.
Price
Considering its rugged and stylish aesthetics and top-notch dive watch features, it is actually quite surprising that the Hamilton Frogman retails at just $765 USD, which is quite a reasonable price. If you want a suave dive piece with a touch of military inspiration, then the Hamilton Frogman is definitely worthy of consideration.
Alternatives to the Hamilton Frogman
1. Oris ProDiver Ref. 01 774 7727 7154-Set
The first option on our list is the Oris ProDiver Ref. 01 774 7727 7154-Set, which boasts stunning quintessential features along with a rather unusual bezel. This watch comes in a chunky 51mm diameter, making it considerably larger than the Hamilton Frogman. As such, this timepiece is best suited for those who have average-to-larger-sized wrists, or for anyone who enjoys wearing oversized watches. That said, the case and three-link bracelet of this watch are both made out of lightweight titanium, which is considerably lighter than stainless steel. Thanks to its lightweight titanium profile, this watch is actually quite easy to tote around despite its large build.
Perched on top of this Oris watch’s case is a black aluminium bezel with an elapsed time scale insert. The most interesting thing about this watch by far is the thick layer of rubber that surrounds the bezel and case. This ridged layer of rubber surrounds every part of the case except for the crown and pushers, keeping this watch safe from any impacts or scratches.
The watch’s unusual case design also goes well with its striking black dial, which showcases a subtle wave-like pattern on its surface. This dial follows a simple chronograph layout, comprising thick blunt hands, luminous hour indices, and three chronograph sub-dials for the 30-minutes, 60-seconds, and 12-hour counters. Driving this watch is the powerful in-house Calibre 774. This automatic movement offers a solid 48-hour power supply and an outstanding 1000-metre depth rating, making this a truly exceptional dive watch.
If you want a classy dive watch that you can use to traverse the deepest ocean depths, then this $3,699 USD Oris ProDiver watch should certainly be on your radar.
2. Omega Seamaster Ref. 232.63.38.20.01.001
Another impressive alternative to Hamilton Frogman is the exquisite Omega Seamaster Ref. 232.63.38.20.01.001. This watch is a great option for those who enjoy luxury dive watches packed with advanced functions.
This Omega timepiece is housed in a 37.5mm tonneau-shaped case made out of luxurious 18K rose gold. This is coupled with a black leather strap and long, thick lugs that make the watch look bigger than it actually is. On top of that, the watch is also fitted with a ceramic unidirectional rotating bezel in black. This bezel bears gorgeous rose gold-tone indicators for the elapsed time scale which go well with the rest of the rose gold case.
The dial of this watch also shows off a delightful matte black finish, complementing the bezel and strap. This dial is furnished with luminous rose gold indices and Arabic numeral markers, large arrow-head hands, and a compact date complication at 3 o’clock. Underneath this lovely watch face, you can find a robust Omega Co-Axial Calibre 8521. Held together by 28 jewels, this movement can last for up to 50 hours when fully wound. In addition, it also comes with an impressive 600-metre water resistance capacity, which is double that of the Hamilton Frogman.
This Omega Seamaster watch sells at around $16,149 USD.
3. Seiko Prospex Diver’s Watch Ref. STBR021
Finally, we have the Seiko Prospex Diver’s Watch Ref. STBR021. With its exquisite all-white build, this is a great alternative for those seeking simple and understated timepieces.
This Seiko Prospex dive watch utilises a 43mm round stainless steel case, paired with a comfortable white rubber strap and a white elapsed time scale bezel made out of ceramic. The dial of this watch also comes in a lovely, soft white hue. This dial follows a very straightforward and minimalist layout, made up of just luminous hour indices in various geometric shapes, slender syringe hands, and a date aperture at 4 o’clock.
Ticking inside this Seiko watch is a well-crafted Calibre V147. This is a solar-powered quartz movement with an impeccable accuracy rate of +/-15 seconds per month and +/-1 seconds per day. When fully charged, this battery can also last up to around 10 months. Finally, it possesses a depth rating of 200 metres. While this is less than the Hamilton Frogman’s 300-metre depth rating, it is still a solid water resistance capacity that enables the watch to withstand strong underwater pressures.
This dive watch is priced at around $559 USD, making it the most affordable timepiece on this list.
Final Thoughts
The modern Hamilton Frogman is a robustly made diver watch packed with incredible features. It possesses a perfect combination of modern sportiness and a classic military tool watch appearance. This stylish, refined design also makes sure that the Hamilton Frogman is more than just a timepiece for diving. Indeed, you could easily pair this watch with any of your everyday casual wear and bring it with you in your daily routine. For those seeking a versatile and reliable dive watch, the Hamilton Frogman is one you would not want to miss.
Photos are credited to TheWatchCompany.com unless otherwise stated.
Featured image courtesy by Hamilton’s official website.
If you are searching for another handsome and classic diver watch in the market, then read our review about the iconic Rolex Bluesy Ref. 126613.
