# Why doesn't Hamilton use AR coating?



## dbleoh7 (Aug 13, 2017)

My only gripe about my Hamilton Khaki is that it doesn't have any AR coating on it. Do some of their pricier models such as pan Europe chrono or their new Intramatic 68 chrono have it? In my opinion it makes watches look more sophisticated since most luxury watches have it and love the bluish tinge it gets at an angle. Since Hamilton is part of the Swatch group, wouldn't it be pretty inexpensive for them to manufacture AR coating? Or maybe they are trying to stick to the vintage look of non-AR coated pieces?


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## iuam (Jun 12, 2017)

it's a legit gripe for khakis


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## Kulprit (Oct 7, 2017)

I could care less about the colored hue, I just want a dial that's legible. This is my number 1 gripe about the Khaki - domed sapphire with no AR coating. Combine that with the high-polished hands and you end up losing a lot of what makes this watch so great.


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## Dan_957 (Jul 24, 2014)

It is definitely disappointing they don't use it on that many pieces but it must be a cost thing. 

I see Hamilton list AR coating as used on the Pan Europ (3 hander) but it is definitely missing from the Intramatic 68. Definitely an area for improvement.


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## dbleoh7 (Aug 13, 2017)

Agreed. It seems weird to pay $2k for the intramatic 68 when it doesn't even have simple AR


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## Brey17 (Mar 29, 2016)

dbleoh7 said:


> Agreed. It seems weird to pay $2k for the intramatic 68 when it doesn't even have simple AR


It doesn't need it. It might be the size of the crystal or the way it domes. I have been wearing mine at least 4 days a week for a several months now, and this is the first time I have even thought about whether it has AR or not.


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## Compucat54 (Sep 23, 2016)

I have the Khaki King Navy Scuba with the domed sapphire crystal and it definitely could benefit from some AR coating. One layer on the inside would be sufficient. It can’t cost that much as I one had an Orient quartz that had it. I have a Mido Ocean Star that has it and it really makes a difference in legibility. Even with this minor quibble, I still love my Hamilton’s.


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## Compucat54 (Sep 23, 2016)

I have the Khaki King Navy Scuba with the domed sapphire crystal and it definitely could benefit from some AR coating. One layer on the inside would be sufficient. It can’t cost that much as I one had an Orient quartz that had it. I have a Mido Ocean Star that has it and it really makes a difference in legibility. Even with this minor quibble, I still love my Hamilton’s.


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## hub6152 (Feb 17, 2014)

And that’s the point. People still have brand loyalty to Hamilton regardless. I think it’s more to do with maintaining levels of separation from the marques higher up in the Swatch pecking order than it is about costs. 


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## lvt (Sep 15, 2009)

dbleoh7 said:


> My only gripe about my Hamilton Khaki is that it doesn't have any AR coating on it. Do some of their pricier models such as pan Europe chrono or their new Intramatic 68 chrono have it? In my opinion it makes watches look more sophisticated since most luxury watches have it and love the bluish tinge it gets at an angle. Since Hamilton is part of the Swatch group, wouldn't it be pretty inexpensive for them to manufacture AR coating? Or maybe they are trying to stick to the vintage look of non-AR coated pieces?


Being part of Swatch group doesn't mean you have to manufacture everything yourself. Hamilton and Tissot watches are believed to use parts from China, cases and bracelets, so why not crystals?

So it's not about the price, maybe they wanted the watch to remain as original as possible.

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## Vlance (Apr 12, 2014)

I’ve bought and sold the khaki king and pilot because of the lousy crystal glare. That and their lume is god awful.


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## mpalmer (Dec 30, 2011)

hub6152 said:


> And that's the point. People still have brand loyalty to Hamilton regardless. I think it's more to do with maintaining levels of separation from the marques higher up in the Swatch pecking order than it is about costs.


Yup. Maintaining a Swatch hierarchy with Longines and Omega further up the ladder is likely a factor.


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## sticky (Apr 5, 2013)

I've got plenty of watches with AR coating and had not even noticed it was AWOL on my Khaki.


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## cuthbert (Dec 6, 2009)

dbleoh7 said:


> Or maybe they are trying to stick to the vintage look of non-AR coated pieces?


Old military Hamiltons had plexi, that IMO is much better than uncoated sapphire with its blue hue that detract a lot from the beauty of the green dial of my Khaki mechanical.

If somebody were offering an AR coated sapphire or plexi for my Hamilton I'd consider a swap.


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## dbleoh7 (Aug 13, 2017)

hub6152 said:


> And that's the point. People still have brand loyalty to Hamilton regardless. I think it's more to do with maintaining levels of separation from the marques higher up in the Swatch pecking order than it is about costs.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That's a very good point. Never thought of it like that


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## oztech (Apr 30, 2015)

None of my watches have AR coating I just use basic science and rotate it slightly so the light refracts differently that has worked for 50 years so far.


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## mannal (Dec 24, 2014)

Only time it bothers me is when I'm trying to take a wrist shot


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## ChiefWahoo (Jul 4, 2011)

Has nothing to do with cost. Every microbrand over $200 has AR. It's just ignorance. I've sold all my black dial Hamiltons for this reason. Stunning watches rendered useless in many lighting conditions by this stupid decision, or lack of decision. The Jazzmasters are worse off IMO.


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## hub6152 (Feb 17, 2014)

ChiefWahoo said:


> Has nothing to do with cost. Every microbrand over $200 has AR. It's just ignorance. I've sold all my black dial Hamiltons for this reason. Stunning watches rendered useless in many lighting conditions by this stupid decision, or lack of decision. The Jazzmasters are worse off IMO.


Don't buy a Rolex in that case as you'll be mightily disappointed to learn they don't use AR coats either!!

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## ChiefWahoo (Jul 4, 2011)

hub6152 said:


> Don't buy a Rolex in that case as you'll be mightily disappointed to learn they don't use AR coats either!!
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


As long as they don't need them, who cares? The point is everyone agrees Hamilton watches need AR, at least the black dials. They look like .....


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## Dan_957 (Jul 24, 2014)

lvt said:


> Hamilton and Tissot watches are believed to use parts from China, cases and bracelets, so why not crystals?


"Believed"? I'm not sure about the higher priced pieces from Hami/ Tissot but I know the affordable pieces definitely have cases with Hong Kong stamps on the inside of the case back. Though it near as makes no difference to me cause I prefer to pay for those cases as opposed to the 100% swiss price as they're still of respectable quality.

But back to the AR coating,... I guess it is correct price isn't the deciding factor, but I find it difficult to believe Hamiltons not allowed to use AR because of how they're positioned in Swatch Group - particularly when they already use AR, just really really randomly. And that is what I can't figure out, why does it seem like the AR treatment is so unpredictably used?


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## cuthbert (Dec 6, 2009)

Dan_957 said:


> "Believed"? I'm not sure about the higher priced pieces from Hami/ Tissot but I know the affordable pieces definitely have cases with Hong Kong stamps on the inside of the case back. Though it near as makes no difference to me cause I prefer to pay for those cases as opposed to the 100% swiss price as they're still of respectable quality.


Old military Hamiltons had case branded in Hong Kong, now no country of provenience but it's understood they are from mainland China:


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## blank001 (Sep 10, 2017)

While I can't comment on their strategy I can say that some of their higher end khaki fields, particularly the 42mm non-domed cases used with the day date and chronos DO use (underside?) AR. I assume a few product iterations from now we'll see AR in more basic khaki fields.


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## oztech (Apr 30, 2015)

What I have noticed is for all that dislike brands for not having AR coating there is probably that many if not more complaining about the coating getting scratched or damaged in various forums if the watch looks good and wears comfortable it can be either and it would not matter to me.


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## hub6152 (Feb 17, 2014)

oztech said:


> What I have noticed is for all that dislike brands for not having AR coating there is probably that many if not more complaining about the coating getting scratched or damaged in various forums if the watch looks good and wears comfortable it can be either and it would not matter to me.


That's when there's an external AR coating used in addition to an internal coating. Omega do it on most of their watches and the crystal is near invisible. I have a Zenith that also has both external and internal coatings. It's about 12 years old and hasn't been scratched, however the external AR is beginning to wear off at the very edges of the crystal (it's a box crystal) which doesn't affect the overall appearance other than being visible if viewed at a specific angle.

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## blank001 (Sep 10, 2017)

Clearly the most reasonable compromise is to have underside only AR until better tech is available.


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## bank222 (Feb 24, 2017)

To be honest, I was afraid when buying my Khaki Field because everyone said the reflection was terrible. Once I got it, I completely forgot about those complaints and I'm just now remembering people said that...I think that goes to show, for me at least, it's not nearly as big of a deal as many make it out to be.


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## hub6152 (Feb 17, 2014)

bank222 said:


> I think that goes to show, for me at least, it's not nearly as big of a deal as many make it out to be.


Precisely!!

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## whaiyun (Jul 20, 2017)

Lack of AR is the real turn off from me owning a Khaki Field.


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## chirs1211 (Sep 29, 2009)

TBH until i saw this thread i hadn't even noticed the lack of AR on my Khaki 42, it really is no issue for me at all.

Chris


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## mplsabdullah (Jan 21, 2015)

chirs1211 said:


> TBH until i saw this thread i hadn't even noticed the lack of AR on my Khaki 42, it really is no issue for me at all.
> 
> Chris


WUS effect: You will now start to notice it more and more until it drives you nuts. Might as well put it up for sale now and save yourself from the therapy charges.;-)

Just like the WUS effect on Seiko divers: I now think I MUST be going nuts if I don't notice some misalignment on any newly purchased Seiko diver. I keep thinking there has to be something off that my eye just can't see,:-s lol.


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## hub6152 (Feb 17, 2014)

You guys should take a look at this thread on the Rolex/Tudor section.

Lack of antireflective coating on Rolex flat sapphires.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...eek.com/showthread.php?t=4569363&share_type=t

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## blank001 (Sep 10, 2017)

What is the logic here? If Rolex doesn't do it, then it's not important?



hub6152 said:


> You guys should take a look at this thread on the Rolex/Tudor section.
> 
> Lack of antireflective coating on Rolex flat sapphires.
> https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sh...eek.com/showthread.php?t=4569363&share_type=t
> ...


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## WichitaViajero (Feb 22, 2013)

Jajajajaja jajajaja!

I cannot Argu with your comment



oztech said:


> None of my watches have AR coating I just use basic science and rotate it slightly so the light refracts differently that has worked for 50 years so far.


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## Vioviv (May 8, 2017)

I'm baffled by this thread. Did people buy Hamiltons under the misapprehension that their watches had AR?


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## ChiefWahoo (Jul 4, 2011)

Vioviv said:


> I'm baffled by this thread. Did people buy Hamiltons under the misapprehension that their watches had AR?


Maybe people like Hamiltons and are disappointed they don't have AR.


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## hub6152 (Feb 17, 2014)

blank001 said:


> What is the logic here? If Rolex doesn't do it, then it's not important?


My point is that AR is not a measure of a brands status or quality. Some Rolex owners complain at the lack of it and others don't give a toss! Given the price of a Rolex it's perhaps more of a surprise that they choose not to use AR (which is by design rather than economy) but the lack of it doesn't stop you telling the time. If you must have a watch with it then don't buy a Hamilton simple.

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## biglove (Feb 19, 2013)

Over the last eight years I have bought and sold at least six Hamiltons. Sold solely because they lack any AR coating. None. Zero.

Is ridiculous to have watches so well made that are unreadable outside without wrist gymnastics.

Won't buy another one until they come to some semblance of sense about it.


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## One-Seventy (Mar 25, 2019)

biglove said:


> Over the last eight years I have bought and sold at least six Hamiltons. Sold solely because they lack any AR coating. None. Zero.
> 
> Is ridiculous to have watches so well made that are unreadable outside without wrist gymnastics.
> 
> Won't buy another one until they come to some semblance of sense about it.


Well, now they do, in the four years since this thread was started, midrange-and-up Hamiltons now feature it.

Even a couple of Rolexes now do, too!


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## Alfa2600 (Jul 27, 2018)

Wouldn't hurt to have AR on the underside, dont see the point of having it on the out side. It's not a deal breaker for me though, but the lume as someone else has already mentioned is Woeful at best.

4 year old thread 🤦‍♂️


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## Von170 (Jul 25, 2013)

Before I was really even aware of AR, I recall being very perplexed trying to read the black dial Khaki in high ambient conditions. It always took a second or third look - a glance would not do it outside. It's either lack of AR, or a very glossy dial.
I had both the silver dial and black dial versions. Sold the black, but still have the silver dial and still very happy with it.


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