Today, I have a pair of new releases from Hemel Watches, the Gallant USAF Edition, and the Eylandt Resolute, fraternal twins that debut the latest Hemel tool watch platform.
The watches are nearly identical except for their dials and branding. Where the Gallant employs the familiar Hemel logo, the Resolute launches the new Eylandt sub-brand. Eylandt is the Dutch word for island, as in Long Island, New York, where owner Marvin Menke designs his watches.
In true Hemel fashion, they are capable tools rated for 200m water resistance and featuring screw-down crowns, domed and AR-coated sapphire crystals, and sturdy Seiko NH38A automatic movements. They are mid-sized, measuring 40mm wide, 48mm long, and 13mm thick, with 20mm between the lugs.
A combination of brushed and polished surfaces on the case and the three-link bracelet gives the watches a classic look. It is a safe design that will allow great flexibility for future dials, but I did find myself searching for a design cue that would have given the case more personality. As it stands, you will find that in the signed crown and case back, both of which have a gold finish and crisply engraved decorations.
I was particularly fond of the Eylandt’s bold and unabashedly whimsical engraving. It may have been established in 2022, but it looks, for all the world, like something from a movie poster in 1922.
To my eye, the watches wear slightly larger than their specs suggest, thanks to their straight sides, broad dials, and slim, fixed bezels. Even so, they fit well on my 6.75″ wrist.
Both dials feature a traditional field watch layout complete with a 24-hour index inside the primary hours. The handsets are the same as well, but that is where the watches stop sharing design elements and go off in their own directions.
The most obvious difference is color: the Gallant is a deep blue with an orange triangle, while the Resolute is black. The branding will likely grab your eye as well, especially as the Gallant fills the lower section with the Air Force logo. Closer inspection reveals that the Gallant has bolder numbers than the Resolute, and its cardinal hours are larger than the rest.
The Resolute drops the 12 for a straight-line navigation mark, and its hours are lighter weight and are all equally sized. The Resolute also features a finely delineated seconds track in favor of the Gallant’s minute markers. Both are handsome in their own way. I’d say the Gallant is the more modern and assertive in terms of color and typeface, while the Eylandt seems more refined and appears to be from an earlier era. Its logo, in particular, successfully channels that of certain pre-WW2 watchmakers.
Both faces enjoy a healthy dose of BGW9 lume to ensure maximum visibility during dark operations.
Like many microbrands of late, Hemel chose a locking clasp with a tool-free sliding micro-adjustment mechanism. Having worn one through several days of heat and humidity, I think it is a brilliant concept. I appreciate the ability to quickly loosen it up a notch or two when the air gets sticky. One of my dumbest watch decisions was wearing a diver on a snug metal bracelet for an extended tropical trip without also packing a pin tool. A sliding clasp like this would have eliminated a lot of discomfort.
While I enjoyed both watches, I am more excited by the prospect of what Eylandt might become. The Gallant is exactly the kind of military-inspired, high-value tool watch we have come to expect from Hemel, and this USAF Edition fits right in. In its initial incarnation, the Eylandt departs only slightly from the Hemel formula, but I know Marvin did not create a spin-off brand for a single-model variant. The Resolute gives us a hint of what Eylandt can become. I look forward to seeing where Marvin will take the brand as he explores themes beyond those already encompassed by Hemel.
If you are shopping for an affordable field watch, with either a colorful military bearing or a touch of retro flair, you would do well to check out the Hemel Gallant USAF Edition and the Eylandt Resolute. Whichever flavor you choose, neither will break the bank. You can order either for just $299 at hemelwatches.com.
