Hamilton
- Founded
- 1892
- Based in
- Biel, Switzerland (founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
- In our catalog
- 15 watches from $525 to $2,395
Hamilton is one of the best places to start with mechanical watches. It has a genuine American history, a wide range of styles and prices that rarely go above $2,000. And it's probably the brand you've seen most in films without noticing: Hamilton has appeared in hundreds of movies, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Interstellar.
History
Hamilton was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892 and quickly made its name with precise railroad pocket watches. In the Second World War it stopped making consumer watches altogether and produced around a million watches for the US armed forces, which is where its field watch tradition comes from.
In 1957 Hamilton launched the Ventura, the first battery-powered (electric) watch, with an asymmetric triangle case that Elvis Presley wore in Blue Hawaii. In the early 1970s it introduced the Pulsar, the first LED digital watch. The American company ran into trouble and its watch business was bought by the Swiss group that later became the Swatch Group. Hamilton watches have been made in Switzerland for decades, with headquarters in Biel.
Signature models
- Khaki Field Mechanical: A 38 mm hand-wound field watch with a straightforward military dial, among the best-value Swiss mechanical watches.
- Khaki Field Auto: The automatic version, with an 80-hour power reserve.
- Ventura: The 1957 shield-shaped design, now in quartz and automatic versions.
- PSR: A modern reissue of the 1970s Pulsar LED watch.
- Jazzmaster Thinline Auto: A slim, classic dress watch.
- Khaki Navy Frogman: A diver based on watches made for US Navy frogmen.
- Khaki Aviation Converter GMT: A pilot's watch with a slide rule bezel and a GMT hand.
- Intra-Matic Chronograph H: A clean, 1960s-style chronograph.
What it's known for
Hamilton uses Swatch Group movements with long power reserves and offers styles from military to dress to retro digital. The Khaki Field is one of the most recommended first mechanical watches. The Murph watch, made for the film Interstellar, became so popular that Hamilton put it into production.
Price and positioning
Hamilton watches cost roughly $500 to $2,300, competing with Tissot, Seiko's Presage and Prospex lines, and Christopher Ward. It's above Tissot and below Longines in the Swatch Group's lineup.
Hamilton watches in our library
- Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical ($525 to $595)
- Hamilton Khaki Field Auto ($695 to $795)
- Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba ($695 to $795)
- Hamilton PSR ($745 to $1,095)
- Hamilton Ventura ($795 to $895)
- Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart ($845 to $995)
- Hamilton Jazzmaster Thinline Auto ($845 to $945)
- Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 42 Bronze ($875 to $945)
- Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto ($895 to $995)
- Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pilot Day Date ($895 to $995)
- Hamilton American Classic Intra-Matic Auto ($895 to $995)
- Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman ($1,295 to $1,395)
- Hamilton Khaki Aviation Converter GMT ($1,645 to $1,795)
- Hamilton Khaki X-Wind Auto Chrono ($2,045 to $2,195)
- Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H ($2,295 to $2,395)