Hamilton Watches: a short history
Hamilton Watches have a long history, with a close association with America, although manufacturing has been done outside of the USA for some time. As a company it has been in many mergers and acquired by a number of companies and is today part of the Swatch Group. It’s quality has always been high. It’s a personal favourite of mine.
In 1892 the Keystone Standard Watch Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania went bankrupt and was purchased by the Hamilton Watch Company. The company was named after Andrew Hamilton, a Scottish born lawyer who originally owned the site of the Hamilton factory in Lancaster during the previous century.
The company expanded rapidly thanks to the boom in the railroad business, where Hamilton supplied more than 50% of all the pocket watches used by the rail companies. The watches were marketed as as the “Watch of Railroad Accuracy”.
In 1914, the first World War meant that all troops needed accurate watches and as pocket watches were unsuitable for soldiers crawling and lying in trenches, Hamilton switched production to wristwatches and became supplier to the US Armed Forces. During WW2, all consumer production was halted while Hamilton produced more than one million watches for the military. Hamilton also supplied the US Navy and some of the other allied armies.
In 1957 Hamilton made the World’s first electric watch, the Hamilton Electric 500. The watch sold in various case shapes, including the triangular shaped Ventura which was worn by Elvis Presley in the film Blue Hawaii. As the electric watches were being more popular Hamilton faced increased competition from Japan and even outsourced some of the work to Japan. This period marked the beginning of the end of US manufacturing operations and in 1969 the Lancaster factory closed and manufacturing moved to the Buren factory in Switzerland.
In 1970 Hamilton had another first – the first LED digital watch.
In 1971, the Omega & Tissot Holding Company Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH) purchased the Hamilton brand. With further corporate shifting, Hamilton became part of the Swatch Group in 1984.
Today, Hamilton still talks about its American Spirit. You can see Hamilton watches being worn in many films like as in The Martian. These watches (as new) are in the £400 to £2000+ range so are reasonably affordable (see the Amazon UK Hamilton Watch page). Some of the older models are even cheaper
eBay USA
On eBay UK: | Hamilton Khaki Field 38mm Blue Quartz Watch (H69401940) £ 275.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Automatic 38mm Silver Dial Men's Watch Bought Dec ’24 Boxed £ 350.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field 38mm £ 380.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Black Watch 38mm £ 340.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart Auto H32565595 40mm Brown (RRP £880) £ 390.00 |
 | hamilton khaki field automatic 38mm H704551 £ 400.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Pilot Schott NYC Watch Limited Edition With Orginal Box £ 700.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy GMT Steel 42 mm Ref H77615133 Automatic £ 345.00 |
 | STUNNING Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38mm watch Mesh Bracelet And Strap £ 400.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Quartz 33mm Black Dial £ 225.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazz-master Thinline H38511743 £ 250.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Men's Black Watch - H70405730 £ 595.00 |
 | Hamilton Boulton American Classic Watch - Fully Boxed + Documentation £ 375.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 38mm Automatic Watch H70405710 £ 600.00 |
 | Hamilton American Classic Boulton Small Second Quartz (23.5mm) White Dial £ 325.00 |
 | Hamilton Mechanical Mens Vintage Tank Watch 14k Gold Filled 40s 50s £ 140.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic Watch Titanium PVD, 42mm £ 434.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Seaview Day Date 42mm Watch 100m WR NEW RRP £690 £ 499.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Gents Automatic Watch - H325151 - 40mm £ 395.00 |
 | Hamilton Military Watch General Purpose H3 Mil-W-46374B 39988 1982 Vintage Runs £ 339.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Auto H776050 £ 500.00 |
 | Hamilton W10 1973 British Military Wristwatch. £ 450.00 |
 | HAMILTON Linwood H324110 Quartz Watch. Silver Dial. 38mm Case. Date. Men`s. £ 267.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pioneer Pilot Watch with Military Band - H765220 £ 425.00 |
 | hamilton american classic intra-matric RRP £920 £ 500.00 |
 | Vintage 70s Hamilton Geneve Rectangle Mechanical Tank Watch Brown Face Gold Case £ 274.99 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Men's Black Watch with leather band - H82315331 £ 400.00 |
 | Hamilton w10 6bb 1974 Watch £ 875.00 |
 | Junk Hamilton Elvis 80 Ventura H245510 Quartz Black Dial Men's Watch Brand Watch £ 436.90 |
 | 2024 Hamilton Jazzmaster Quartz Chronograph H32612735 - Worn 5 times - Perfect £ 425.00 |
 | Hamilton Boulton Silver/White Mens or Womens Watch - H13421611 £ 410.00 |
 | Hamilton W10 Vintage Military Mechanical Watch 1973 Working £ 525.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Sub 660 Quartz Watch Vintage Needs Battery Unverified Condition £ 234.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field H705450 Black Dial Automatic Men's Watch from JP £ 291.69 |
 | Hamilton Intra-Matic Automatic Men's Watch H384551 38mm Silver Dial Leather £ 600.00 |
 | 1998 Immaculate Hamilton Khaki 9415A Manual Field Watch, Serviced, Box, Papers £ 385.00 |
 | Hamilton Ventura Men's Black Watch - Leather Belt Great Condition Japan £ 240.96 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Pioneer Small Seconds £ 400.00 |
 | HAMILTON H112210 Ardmore Watches SilverDial Stainless Steel/leather Quartz... £ 220.00 |
 | 1954 Vintage HAMILTON KENNETT, Stunning SILVER Dial, Serviced & Warranty £ 495.00 |
