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 Bolton Classic Quartz Men's Watch - H134110 £ 325.00 |
 | *Rare* San Martin 38mm Hamilton Ranger - SN0107 - watchdives collaboration £ 150.00 |
 | Vintage Hamilton Lancaster 9941 Automatic 7750 Chronograph Watch £ 550.00 |
 | Hamilton Men's Khaki Field Desert Sand Mechanical Watch, Swiss Made Watch £ 299.99 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Men's Black Watch - 6361 Quartz Movement £ 209.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki King Men's Black Watch - H644550 £ 380.00 |
 | Stunning Hamilton Khaki Aviation Men's Black Watch - H767140 (Cost £1260) £ 430.00 |
 | Militado ML08 Hamilton Murph Homage Watch Nato Strap New £ 65.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 42mm Black Watch H70605731, Boxed (Interstellar) £ 680.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field H685510 Watch Men's Watch Only One For Sale On Ebay In UK £ 369.00 |
 | hamilton khaki field murph 38mm £ 650.00 |
 | Hamilton Broadway Day Date Auto Black £ 375.00 |
 | Rare Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba 37mm White Dial Blue Bezel Quartz Dive Watch 🔥🔥 £ 395.00 |
 | Hamilton Boulton American Classic Watch - Fully Boxed + Documentation £ 399.00 |
 | Hamilton Intra-Matic Mechanical Chronograph - Reverse Panda Dial £ 950.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Thinline Men's Watch - H385111 £ 190.00 |
 | 1973 Hamilton British Military W10 6645-99 Manual Hand Wind Watch £ 549.99 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Men's Black Watch with Rubber Band - H82315331 £ 550.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm H69439411 BNWT £ 395.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki 9771B Black Dial Women's Quartz Watch From JP £ 115.04 |
 | Hamilton Broadway Day Date Watch H43311985 - Excellent Condition £ 249.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical White £ 365.00 |
![▶[EXC+5] HAMILTON Khaki Pilot H765120 Silver Dial Chrono Men Quartz Watch JP U2](https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/~kYAAOSwAUZnaMTo/s-l140.jpg) | ▶[EXC+5] HAMILTON Khaki Pilot H765120 Silver Dial Chrono Men Quartz Watch JP U2 £ 249.99 |
 | Hamilton Navy Frogman Automatic Watch £ 409.99 |
 | Hamilton Ventura Men's Black Watch - H242112 £ 500.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Aviation Chronograph - SPECIAL EDITION - H765170 / H765160 £ 645.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Blue with Hamilton warranty - full set all paperwork £ 450.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Officer Mechanical Ref: H696190 44mm £ 345.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Silver Men's Watch - H325151 £ 300.00 |
 | Hamilton Watch Vintage £ 150.00 |
 | Hamilton American Classic Boulton Small Second Quartz (23.5mm) White Dial £ 325.00 |
 | Rare Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba 37mm White Dial Blue Bezel Quartz Dive Watch 🔥🔥 £ 450.00 |
 | hamilton khaki field £ 359.99 |
 | chronometer big Box deck pocket watch Hamilton model 22 ship's £ 235.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Auto Blue Men's Watch - H82345141 £ 550.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Sub 300m/100ft £ 574.99 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition 37mm Bought in 2024 £ 539.99 |
 | hamilton khaki aviation pilot pioneer - priced for sale £ 580.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Aviation 44mm Mens Watch £ 799.99 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Black Dial 42mm Mens Watch H69529933 £ 385.00 |
