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 Watch Vintage £ 150.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Men's Black Watch - H706050 £ 375.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Men's Black Watch - H644550 - Khaki King Auto £ 395.00 |
 | Hamilton khaki field automatic 42mm factory warranty £ 429.00 |
 | Watch Collection Men’s (Hamilton/Christopher Ward) £ 2,160.00 |
 | Hamilton khaki navy scuba automatic men's watch. Full set and warranty £ 459.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field White Men's Watch - H694390 £ 370.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Men's Black Watch - H64455133 £ 300.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field King Beige Men's Watch with Brown Leather Band - H64455523 £ 350.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic 38mm £ 500.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Thinline Men's Watch - H385111 £ 190.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba Men's Watch - (H82305931) £ 400.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field 38mm H69409930 Black Dial 80hr Power Reserve Manual Wind £ 350.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic Silver Men’s Watch Leather Strap (Used) £ 380.00 |
 | hamilton jazzmaster automatic £ 340.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Aviation watch £ 575.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Brown Men's Watch with Beige Nylon Band - H69439901 £ 365.00 |
 | Hamilton American Classic Pan Europ Automatic Watch 42mm £ 549.99 |
 | hamilton khaki field chronograph £ 385.00 |
 | HAMILTON KHAKI FIELD 33mm MECHANICAL "Hysteric Glamour" Men's Watch VERY RARE £ 324.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical 38mm Black Dial Green NATO Strap £ 339.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Swiss Watch H385111 White Face Round Date W/W95 £ 249.99 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical Blue Watch - H69439940 - 38mm - July 2024 £ 340.00 |
 | Hamilton 64049-4 Cal 64A Vintage Gents Automatic Watch £ 285.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Navy Steel 42mm ref H776151 Automatic Serviced £ 450.00 |
 | #Stunning# Hamilton Jazzmaster Men's Watch - H385111 With Box And Spare Links £ 250.00 |
 | Hamilton Jazzmaster Open Heart Auto 40mm Mens Watch £ 410.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Murph 42mm Boxed Full Set H70605731 Interstellar Eureka £ 699.00 |
 | very rare Hamilton masterpiece dress watch quartz £ 60.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Aviation Men's Black Watch - H767140 (Cost £1260) £ 425.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Quartz Warranty/Box 2 Straps Included 9445B Watch W/W101 £ 269.99 |
 | Hamilton American Classic PSR digital Men's 007 Watch. Cost £725 new. £ 499.99 |
 | Hamilton khaki field mechanical Watch 38mm Near Mint Condition £ 399.99 |
 | HAMILTON Khaki Field 38mm Mens Mechanical Watch H69439931 NEW UNWORN £ 385.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Men's Black Watch - H694390 RRP £530 (+ £200 of extras) £ 425.00 |
 | Hamilton Automatic Watch 820003/4 working order. JB Champion bracelet. 1970"s £ 100.00 |
 | Hamilton Murph 38mm - BRAND NEW £ 759.00 |
 | hamilton W10 military watch £ 549.00 |
 | Hamilton Pan Europ 42mm Automatic Watch *full Kit* £ 500.00 |
 | Hamilton Khaki Field Men's Black Watch with Silver Stainless Steel Band -... £ 499.00 |
