Hamilton

Hamilton was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892, and its early business was the railroad. American rail accidents caused by unsynchronised timekeeping had forced the industry to adopt strict standards, and Hamilton built pocket watches accurate enough to meet them — earning the description the watch of railroad accuracy.

Two things then defined it. The first was war: Hamilton supplied over a million watches to American forces in the Second World War, suspending civilian production entirely, and its marine chronometers were fitted across the US Navy.

The second was electricity. The Ventura of 1957 was the first battery-powered electric wristwatch, and its asymmetric shield-shaped case, designed by Richard Arbib, looked like nothing before it. Elvis Presley wore one in Blue Hawaii.

Hamilton's cinematic presence is unusually deep — over five hundred films — and includes the watches designed for 2001: A Space Odyssey with Stanley Kubrick, and appearances in Interstellar and Tenet.

American manufacturing ended in 1969 as the quartz crisis approached. The brand was acquired by the Swiss and is now part of the Swatch Group, based in Biel, where it occupies a distinctive position: American design heritage, Swiss production, and ETA movements with long power reserves at accessible prices. The Khaki Field, descended from the wartime issue watches, is its best-known line.

Hamilton holds 85 models, from £375 to £2,265. Half cost less than £840, and a quarter less than £640. 52 of 85 are automatic. 42 are stocked by more than one retailer, giving 127 offers in total. Prices are checked nightly against the retailers’ own feeds.

1892

Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

1918

Supplies the first US airmail flights.

1957

The Ventura is the first electric wristwatch.

1968

Designs the watches for 2001: A Space Odyssey.

1974

Becomes Swiss-owned; now part of the Swatch Group.