THE BEST OF: The 6 most iconic watches Hamilton

Tags: Selection of the best | Hamilton | Men's | Classic | Traditional

10.10.2022 | 6 MIN | 1x comment

They shone on movie screens, were relied on in the trenches, were loved by celebrities, and received iconic designs. Hamilton has a lot to offer. Choosing the most iconic Hamilton watches was therefore no easy task. Are the right ones on the list?

Hamilton Khaki Field Auto. A watch from Captain America that Steve never wore

They are nicknamed "Captain America's watch". But to be honest, I've seen the Avengers (many times) and I've never seen Khaki Field Auto on Rogers' hand (please correct me in the comments if I'm wrong). And yet it does not take away from their popularity. They are not popular for the nickname, but for (and I dare say this without exaggeration) a perfect design concept.

Hamilton Khaki Field is an example of a classic field watch transformed into a more modern form. If Hamilton had stuck to authentic retro at all costs, he probably wouldn't have chosen a 42mm diameter, an automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve and a polished bezel. But these are exactly the parameters that play into the hands of today's watch audience.

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And another thing is the appearance itself. Simple, yet so interesting that one could write paragraphs and paragraphs just about the dial. The element of the vinyl record, the red end of the second hand... But you can see them yourself.

It's Hamilton's reference to its historical era of military watches, while having a refined understated look and ideal proportions for almost anyone. Almost, because after all, they're not really small. (That's probably why it's also produced in a smaller 38mm version.)

And for that they earned one of the coolest nicknames in the world of movie watches. So even though Captain America apparently didn't actually wear it, you have no problem believing that this would be exactly the watch that Steve Rogers would have chosen.

Hamilton Ventura Elvis80. Arbib's futuristic cool-retro

I don't know what would have to happen for Venturas to be missing from the selection of the most iconic Hamiltons. A model that is decorated with stories and spices and that stands out above all with its triangular design alone!

If I were to briefly list all the unique features of the Ventura watches, it would look something like this: the first electronic watch in the world, even without quartz; Elvis' watch, worn by the King of Rock 'n' Roll in the film and in his private collection; an original futuristic design designed by Richard Arbib; a must-have of Men in Black...

Today you can have your own Ventura in numerous designs, in quartz and mechanical, in men's and women's sizes. But they will not fit everyone and not everyone will have the balls to wear them. It's not exactly a classic style, but in the right hands it will be an incredible ride...

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. A field watch that will make you fall in love with winding

If I said that they are popular thanks to the inspiration of military watches produced between the 60s and 80s according to the US government specification GG-W-113A, it wouldn't sound very interesting, would it? And at the same time, a significant part of the success of the Hamilton Mechanical 38 mm is hidden in this sentence.

Hamilton has a really rich past in a whole range of industries. Aviation watches, marine chronometers, movie watches, watches for railway personnel and also military. Primarily military. Because they owed part of his success on American soil precisely to their supplies to the army forces. They were already involved in the First World War, during the Second World War Hamilton devoted themselves only to production for military purposes and subsequently accepted the challenge of producing watches for soldiers according to the aforementioned specification.

When Hamilton started producing a similar model - in today's retro dimensions and with such a beautifully authentic design - a few years ago, fans did not tear their hands away. They look like you'd find them in a relic from the Vietnam War, so no one can argue with the 38mm case. And there are details such as a fake patina, a mechanical movement without automatic winding or a matte-finished case, as befits a field watch.

They are simply perfect mechanical fields. In addition, Hamilton improved the movement with a higher reserve of 80 hours and offers it in many variants. It's no wonder that they have a hard time finding rivals in their category and are definitely among the most interesting watches in Hamilton's range.

Hamilton PSR. From the times when America had it counted

In a time when it seemed that American watchmaking would never be the same again, a star was born. The world's first digital watch Hamilton Pulsar. They had LED numerals, something unheard of at the time, and were immediately a must-have for celebrities of the time. Elvis, presidents, actors, singers (not excluding Jack Nicholson or Elton John) and, last but not least, James Bond.

Many believed that thanks to them, America would once again return to the ranks of world watchmaking powers. But it only lasted a few years before they were displaced by LCD cheap digitals and Pulsar's star shone. But not forever. God bless Switzerland. Hamilton released this historic piece in the Hamilton PSR reissue and it became an instant hit. Although it can only tell the time, Hamilton used a newly patented type of display that combines LCD and LED. But the most attractive thing is simply the retro style of the watch.

With the PSR model, Hamilton reminds us of what it has achieved in the history of watchmaking. And for us watch enthusiasts, it brings a welcome gust of wind in the retro collection (and an unexpected one in the wallet). But that's how it is with iconic models.

Hamilton Khaki Field Murph. The second Interstellar

Thanks to the Murph watch, I finally watched the movie Interstellar. And because of the movie Interstellar, the Murph watch was made. The model, which was created exclusively for film purposes, was put on sale by the fans themselves. But Hamilton made them wait five years before offering a limited edition in the most divine tesseract box. And because that wasn't enough, they introduced the fans (to the delight of everyone who didn't get to) into regular production.

And thanks for that, Hamilton. Because it turned out to be an iconic model with an unforgettable design and a detail that only a true watch enthusiast will discover, and which, for a change, only a movie junkie will understand. On the second hand, the morse code is "eureka". But even without the movie connection, it's a beautiful watch.

I like the fresh combination of cathedral and syringe hands, the simple "Field" dial and the pleasant fauxtina that takes the watch to the past, but no one would convince me that this is not exactly the kind of timeless piece that will have something to say even in my retirement age .

In addition to Murphs, the Khaki Pilot Day Date made a cameo in Interstellar.

I personally blame them for only one thing. That they are not in a smaller, wearable form for me. They would be worth a sin. And the money. To the last cent. Because Murphs, that's just a guilty pleasure.

Hamilton BeLOWZERO. Uncompromising movie star

For a long, long time I considered which model should take the honorable last place in the list of the most iconic Hamilton watches. Should it be the pilot X-Winds? Or the incredibly attractive vintage-style Hamilton Intra-matic pandas? Or Jazzmasters? But no. They are all beautiful and one could rave about them for hours, but it had to be the Khaki Navy BeLOWZERO.

These black stealths are different. Massive, but at the same time so balanced. Black, but not dark. Famous movies, but incredibly functionally tuned in real life.

BeLOWZERO became most famous thanks to the movie The Martian, with which they will probably be forever associated. Matt Damon wore the original model there. Today you can recognize them thanks to the contrasting date stamp and the older movement ETA 2826-2. Dwayne Johnson had the same in the comedy Central Intelligence.

The newer ones, including the limited edition, are connected to director Christopher Nolan's film TENET for a change. They are made of titanium, do not have a date, and inside they run a modified H-10 movement with an 80-hour power reserve. But in the end it's still the same durable black-on-black watch.

It often goes unnoticed that, in addition to a film career, they have a 1000-meter water resistance, a helium valve and, once they get on the wrist, massive sex appeal. Maybe that's why the teams of Scott and Nolan chose them for their blockbusters... And many men on their wrists.