# Low Down on Hamilton Watches



## 2taall (Oct 12, 2007)

These seem like nice watches. Are they Swiss made or American made...or made in China?

Thanks for any info on this brand.


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## nderwater (Jun 20, 2007)

Historically, Hamilton was an American brand. Today they are one of the mid-level brands owned by Swatch Group, comparable to Tissot. They present a good value because they are fairly affordable, yet are 'Swiss Made' and feature robust and reliable ETA movements. They are easy to find at retailers or online, often at notable discounts.

http://www.swatchgroup.com/brands/middle.php?clicked=hamilton
http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/webapp/en%2Dus/


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## jas32 (Nov 16, 2007)

I have been a fan of Hamilton watches for quite some time and this is what I've found out recently. Hamiltons are great watches, great value for the money, very good quality and very consistent in their manufacturing. I noticed that not all Hamiltons say "Swiss Made" on them, which most likely means those particular watches are not assembled in Switzerland. I would not know where that would be. I would venture somewhere in Asia, where the costs are typically the lowest. Most of their automatic movements say "Swiss" in them which means the movement is sourced in Switzerland and supplied by Swatch. Not sure about the source for quartz movements.

Bottom line to me, it really does not matter where the watch is eventually assembled and how much Swiss content it has, as long as the value is there and it is the style I like, it would rate high on my purchase list.


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## 99Reza (Sep 11, 2007)

I purchased two Hamilton watches, they are excellent value for money. Oh, both of them 'Swiss Made'


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## Skans (Oct 3, 2007)

I was never a huge fan of Hamilton watches, until several years ago. Now, I think Hamilton offers some excelent chronographs that are fantastic values. I particularly like the X-Wind and Khaki automatic chronographs.

Whoever has been doing Hamilton's designs for the past several years is really on the ball. I've never seen a company that produced what I considered "ho-hum" but decent watches for decades start producing watches that I find very intriguing. In fact, I intend to purchase one of the above when I can find a good deal on a decent used one.


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## joppinger (Oct 8, 2006)

I would echo all of the above, and emphasize the fact fact that one of the best things about the brand is that they are available, much like Tissot, at many grey market online sellers, the only difference being that you get an in-house warranty v. the manufacturer's warranty. The gamble being that these sellers will be around long enough to honor said warranty. I think it's well worth the risk considering how much you can save (usually 25-40%). I know that statement will catch some flack from fans of purchasing from an AD, but I'd stand by it.


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## nderwater (Jun 20, 2007)

Another benefit of Hamilton and similar entry- to mid-level mechanical watches is that they routinely feature movements which are reliable, widely available, and not particularly difficult or expensive for your area watch smith to repair.


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## publandlord (Aug 15, 2006)

99Reza said:


> I purchased two Hamilton watches, they are excellent value for money. Oh, both of them 'Swiss Made'


It seems that the Hamiltons sold in the US do not routinely have "Swiss Made" on the dials but that doesn't mean they weren't made in Switzerland. (If it doesn't say Swiss Made on the front, check the caseback - it may be written there.)

This is because American consumers are a fairly patriotic lot and may or may not be under the illusion that Hamilton is still a US brand through and through. In this case, having "Swiss Made" on the front of the watch could reduce its appeal, not enhance it.

To compare, search for any Hamilton sold by a US dealer online, and then seek the same watch sold by a European or Asian dealer.


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## Guido Muldoon (May 14, 2007)

My Hamilton says "Swiss made" on the dial. It's a Khaki Field Mechanical model H69619533, 44mm, 22mm lugs and an ETA 6497 movement. It has a seconds sub dial (non hacking) at 9 o'clock and a non screw down crown though its stated WR is 100m. Lume could be better but with a good charge it lasts through the night for me. Fit and finish (satin stainless) are excellent and the watch feels substantial while not being too heavy or thick (11.5mm). I've owned the watch for 4 months and it consistently runs less than 7 sec/day fast. Retail price is $545 with 2 year factory warranty. I got mine on the bay for $360.

I wear it on a desert tan Zulu though it came on a brown convertible Bund style strap. It looks good on anything. If this watch is representative of Hamilton quality in general, I wouldn't hesitate to buy any Hamilton watch regardless of where it was actually made. Hope this helps. b-)


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## Joukowski (Feb 10, 2006)

I'm also a recent fan of Hamiltons - you get a very competent watch for the price, being swiss made and built quality. I'm happy with mine.


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## Viper (Oct 5, 2006)

My understanding is that ALL Hamiltons are Swiss Made. They may not all be marked as such on the dial, but they are on the back of the case.


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## bacari (Nov 14, 2007)

I've always liked the classic style of Hamilton watches. I purchased one for my college girlfriend almost 20 years ago but never got around to purchasing one for myself until a month ago.

As already stated, the designs have gotten better in recent years. I purchased a Khaki Navy with a rubber strap. It is a Swiss quartz model. Love it. It does say "Swiss Made" at the 6 position.

I actually purchased it from ShopNBC at a pretty good price. The funny thing is that it is virtually impossible to find Hamilton watches on ShopNBC website unless you know they are there. You have to type "hamilton" in the search bar to find them. They have quite a few models.

Here is the model that I purchased:

http://www.shopnbc.com/searchm/?page=LIST&free_text=hamilton&cm_re=Search-_-text-_-N


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## Preston (Mar 2, 2006)

I have a NOS American vintage Hamilton, it's a manual wind and the movement is an exquisit work of art and it keeps excellent time. I've also been exposed to several current Hamiltons and although the movement isn't jewel like in beauty as the old versions are they are in my opinion just as exquisit, however this brand doesn't cut the mustard "styles" wise to be added to my collection. 
Peace,
Preston


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## sdwtchlvr (Nov 18, 2007)

I think they're very classic and affordable watches...part of the swatch group.


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## publandlord (Aug 15, 2006)

Viper said:


> My understanding is that ALL Hamiltons are Swiss Made. They may not all be marked as such on the dial, but they are on the back of the case.


Indeed so - and not having "Swiss Made" certainly doesn't mean they weren't made there (Breitling has removed the words "Swiss Made" from practically all of its watch dials, for instance).

To illustrate, here's a shot of a typical popular Hamilton (the Navy GMT) from classybrand.com, a US online site:










And the same watch from a European online seller:


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## 2taall (Oct 12, 2007)

Thanks everyone! It appears that this brand is well liked and respected. I may actually look for a Hamilton from a European dealer so I can get the "swiss made" words on the dial.


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## 99Reza (Sep 11, 2007)

Just curious, what does the number below the six represent?? The Khaki mechanical has '330', the GMT has '332', while my X wind has '331'


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## ffeelliixx (May 22, 2007)

You can also get great deals from grey market dealers on ebay. I bought this one at a significant discount off retail from a dealer out of Singapore after my AD stated the model I wanted wasn't available in the US. The transaction was very smooth.

Hamilton is a great candidate for a grey market purchase as, to my knowledge, only the LE models have serial numbers.










-FLX


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## 99Reza (Sep 11, 2007)

Wow, very sharp, is that the Jazzmaster Maestro with date??


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## Viper (Oct 5, 2006)

2taall said:


> Thanks everyone! It appears that this brand is well liked and respected. I may actually look for a Hamilton from a European dealer so I can get the "swiss made" words on the dial.


I've got my eye on a couple of new Hamiltons as well. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

By the way, why is it so important for you to get one that says "Swiss Made" on the dial? It's a Hamilton, therefore it's a Swiss-made watch anyway. Whether it states it on the dial or the back of the case, why should it matter?


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## cmeisenzahl (Mar 10, 2006)

I like them, some of the best deals going in mechanical watches, especially 7750 chronos.


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## ffeelliixx (May 22, 2007)

99Reza said:


> Wow, very sharp, is that the Jazzmaster Maestro with date??


No, it's not a Maestro, although it is very similar. At 42mm, it is a little smaller than a Maestro, but as you stated, this model has a date function. I have seen this model referred to as the Symphony; although, Hamilton's website refers to it simply as an Auto Chrono.

-FLX


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## 2taall (Oct 12, 2007)

Viper said:


> I've got my eye on a couple of new Hamiltons as well. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
> 
> By the way, why is it so important for you to get one that says "Swiss Made" on the dial? It's a Hamilton, therefore it's a Swiss-made watch anyway. Whether it states it on the dial or the back of the case, why should it matter?


Basically because I've always wanted a Swiss watch, so it would be nice to look at the dial and see "swiss made". I'm sure after I own at least one Swiss watch, and get over the owning a Swiss watch thing, then it will not really matter if it says "swiss made" on the dial or not. But for now, damn it, I want those words on the dial.


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## aceproceed (Sep 4, 2007)

They seem to be of pretty decent quality but I think that on the whole a majority of their designs are pretty plain and unspectacular. I think there are much nicer designs from a lot of the Japanese companies like Seiko or Orient which will hold up just as well to them in terms of quality and are quite a bit cheaper. I'm sure that the extra cash you're paying for a Hamiltion goes almost exclusively to the fact that they are "Swiss Made" vs. elsewhere.

And it makes me cringe everytime somebody calls their watch a "Hammy".


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## ffeelliixx (May 22, 2007)

Seiko and Orient are a great value, no doubt. I can't slight those brands, but they have a very different aesthetic than our Hammies.

I would refer to Hamilton's current line as anything but "plain." The Hammy line includes some very bold and innovative designs if you browse their website. Have you seen the new Hammy PVD X-wind? Plain? Call them ugly, say they're not your cup of tea... but plain? Have you seen the $100 dress Seikos? It's a great watch for the money, but you have to admit that style is... well... plain...

Everytime I visit the Hammy website, I see something new and innovative. But yes, the Swiss Made watches are going to cost a bit more than the Seiko watches. There I would agree. But the original poster wants a Swiss made watch.

-FLX



aceproceed said:


> They seem to be of pretty decent quality but I think that on the whole a majority of their designs are pretty plain and unspectacular. I think there are much nicer designs from a lot of the Japanese companies like Seiko or Orient which will hold up just as well to them in terms of quality and are quite a bit cheaper. I'm sure that the extra cash you're paying for a Hamiltion goes almost exclusively to the fact that they are "Swiss Made" vs. elsewhere.
> 
> And it makes me cringe everytime somebody calls their watch a "Hammy".


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## rightrower (Feb 19, 2013)

Interesting thread. Definitely looking to enjoy owning a hamilton - my new incoming.


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## Ray MacDonald (Apr 30, 2005)

Necro thread closed.


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