Hamilton introduces new watches

Words & Photos  Dirk Bogaerts - 09 Nov 2022

​The first watch that caught Carburettor Magazine’s attention is the Limited Edition Railroad Pocket Watch. This 50mm stainless steel, mechanical pocket watch is a celebration of Hamilton’s longstanding history in producing railway clockwork. 

Railroad Pocket Watch H40819110 Limited Edition : Mechanical | 50mm | Stainless steel

Today Hamilton is renowned for its longstanding involvement and expertise in aviation and cinema watchmaking. 

In 2018 Hamilton celebrated its 100 anniversary in aviation chronometry. A brief overview : in 1918, the US Postal Service chose Hamilton as their official timekeeper on the flights between New York, Philadelphia and Washington. In 1926 a Hamilton watch timed the first ever flight to the North Pole. In the nineteen-thirties Hamilton was the official pilot watch supplier of the four principal US airline companies. Since then, Hamilton has developped partnerships with helicopter mountain rescue services such as Air Zermatt, acrobatic flying teams and stunt pilots worldwide. In 2017 Hamilton became the official timekeeper of the Red Bull Air races. It is no surprise then that we find four new wachtes in the Aviation collection :
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Khaki Aviation X-Wind GMT : Quartz | 46mm | Stainless steel
Khaki Aviation X-Wind GMT : Quartz | 46mm | Stainless steel
Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer : Mechanical | 36mm x 33mm | Stainless steel
Khaki Aviation Pilot Pioneer : Mechanical | 36mm x 33mm | Stainless steel
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During World War II, Hamilton ceased all civilian production and focused entirely on their military contracts. Their most impressive feat during this era, was the develepmont and production of 10.000 ultra-precise marine chronometers. Hamilton received the US Army’s E-award twice for their groundbreaking work. ( E for Excellence ). In the Navy collection we find one new special edition watch :
Khaki Navy Scuba Syroco Special Edition : Automatic | 40mm | Stainless steel

The Hamilton watches that speak most to our imagination are certainly the custom-made cinema watches. Featured in blockbusters like TENET, Men in Black, Predators, The Martian, Green Lantern … to name just a few. Hamilton’s motto : “Imagined by filmmakers, made by engineers”. The most iconic watch : the Ventura ! Unveiled in January 1957, after a decade of research and development, the Ventura was the first electric watch movement ever, running on a tiny battery, a product at the edge of technology with an according avant-garde triangular shape design. Its biggest fan : Elvis Presley ! Elvis not only wore the watch in “Blue Hawaii” bust also gave them to friends and family as gifts. A black PVD with gold dial inserts, is added to the Ventura line-up.
Ventura H24402730 : Quartz | 32,3mm x 50mm | Black PVD

A similar black PVD watch, combined with golden details, is added to both the Jazzmaster and the American Classic collection :
Jazzmaster H32506730 : Automatic | 42mm | Black PVD
Pan Europ Day Date H35425730 : Automatic | 42mm | Black PVD
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Kick-off of the press event at the ULM Baisy-Thy airport in Belgium, is a breathtaking acrobatic aerial display by Hamilton ambassador Nicolas Ivanoff. Known as “The Quick
Corsican,” Nicolas Ivanoff has been at the forefront of aerobatic flying for almost
three decades. A former member of the French aerobatics team, he also helped Hamilton develop the groundbreaking KhakiAviation X-Wind Automatic Chronograph.

​At the end of the press-event I was invited to board a delta-wing ULM. Once I got used to the vast emptiness beneath my feet at 500 meters above the deck, I can only agree with my pilot : tis is the most pure form of aviation !
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