[Closed] Hamilton Watches - any good?

I love them. If you check out The Hamilton website there is a list as long as your arm of the Hollywood movies they have been used in.

Also Check this out: (How they modified a watch for the film Interstellar.)

https://www.ablogtowatch.com/hamilton-watches-movie-interstellar/

They are all reasonably priced as well!

Like their field watches, if you like mil style look up Marathon watches, I have a tsar and love it.

Without coming across poncy they are a budget watch which look OK. Personally I'd never own one but each to their own.

I have a Khaki Field in the smaller of the 2 sizes to fit my girlie wrist. Had it for 10 years and its suprisingly accurate for 'cheap' automatic.

No scratches on the glass so must be reasonable quality but the case scratches easily. Has everything I like in an analogue watch - date, 24hr markers, good lume, black face, stainless case, small size, no bling.

Edit - forgot and properly waterproof

Hmmm watching this with interest as I've been thinking about a new watch for a while and noticed the Hamilton watches seem to get positive reviews for the price point.

Hi Bigman.

I remember a 'scam' from several years ago where some bright spark bought a load of cheap generic watches and invented a 'brand' to go with them. He took out a full page glossy advert in some aspirational type car magazine complete with James Bond style male model. A ridiculously high RRP was marked at the bottom of the advert. He then went out and bought enough magazines for each of the watches he had and advertised them as bankrupt stock or something like that for like a third of their RRP. He included a copy of the magazine with each sale so the buyer would know they had purchased a genuine fancy pants, exclusive, little known brand that rich folk would normally buy and got a bargain in the process.

I recall the guy getting into a bit of trouble and being labeled as a conman. I'm sure if he did it now he'd probably get away with it selling full price.

AFAIK they are not a recognised quality make.

I have one, I got it as a graduation present. It's fine, though not necessarily my style. I think they are a respected "slightly objectionable amount of money to spend on a watch" brand, which gets looked down on a bit by the "highly objectionable amount of money spend on a watch" brands. Mine's been fine and as reliable as one can expect a watch to be for the last 7 years.

I like them, but basically this

Without coming across poncy they are a budget watch which look OK.

AFAIK they are not a recognised quality make.

Au contraire - they are perfectly well respected, but very much at the entry level of Swiss-made watches. They occupy much the same part of the market as Raymond Weil, without looking like something you'd buy from the back of the Radio Times.

Finbar, I think you managed to sum it up better than myself. Well put together for the money but there are nicer finished watches available with far better movements. Said watched however carry far greater prices.

Hamilton is not a brand that would currently appreciate in value.

So his Khaki Field Mechanical - the one with the second hand sub dial at the 9 o clock, or my SnDA57 quartz chrono - who wins ? 😀

Hamilton actually have quite a long history as an American watch brand - produced some classic mil watches, and one or two classic designs like the Ventura. Bought out by Swatch a few years back and part of their portfolio now.

Some of their Jazzmaster range still have that classic ‘Hamilton’ look, and I think they still make a version of the Ventura if you want something dressy and fairly unique looking.

The current ones look good basic Swiss/Chinese watches - same as many others in the market costing more £.

The only one I have is an early 60's 'Taurus'. Don't actually wear it but it is v stylish.

I had one of their field automatics as a 30th birthday present to myself. However, despite never wearing it in the shower/bath/pool or even having it in the same room whilst I had a shower, it developed condensation under the glass. I had 3 replacement watches before I demanded my money back and returned to my traser/h3 which is absolutely bulletproof and has been for 17 years.

Lovely looking watch but utter dog toffee. I'd stay clear.

Without coming across poncy they are a budget watch which look OK. Personally I'd never own one but each to their own.

Hamilton is not a brand that would currently appreciate in value.

Y’know what, a great many people just want a nice looking watch that tells the sodding time!
I have a TAG Series 1000 I bought around ‘82, that’s really well worn, paid £250 for it, couldn’t care less what it’s worth, a Yema Rallygraf I bought ten years before that, that I recently spent £450 on having a mainspring replaced and serviced, possibly worth around €1200, paid about £50 for it, it’s current value only meant it was worth spending much more than I paid for it getting it fixed, as it was the first watch I paid for with money I earned.
I also have a Seiko SPORK I paid £650 for, NOS, which may or may not be worth more to a collector, but I honestly don’t care, because it’s a lovely watch to look at and wear.
Then there’s the Casio I bought for my late step-dad for a birthday present after his cheap Cotton Traders watch went missing, paid £19 for it, modded it to fit a Zulu NATO-style strap, and I’m more than happy to wear that in place of any of the others, just ‘cos it’s cheap, takes lots of abuse, is really clear to read, as it’s a military style analogue, and it keeps time extraordinarily well.
People will pay insane amounts for ugly watches just because they appear to be collectible and increase in value, others, like the OP, really just want something that looks nice, is well-made and reliable; just because you’re a snob, doesn’t mean everyone else is.

The OP asked about the quality of the Hamilton piece, I just made observations about the brand.

I have a number of watches for different applications. I am not saying a cheap watch is bad in the slightest. I spend my working days wearing boutique brand automatic watches but I wear an Apple Watch all weekend.

You use what ever you watch suits what you are doing at the time.

like the OP, really just want something that looks nice, is well-made and reliable

I should point out I'm not buying it, it was just a willy having competition last night, and seeing as I wasn't qualified to speak in my defence of my Seiko about the Hamilton, I thought I'd ask on here.

I am however about to buy a £53 Gshock to wear on the bike... 🙂

Swatch group brand so good value for money, all the backing of same watch house that puts out longines, omega etc.

Value wise they offer nothing over the similar Tissot which is a bit cheaper, it’s purely style and brand, if it’s your thing go for it.

I like the jazz and Venturi series, bit left field but the khaki field auto is a very good watch at the price point.

So his Khaki Field Mechanical - the one with the second hand sub dial at the 9 o clock, or my SnDA57 quartz chrono - who wins ?

Personally, the Hamilton wins easily. An ETA mechanical movement that’s nicely styled and well priced. The cheaper seiko watches are decent workhorses but don’t do much for me otherwise. I’d like a spring drive seiko but that’s a totally different watch. Each to their own though, we all wear what we like doesn’t mean it’s better or worse.

LOL... I LOVE threads like this! Gives you a real insight into the differing values people have!

Now feeling quite proud of my £10 Casio terrorist favourite! (

BTW I really do like Hamilton..... Love the movie connections.

PS... Hi Bigman.

Simon, do I know you?

Simon_[b]Semtex[/b]

£10 Casio [b]terrorist [/b]favourite!

😯

Bigman sums it up nicely. Hamilton are decent value new but great value bought as new 2nd hand or in the sales at c50%rrp.
Genuine in house movements are a different price league completely but then IWC and Bremont are examples of reasonably expensive watches with the same movements for many times the price. Value is in the eye of the beholder.