This Watch

We have here a USA original military "field watch" that was issued in October 1982.  The black dial is marked with hydrogen-3, and the nuclear symbol to match!  The 24-hour, lumed, Arabic numerals are complemented by the outer minute tracking ring, which is complete with painted lumed dash markers and triangle hour markers.  The hour and minute hands are complete with central seconds.

The 33mm, stainless steel, screw-back case is engraved with a multitude of military codes and store numbers, and, as with all military watches, the case has fixed lugs.  Inside is the mechanical manual wind caliber 7420/4, fully serviced by us and running strongly.  We've paired the watch on a black NATO strap to keep the military feel.

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Extra Points 

The Hamilton Watch Company is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches, based in Bienne, Switzerland. Founded in 1892 as an American company, Hamilton Watch Company ended American manufacture in 1969.  Hamilton produced W10 watches for the British Military between also in 1973 and 1976, and it is estimated that around W10 pieces 30,000 were produced during these three years.  Hamilton took over the contract from Smiths, and were succeeded by CWC.  It was, however, during the early 1900s that Hamilton were named the official watch supplier for the American Armed Forces and they produced watches for the USA not only throughout both World Wars, but also for every military operation that the USA have been involved in over the last 100 years.  Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, Hamilton eventually became integrated into the Swatch Group, the world's largest watch manufacturing and marketing conglomerate.

These field watches are becoming increasingly collectable and have enjoyed a recent revival, with many new pieces being added to Hamilton's current line.  The vintage American models are scarce and are becoming much more difficult to obtain, which has caused them to gain quite a following within the military watch world!

There is something truly amazing feel about wearing a military watch, never knowing what it may have seen or been through throughout its life, whose wrist it was on etc... That is what I think people are drawn to with military watches - the unknown, but the potential.