This Watch

This particular Hamilton Genève is a Royal Air Force issued '6bb' from 1974; the Genève marked dial is one of approximately only 700 issued in that year. Hamilton replaced the outgoing Smiths watches, which were produced from 1973 until 1976. Its 36mm brushed stainless steel tonneau-shaped case sits on the wrist like a cushion. The monocoque case means you have to go through the front to get to the movement. It is made from a single block of stainless steel and increases the watch's resistance to water, and gives it additional strength over a traditional case with a screw-down case back. The fixed spring bars have a lug-to-lug length of 41mm and a thickness of 10mm, ensuring a comfortable fit on your wrist. A domed crystal sits above a matte black dial. The wide minute track has pips coated in Tritium, large Arabic numerals mark the hours, and elegant sword hands are coated in Tritium. Text is printed precisely with the T in a circle, signifying Tritium. At 6 o’clock, the Broad Arrow indicated British Government property. On the reverse, it is engraved with its military Nato stock number and issue number inside a manually wound Hamilton Cal. 649, 17 jewels with hacking. The watch comes fitted on a well-suited aftermarket 19mm NATO strap.

The black dial is one of the best examples we have seen and the case is looking to be untouched.  It's a really sharp example!  The dial is signed with 'Hamilton Geneve', the 'Circle T' (for the Tritium lume) and with the Broad Arrow.  The lume on the hour indices markers and hands are in good order.

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.

The watch has been fully serviced by our on-site workshop and comes with a 12 month, non-waterproof service cover.

Hamilton produced watches for the British Military between 1973 and 1976, and it is estimated that around 30,000 were produced during these three years but apparently on around 700 6bb versions .Hamilton took over the contract from Smiths, and were succeeded by CWC.

There is something truly amazing 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.