New Favorite: Hamilton U.S. 66 Power Reserve
There are a lot of automotive wristwatches out there. In fact, we had a really tough time picking only our ten favorites back in December '06. But once in a while, a new one comes along that makes us stop and take notice. This is one such timepiece.The Hamilton U.S. 66 Power Reserve has a striking and unusual design clearly aimed at automotive enthusiasts. Take the case, which almost seems to be shaped like a speedway. The dial looks like a tachometer (if not so overtly as the special Alfa Romeo watch we showed you previously) with a center that looks like a mesh grille giving a peek at the ETA caliber 2897 automatic movement inside. Meanwhile, the strap reminds us of a grooved racing tire, with carbon fiber running down the center. Connoisseurs will also notice unique touches like the five-minute markers instead of the conventional hours and both the crown and the date window placed at 12 o'clock instead of at 3.
Although Hamilton was founded – and is still known – as an American watchmaker, its products are actually made in Switzerland. The U.S. 66 Power Reserve is ostensibly named for the famous desert highway as well, and features a power reserve window and sapphire crystal front and back. Only 2008 pieces will be made at an undisclosed price, and we want one. Bad.
[Source: TimeZone via acquire]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lithous 6:32PM (3/21/2008)
"Although Hamilton was founded – and is still known – as an American watchmaker, its products are actually made in Switzerland."
What? Since they have been owned by Swatch for a long time now, I don't see how anyone would consider them American. At all. Maybe if you know nothing about watches what-so-ever.
There is only one American watch made watch right now with a majority of American parts (unless you give up a movement from an old American watch to be modified by this company and others):
http://www.rgmwatches.com/801usa.html
"But once in a while, a new one comes along that makes us stop and take notice."
IMO, when Hamilton was really American it had designs that really made one stop and take notice unlike this watch here). There was nothing like the design of the Hamilton Electrics. Wish there was a page with all the designs of Hamilton Electric cases and faces done way back in the 1950's. So good that special edition versions of the old ones keep popping up from the Swiss company who wants to capitalize off of the great designs.
http://www.hamiltonwristwatch.com/history.html
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Lithous 6:39PM (3/21/2008)
According to wikipedia, they have been Swiss owned since 1972...
"In 1972, SIHH (Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie) purchased the Hamilton brand and utilized the Hamilton name for a number of branding efforts, including numerous Quartz watches in the 1980s. The Hamilton brand was eventually purchased by The Swatch Group Ltd. in the late 1990s."
I really don't see how they are considered American by anybody.
Richard 8:51PM (3/21/2008)
Lithous,
Hamilton postions themselves as "The American Brand Since 1892"
So this is Autoblog, not watch blog. I think it a bit harsh to condemn these guys because they might have read the Marketing but not researched the ownership.
You probably need to be over at Luxist.
Richard 8:52PM (3/21/2008)
Read this:
http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/webapp/en-us/
if you can.
Mal Fuller 7:19PM (3/21/2008)
Automatic (a/k/a self winding) balance wheel watch movements still have the same disadvantages as always such as the need for frequent service and cleaning, so so accuracy and high cost.
If you want the correct time, select a watch with a quartz movement and a style you like, and buy it a battery every few years.
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TBlueMax 8:31PM (3/21/2008)
Today's modern mechanical (handwind/automatic) wristwatches use lubricants that are far advanced from the oils used just a few decades ago, increasing the service intervals from near-annual clean-n-lubes to servicing the movement once every 3 to 10 years. Same goes for manufacturing tolerances and the effects on water resistance, also lengthening the interval between servicing.
I agree with you 100% that for 99+% of consumers, a mechanical wristwatch is not a great idea.
As for the design and ergonomics of this wristwatch - simply terrible. It borrows the general case shape of a Daniel Roth and the magnifying glass design that carries over to the case from the Cartier Roadster. The orientation of the date display is counter-intuitive and the strap surrounding the crown would likely make this a pain to set. It does have a power reserve indicator and the strap looks alright, but these alone aren't strong enough selling features to overlook a rather horrible overall design, regardless of price.
And as Lithous mentioned, the current "Hamilton" is not the same American company that made some rather amazing railroad grade pocket watches and wristwatches last century.
If you're in the market for an automotive-themed mechanical wristwatch, this is not one of the better options.
Richard 8:54PM (3/21/2008)
I have a Hamilton, several Heuers and a couple of Raymond Weils.
The Hamilton (an automatic) is a couple of years old, is very accurate, and always gets complemented as being particularly attractive.
TBlueMax 12:12AM (3/22/2008)
Hi Richard,
One of my first mechanical watches was also a Raymond Weil - a Parsifal GMT from the early 90's - great watch that started an addiction. There is nothing wrong with the current Hamilton company, matter of fact, they produce one of the best entry-level line of mechanical watches in the market at their price point (the Khaki Field collection).
The point is however, the current Hamilton company is not the same company that was originally founded - same could be said of Minerva, TAG Heuer, and many other fine watch brands. Matter of fact, there are very few watch manufacturers that have had an unbroken line of ownership since founding - Patek Philippe among them.
Although Noah is likely just restating information provided in a press release from Hamilton, with Lithous vigorously pointing out where reality differs from marketing, this watch [Hamilton U.S. 66 Power Reserve] is not one of Hamilton's finer examples of ergonomic design.
The company Lithous mentions, RGM, is named after the owner, Roland Murphy, and the company history can be found at http://www.rgmwatches.com/rgm1.html
Although Hamilton started out as an American company (and built some of the finest railroad grade pocket watches of the early 1900's) - RGM truly is an American watch company. Considering it was founded some time in the late 80's, early 90's out of Lancaster, PA, it doesn't have the kind of history that many of the older watch companies have from the 1800's onward, nor has it had to weather the American great depression in the 1930's and the quartz revolution in the 1970's which claimed a number of old independent watch houses.
Well, enough about watches - you're right in pointing out that this is a car blog and not a watch blog so we can turn our attention back to the subject at hand, the New York Auto show.
AMcA 7:35PM (3/21/2008)
It's a rip-off of the gorgeous Cartier Roadster series.
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Wally 7:36AM (3/22/2008)
What's the point of actually wearing a wristwatch thesedays? Especially when you have a cellphone strapped to your head...
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Mal Fuller 11:42AM (3/22/2008)
This may not be a watch site, but one of its fearless leaders introduced the subject. And so, not to be left out, here's some of the watches I have.
A mid-60s Girard Perregaux Gyromatic, bought new, excellent accuracy for a mechanical watch, my father's gold Hamilton mechanical wristwatch, which is an engraved 35th anniversary (1929-1964) FoMoCo presentation signed by Henry the duece and an early 60s Bulova Accutron (stainless case) bought new. Today I wear a $14.95 15-YO Sharp quartz analog day date, flawlessly accurate.
I have shunned cell phones.
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DIRETTORE 10:37PM (3/22/2008)
* NO QUESTION - HANDS DOWN!
THIS IS THE WINNER!
http://www.tagheuer.com/the-news/new-products/index.lbl?uh=115CDF40-BE94-4A66-ADC8-E4C7AE4EF2B9
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