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Hamilton More Furniture and Collectibles

American

In an era when the safety of America’s bustling railroads absolutely depended on accurate timepieces for its conductors, watchmaker Hamilton pioneered cutting-edge, impossibly precise watches in a complex that spanned one square city block of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, during the late 19th century.

As railroad tracks were laid across the United States and steam locomotives began traversing vast distances, the American railroad system ran into a problem. Back then, time was not standardized across the country. Therefore, in 1883, the railroad companies established the four time zones as we know them today. But, despite setting these zones, train conductors were not always synchronized, leading to deadly accidents on the railroads.

Enter watchmaker Hamilton, founded in 1892. Railway workers would be required to wear a pocket watch, as the timepieces were responsible for keeping conductors on schedule, and the watchmaking industry — and early American pocket-watch manufacturers such as Hamilton, Elgin National Watch Company and the Waltham Watch Company — benefitted.

Hamilton’s pocket watches were extremely alluring to train conductors, who began buying them en masse. The East Coast company’s timepieces eventually earned the moniker “The Watch of Railroad Accuracy.”

Hamilton transitioned from pocket watches to wristwatches in 1914, as it supplied timepieces to American troops fighting in World War I. Wristwatches, naturally, were more convenient to wear and use in battle. The new style of watch was also appealing to aviators, and Hamilton aeronautical watches became all the rage among pilots, specifically those flying for the new U.S. Airmail service.

The general public’s interest in Hamilton watches grew rapidly in the 1920s. Legendary polar explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd timed his historic flights over glaciers and chunks of sea ice with a Hamilton pocket watch in the late 1920s, and a Hamilton timepiece used by Byrd during these expeditions went on display in 2018 at the National Watch & Clock Museum.

Hamilton’s Piping Rock watch, an Art Deco–inspired design that featured elegant Roman numerals set in black for the hour markers, made its debut in 1928 and was gifted to the New York Yankees to celebrate their World Series win that year. The model was also featured in the film Shanghai Express alongside the brand’s Flintridge watch, further expanding Hamilton’s popularity. (Hamilton watches can also be seen in the films The Frogmen, Blue Hawaii, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Men in Black.)

In the second half of the 20th century, Hamilton became well known for several innovations: It developed the first-ever battery-operated electric watch, the Ventura, in 1957, as well as the first-ever digital wristwatch, the Hamilton Pulsar Time Computer, in 1970. Three years later, superspy and watch enthusiast James Bond donned a Pulsar in Live and Let Die.

Today, the company is part of the Swatch Group, and its headquarters and production facilities relocated from Pennsylvania to Switzerland in 2003.

Find vintage Hamilton watches for sale on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Hamilton
18 Carat Gold Ladies Hamilton Watch
By Hamilton
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Women's 18 carat gold watch and band by Hamilton Watch company. Fully serviced and working. Measures: Weight 39.6 grams.
Category

20th Century Hamilton More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Gold

Antique Hamilton 21 Jewel Railway Special Pocket Watch
By Hamilton
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique pocket watch was made by the well known Hamilton watch company of the United States in approximately 1920. The watch is in good working order with a white porcelain face...
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Early 20th Century American Victorian Hamilton More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal, Gold Plate

1928 Hamilton Railroad #2 10K Gold Filled 21J Pocket Watch 16s Runs
By Hamilton
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique late 1920’s Hamilton Railroad pocket watch with braided leather fob. White face with black Arabic numerals; second counting sub-dial with Arabic numerals. Art Deco scalloped edge and Greek key details. Runs. Case: Wadsworth Watch...
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1920s Art Deco Vintage Hamilton More Furniture and Collectibles

Materials

Metal

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Hamilton more furniture and collectibles for sale on 1stDibs.

Hamilton more furniture and collectibles are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Hamilton more furniture and collectibles, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original more furniture and collectibles by Hamilton were created in the Victorian style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider more furniture and collectibles by Frankart, Judd Co., and Barry Kieselstein-Cord. Prices for Hamilton more furniture and collectibles can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $700 and can go as high as $1,895, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,709.
Questions About Hamilton More Furniture and Collectibles
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    The Hamilton 992B Railroad Watch was first produced in November, 1940, nine years after design and research began. The 992B featured brand-new technologies and was made with gold, steel and gilt parts and the newly designed Elinvar Extra hairspring. The last Hamilton 992B was sold in 1969. Shop Hamilton 992B Railroad Watches from top sellers worldwide on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 1, 2024
    George Romney is the artist who painted Lady Hamilton. He actually produced several Romantic portraits and drew many sketches of her, as he considered her to represent the ideal of feminine beauty. Later in his career, Romney produced a series of paintings inspired by the works of William Shakespeare. Shop a variety of George Romney art on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 17, 2023
    Hamilton watches became Swiss in 2003 when the watchmaker moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Biel, Switzerland. While based in the U.S., the company produced watches for the winners of the 1928 World Series and was the official watch for the employees of four commercial airlines. Shop a variety of Hamilton watches on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    To open a Hamilton pocket watch, take it to a reputable watch repair shop. Experts advise against opening antique pocket watches on your own because special tools are necessary to avoid damaging the timepieces. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Hamilton pocket watches.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023
    No, Hamilton is not widely considered a luxury watch brand. The revered Swiss manufacturer’s timepieces are known for their quality workmanship and high-end materials, but its watches typically retail at attainable price points compared to the likes of Cartier or Rolex. Shop a collection of Hamilton watches from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Hamilton's Railway Special pocket watch was launched in 1940 and remained in production for the next two decades. At the time, it was marketed as the most accurate railroad watch available. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary Hamilton timepieces from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.

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