Hamilton Furniture
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 and pocket watches on 1stDibs.
20th Century Hamilton Furniture
Gold
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Hamilton Furniture
Iron
Early 20th Century American Victorian Hamilton Furniture
Metal, Gold Plate
20th Century American Art Nouveau Hamilton Furniture
Sterling Silver
1920s Art Deco Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Metal
Early 1900s American Craftsman Antique Hamilton Furniture
Mahogany
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Steel
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Gold
Early 20th Century English Industrial Hamilton Furniture
Steel, Metal
Late 20th Century American Modern Hamilton Furniture
Brass
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Hamilton Furniture
Oak
Mid-20th Century North American Industrial Hamilton Furniture
Wood
Late 19th Century Antique Hamilton Furniture
Metal
Late 19th Century European Victorian Antique Hamilton Furniture
Metal, Gold
Early 20th Century American American Colonial Hamilton Furniture
Iron
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Hamilton Furniture
Chrome
1930s North American Industrial Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Oak
1990s Italian Modern Hamilton Furniture
Sterling Silver
Late 18th Century Dutch Dutch Colonial Antique Hamilton Furniture
Wrought Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Hamilton Furniture
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Arts and Crafts Hamilton Furniture
Oak
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Chrome
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Hamilton Furniture
Iron
1920s Art Deco Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Gold
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Hamilton Furniture
Iron
Late 19th Century American Late Victorian Antique Hamilton Furniture
Metal
1920s Edwardian Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Metal
20th Century American Arts and Crafts Hamilton Furniture
Oak
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Hamilton Furniture
Iron
1920s American Industrial Vintage Hamilton Furniture
Iron, Steel
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Hamilton Furniture
Iron
2010s American Modern Hamilton Furniture
Walnut
Hamilton furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Hamilton
- When was Hamilton 992B made?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The 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 13, 2023No, 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, 2022To 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 17, 2023Hamilton 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, 2022Hamilton'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.