Hamilton Rare Platinum Art Deco Tank Style Watch, circa 1940s
View Similar Items
Hamilton Rare Platinum Art Deco Tank Style Watch, circa 1940s
About the Item
- Creator:
- Movement:
- Style:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1940's
- Condition:Repaired. Wear consistent with age and use. It is important to recognize that this watch only had a 12-month warranty when it was new. However, we are so confident of our workmanship and team that we offer an 18-month warranty on all our watches, even those over 100 years old.
- Seller Location:Long Beach, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: 1602 H1stDibs: LU42239711862
Hamilton
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.
- Hamilton Platinum Ladies Art Deco Styled Diamond Dress Watch, circa 1940sLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: Hamilton Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Bracelet Watch METAL / MATERIAL: Platinum CIRCA / YEAR: 1940's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 32mm X Width 14mm MOVEM...Category
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsPlatinum
- Hamilton Platinum Art Deco Tank Style with Covered Lugs from 1940'sBy HamiltonLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: Hamilton Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco /Tank Style METAL / MATERIAL: Platinum CIRCA / YEAR: 1940's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 40mm X Width 21mm MOVEMENT...Category
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsPlatinum
- Gruen 14 Karat White Gold Art Deco Styled Curvex Tank Style Watch, circa 1940sBy GruenLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: Gruen Watch Co. STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Tank Style Curvex METAL / MATERIAL: 14Kt Solid White Gold CIRCA / YEAR: 1947 DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 38mm X Width 22...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
Materials14k Gold, White Gold
- Hamilton Solid 14 Karat White Gold Art Deco Bracelet Watch, circa 1940sBy HamiltonLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: Hamilton Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Hand Constructed Case METAL / MATERIAL: 14Kt. Solid White Gold DIMENSIONS: Length 35mm X Width 20mm CIRCA / Dat...Category
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsWhite Gold, 14k Gold
- Waltham Gold Filled Art Deco Tank Style Watch, circa 1940'sBy WalthamLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: Waltham Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco METAL / MATERIAL: Yellow Gold Filled CIRCA / YEAR: 1940's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: Length 35mm x Width 21mm MOVEMENT / CALIBER: Manual Winding / 17 Jewels / Caliber 750B DIAL / HANDS: Original Silvered with Arabic Numerals / Original Blued Steel Hands ATTACHMENT / LENGTH: Leather Grained Alligator, 16mm / Regular Length WARRANTY: 18 months on the movement LIFETIME SERVICE COMMITMENT This watch, produced by the legendary American house of Waltham is in excellent original condition. It is a dependable and is easy to service and will last "forever" with reasonable care. It is styled after the original Cartier Tank Watch...Category
Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Wrist Watches
- Wittnauer Art Deco Gold Filled Tank Style Watch circa 1940'sBy WittnauerLocated in Long Beach, CAFACTORY / HOUSE: Wittnauer Watch Company STYLE / REFERENCE: Art Deco / Tank Style METAL / MATERIAL: Yellow Gold Filled CIRCA / YEAR: 1940's DIMENSIONS / SIZE: 37mm Length X 22mm Wid...Category
Vintage 1940s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsGold-filled
- Art Deco Diamond Onyx Platinum Cocktail Watch by Hamilton, Circa 1940By HamiltonLocated in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon TyneAn impressive vintage Art Deco 0.95 carat diamond and black onyx, platinum cocktail watch by 'Hamilton'; part of our diverse antique jewelry and estate jewelry collections. This impressive vintage Art Deco diamond watch has been crafted in platinum. The watch has a rectangular dial with plain black Arabic hour numerals displayed within rectangular designs, the outer one marked as the chapter ring. The Art Deco watch is fitted with shaped, blued steel hands, and the face clearly displays the text 'Hamilton'. The crown/winder of this manual wind watch is plain and unembellished. The watch bezel and lugs are embellished with thirty-six pavé set eight-cut diamonds, and ornamented with two shaped black onyx panels. This fine vintage diamond cocktail watch is fitted with a platinum gold bootlace style strap which secures to the reverse with a plain flip clasp. The watch is fitted with a Swiss 17 jewels...Category
Vintage 1940s Unknown Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, Onyx, Platinum
- Art Deco 1940s 18K Gold & Platinum 3.09tgw Ruby & Diamond Tank Cocktail WatchLocated in Staines-Upon-Thames, GBAn Art Deco ruby, diamond, platinum, and yellow gold watch, comprising thirty-four square cut rubies, fifty-five round brilliant cut diamonds, set in platinum, with an 18 karat yello...Category
Mid-20th Century Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, 9k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
- Patek Philippe Tiffany Early Platinum Art Deco Tank style watch, Circa 1930'sBy Patek PhilippeLocated in Santa Monica, CAPatek Philippe "Tiffany & Co." Platinum rectangular Tank style watch; measuring 37 x 25mm with a two-tone Original silver dial signed Tiffany & Co. wi...Category
Vintage 1930s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsPlatinum
- Patek Philippe Early Platinum Art Deco Rectangular Tank style watch circa 1930'sBy Patek PhilippeLocated in Santa Monica, CAPatek Philippe Platinum Art Deco watch, measuring 22.5 x 37mm. The watch was made between 1934-1935 and is fitted with an manual winding 9" 90 Caliber 18-jewel movement #832484, cas...Category
Vintage 1930s Swiss Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsPlatinum
$17,900Free Shipping - Diamond Elgin Watch, circa 1940s in PlatinumLocated in Wailea, HIDiamond Elgin Watch Circa 1940's in Platinum From Nat to Eva to You Engraved on the back "Nat to Eva 1942" 4..15 carats in diamonds 1 year guarantee just like a new watch. A classic...Category
Mid-20th Century American Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, Platinum
- Fine Art Deco Hamilton 4.8 Carat Diamond Platinum Dress WatchBy HamiltonLocated in New York, NYElegant Art Deco period Hamilton platinum, 4.8 TCW diamond dress watch with a wide double row platinum and diamond bracelet band, high style X-form diamond details and substantial baguette and round cut diamond accents. For nearly a century, Hamilton watches have been associated with the glamour of Hollywood. In 1932, the inimitable Marlene Deitrich was the first to wear a Hamilton watch on-screen in the film Shanghai Express. Elvis Presley wore the iconic Hamilton Ventura...Category
20th Century American Art Deco Wrist Watches
MaterialsDiamond, Platinum