====== Hamilton ======
{{wst>menue|Hamilton}}

{{wst>image_cr|Hamilton|X-Copter}}

**Hamilton** is a Swiss (formerly American) watch manufacturer, currently part of the [[Swatch Group]]'s Middle Range.

===== An American pioneer brand =====
The **Hamilton Watch Company** (now Hamilton International Ltd.), whose tradition is retraced to the founding year of [[1892]] , began in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (USA) with their watch production.

In [[1966]] the Hamilton Watch Company took over the [[Buren Watch Company]]. In the late [[1960]]s both brands made ​​headlines, when, together with [[Breitling]], [[Heuer-Leonidas]] and [[Dubois Dépraz]], they worked at the project of the world's first [[self-winding]] [[chronograph]] [[movement]] ([[Chronomatic]]).

Meanwhile, the company, under the name **Hamilton**, belongs to the [[Swatch Group]] and since 16 May [[1974]], when it was taken over by the [[SSIH]], can be regarded primarily as a Swiss watch manufacturer.

In the early years, Hamilton was known as a producer of the "watch of railroad accuracy". Later the first U.S. airmail pilots navigated their flights with Hamilton watches. During World War II Hamilton became main watches supplier of the U.S. forces and manufactured almost a million watches for military use.

===== Modern inventions =====
After the war came the revival of commercial production, characterized by the spectacular launch of the world's first battery-powered watch. This model with an unusual triangular shape was brought to market under the name of [[Hamilton Ventura|Ventura]] in [[1957]], after three years of secret development, called "Project X". The watch was known also by the fact that Elvis Presley in [[1961]] wore it in the movie "Blue Hawaii".

In other films Hamilton watches also played a role. Thus, the company produced a futuristic watch for Stanley Kubrick's film classic "2001 - A Space Odyssey" in [[1966]]. Hamilton watches were worn by movie heroes in a total of over 300 movies.

On 6 May [[1970]] Hamilton set new standards with the first digital time measurement, and in [[1972]] the first digital watch was brought to market.

===== Hamilton Watch =====
In the 1960s and 1970s, Hamilton Watch SA of [[Bienne]] served as a holding company for A. Huguenin fils SA, maker of Hamilton-brand watches, and [[Büren|Büren Watch Co]].

===== In the Swatch Group =====
Today the brand is under the umbrella of the [[Swatch Group]], where it is positioned as a youth fashion brand with its two main ranges of //American Classic// and //Khaki//. But mainly solid mechanical watches with [[automatic winding]] and interesting exterior are offered.

===== Address =====
Hamilton International Ltd.\\ CH-2504 [[Biel]]

Tel. +41 32 343 40 04\\ Fax +41 32 343 40 06

===== Videos =====
  *[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfaT6sfagEE|Watchmaking: "What Makes a Fine Watch Fine", Hamilton Watch Company, 1947]], YouTube

===== Weblinks =====
  *[[http://www.hamiltonwatch.com/|Hamilton]], official website


{{tag>Watch_brands Watch_brands_America Watch_brands_Switzerland SSIH Swatch_Group ASUAG Defunct_watch_and_luxury_trusts}}