Hamilton watches

My Gift Stop is proud to be a retailer of Hamilton watches. The Hamilton Watch Company was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892, and its history and style are inextricably tied to the U.S. Accurate Hamilton pocket watches, known as “the watch of railroad accuracy”, became the solution to the frequent railway crashes of the 1800s. Hamilton switched from pocket to wristwatches in 1917. Many of these early wristwatches have become sought after collectibles.  

In 1957, Hamilton introduced the Hamilton Electric 500, the world's first electric watch. The distinctive asymmetrical cases attracted attention from Elvis Presley who wore a Ventura, designed by American industrial designer Richard Arbib, during the filming of Blue Hawaii. Hamilton designed watches and a desk clock for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hamilton watches have also appeared in Men in Black, Independence Day, Lethal Weapon 4, Die Hard, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Interstellar, and The Martian. Hamilton also created the Pulsar, the world’s first all-electronic digital watch, and the first watch with a digital display that used LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Hamilton has operated as a subsidiary of The Swatch Group since1984 when the brand began to be used to market quartz watches. 

Hamilton’s current collections reflect the brand’s long history. The Jazzmaster features the simplicity of elegant, modern lines with intriguing dials. The American Classic collection updates vintage Hamilton designs such as the Flintridge, one of the early collectible styles. The Ventura collection includes the Elvis 80, an updated version of Elvis's original. The Broadway collection, inspired by New York’s city skyline, offers a sporty, urban look. The Khaki Field, Aviation, and Navy collections are rugged styles that hark back to Hamilton's military watches. Khaki Field watches are designed for the active, outdoors life. The functions and styling of the Khaki Aviation watches serve the needs of pilots while the Khaki Navy watches, designed for divers, come with screw down crowns that are water resistant to 1,000 meters or 3,280 feet. Most Hamilton watch designs include movements that are either quartz or mechanical – all made in Switzerland.