Hamilton Thin-O-Matic 38 mm

America Heritage. The Hamilton Watch Company was established in 1892 when the Keystone Standard Watch Company was forced into bankruptcy and its assets were sold to a group of entrepreneurs based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. In the same year, a merger took place between the newly established Lancaster based watchmaking concern and the Aurora Watch Company of Illinois, USA. The new company was named after James Hamilton, an owner of a large tract of land located in the City of Lancaster. The new company would be known as The Hamilton Watch Company.

In 1966, the Hamilton Watch Company acquired the Buren Watch Company in Switzerland. From 1966 to 1969, Hamilton and Buren were operated as a joint concern, with Hamilton using a number of Swiss movements in its American manufactured watches.

In 1969, the Hamilton Watch Company completely ceased its American manufacturing operations with the closure of its factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and shifted to the Buren factory in Switzerland.

In 1971, Société Suisse pour l'Industrie Horlogère (SSIH) purchased the Hamilton brand. Through the enforced merger of SSIH and ASUAG Groups in 1984, Hamilton has become a subsidiary of the now denominated The Swatch Group Ltd.

Inexpensive Iconic Classic Dress Watch. In looking for a watch representative of the Hamilton brand, I think the Hamilton Thin-O-Matic 38 mm is a great representative of the Hamilton brand. The Thin-O-Matic was first released in the 1960s during the last years of the Hamilton Watch Companies  Hamilton's American manufacturing operations. The Thin-O-Matic used the Buren micro-rotor movements which allowed the watch to be built in a slim case. 

While a 42 mm version of this watch is available, the 38 mm size seems more suited for a classic dress watch. The current version of the Thin-O-Matic no longer uses a Buren micro-rotor movement, instead now sporting a ETA 2824-2 movement. 

The Hamilton Thin-O-Matic 38 mm is available in a variety of combination with white, silver, black and gold dials paired with leather straps or a stainless steel bracelet.

With a retail price of US$785, it costs a fraction of the price of a luxury Swiss watch. But for this money you do get a Swiss movement in a stainless steel case protected by a sapphire crystal glass. With its classic looking dial and strong America Heritage, it makes a nice statement, which may be the right one for you.