Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Hamilton Royal Air Force Cushion Cased Watch, Geneve Dial, Caseback Marked 6bb, 1974
- Maker / attribution
- Hamilton (maker)
- Date
- 1974
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- VWS3198cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (VWS3198cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Hamilton - Royal Air Force Cushion Cased Watch - Geneve Dial - Caseback Marked 6bb - 1974 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number VWS3198cs), this is a wristwatch by Hamilton, made in Switzerland, dated 1974. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Superb Example of the RAF 6bb Military Hamilton Geneve Watch with a Brushed Steel Cushion Case and Well Preserved Dial, Issued 1974 The ‘T’ marking on the dial refers to tritium, the original 1970s material used to make dials luminescent, a mark that guarantees originality. These variously marked military Hamiltons were produced between 1973 and 1976. For this to have survived so long in this condition is extremely rare; this is a true gem. The watch succeeded the earlier Smiths production piece and preceded the CWC production pieces. What's on Offer We are very pleased to offer this watch for sale in such superb condition. The dial is rich black with bold Arabic numerals - synonymous with most British military watches. The hour plots still boast their original lume as do the original hands - it has aged to a beautiful colour over the years. The dial is completed by the military pheon, an arrow that denotes the watch as the property of the MoD. The brushed steel case is in fantastic shape with barely any signs of previous wear. It is very much wearable and fully functional. The original military engravings remain present on the caseback and also include the military pheon.
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Military, pilot and travel watches
The wristwatch owes much of its adoption by men to warfare and aviation. Wristlets — small pocket watches soldered with lugs and worn on a strap — were used in colonial campaigns and became standard equipment in the First World War, with protective grilles over the crystal ('shrapnel guards'). Louis Cartier's Santos (1904), designed for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, is often cited as an early purpose-made pilot's watch.
In the Second World War governments specified watches in detail: the German B-Uhr observation watches, the American A-11, and the British 'W.W.W.' (the 'Dirty Dozen' set of 1945). After the war, jet travel brought GMT and world-time watches, which show two or more time zones at once — Louis Cottier's world-time mechanism and the Rolex GMT-Master (1955) are examples.
What to look for
- Military markings on the case back: broad arrow, issue numbers, 'W.W.W.', 'A.T.P.'
- High-legibility black dials with luminous Arabic numerals; oversized crowns for gloved hands.
- 24-hour hands and rotating 24-hour bezels or city rings on GMT/world-time watches.
- Wire lugs on early wristlets converted from pocket watches.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug wristlets: c. 1900–1925.
- Military specifications of the Second World War: 1939–1945.
- GMT and world-time wristwatches: mainly after 1950.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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