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Hamilton U.S. Military Field Watch (GG-W-113), 1972 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Hamilton U.S. Military Field Watch (GG-W-113), 1972

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Hamilton (maker)
Date
1972
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Stock no.
HMTNUSMILGGW113
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (HMTNUSMILGGW113)
Catalogue title (original)
1972 Hamilton U.S. Military Field Watch (GG-W-113) (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number HMTNUSMILGGW113), this is a wristwatch by Hamilton, made in Switzerland, dated 1972. 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 — Craft & Tailored

Issued under U.S. military contract in 1972, the Hamilton GG-W-113 is one of the definitive American field watches of the 20th century. Built off of the “MIL-W-3818B” specification introduced in the early 1960s, this watch represents the blueprint for the modern field watch—utilitarian, highly legible, and durable under extreme conditions. The GG-W-113 embodies this standard with its no-frills construction: a sterile matte black dial, stark white printing, and tritium lume applied at each hour and within the hands for nighttime visibility. The design is purely functional, yet over the decades, the tritium has developed a warm patina that gives the watch the unmistakable character of a vintage military tool. Hamilton’s role in supplying the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam era cemented its reputation for rugged reliability, and the GG-W-113 remains one of the most faithful examples of that heritage. It is no coincidence that Hamilton continues to reference this design today in its Khaki Field collection. SPECS Stock # HMTNUSMILGGW113 Brand Hamilton Style U.S. Military Field Watch Model GG-W-113 Serial 20XXX Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Matte Black Millimeters 33 Strap 2pc Tan Canvas Strap CASE & BRACELET The seemingly unpolished case retains its factory anti-reflective parkerized finish and remains in exceptional condition, showing no major signs of use and crisp edges. The bezel is also in excellent condition and shows minimal signs of use. The case retains its original, unsigned bead-blasted crown. The case back retains all of its original military markings. The watch comes supplied on a 2-piece tan canvas strap. DIAL & HANDS The matte black dial is remarkably well preserved, showing no signs of age. The tritium lume plots have taken on a tan beige patina and show no degradation when inspected under UV light. The original tritium hands have aged similarly to the dial and are in great condition, showing no degradation under UV light inspection. ACCESSORIES None. The watch is functioning and keeping time perfectly; previous service history is unknown. A movement service can be purchased upon request.

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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