
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Hamilton W10, Military Issued Watch, ref. W10-6645-99, circa 1973
- Maker / attribution
- Hamilton (maker)
- Date
- c. 1973
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- VWS2866cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (VWS2866cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Hamilton - W10 - Military Issued Watch - c.1973 - Ref: W10-6645-99 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number VWS2866cs), this is a wristwatch by Hamilton, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1973. 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
Vintage 1973 British Military Issued Hamilton With Caseback Ref: 523-8290 W10-6645-99 21204/73 First Year of Production Hamilton is a Swiss watch brand with a rich history that dates back to 1892. While it started in the United States, it is now part of the Swatch Group, a conglomerate of Swiss watchmaking companies. Hamilton is known for producing a wide range of watches, including both mechanical and quartz movements. Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA, Hamilton was once an American company. The brand gained a reputation for its pocket watches and later became a supplier of watches to the U.S. military during both World War I and World War II. One of Hamilton's most popular collections is the Khaki Field series. These watches often draw inspiration from military aesthetics and are known for their robust design and functionality. What’s on offer Here we have an issued watch in great condition, the first year of production. Hamilton W10s were issued by the Ministry of Defence to the British Military from 1973-1976. These watches were manufactured to endure the harsh conditions that a soldier may go through in the field and be used as a tool while in combat. This perticular watch has been preserved nicely as shown in the photos. Examining the case it is in good condition and only showing light scratching and blemishes. The stainless steel caseback has been kept beautifully and displays all engravings perfectly. These watches were manufactured with fixed lug bars to ensure durability. The dial is the original tritium dial and in like new condition with all white numerals intact as well as the lume plots and hands which have lightly weathered to a very nice light yellow colour which is normal but does not take away from the immense look of this piece. The Crystal covering this watch is plexiglass and has not been polished. Internally there is a Hamilton-caliber 649 movement which is still running and keeping time fairly well.
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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