Vantage 'Hamilton' Chronograph "Valjoux Cal. 7733", 1960s — view 1 of 6 — View 1 of 6 · Image: Craft & Tailored · original image source (opens another website in a new tab)

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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Vantage 'Hamilton' Chronograph "Valjoux Cal. 7733", 1960s

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.

Maker / attribution: Hamilton (maker)
Date: 1960s
Historical period: Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Country of origin: Switzerland
Object type: Wristwatch
Dealer: Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles
Stock no.: VTCHRO
Credit line: Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (VTCHRO)
Catalogue title (original): 1960s Vantage 'Hamilton' Chronograph "Valjoux Cal. 7733" (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number VTCHRO), this is a wristwatch by Hamilton, made in Switzerland, dated 1960s. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) 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

In the 1960s, Hamilton's parent company bought a watch company called Vantage and began producing attractive, more budget-friendly "sister" watches to the Hamilton catalog. Those watches spanned the gamut from basic, super affordable pieces to ones like this fantastic two-register panda dial chronograph. SPECS Stock # VTCHRO Brand Vantage 'Hamilton' Style Chronograph Model N/A Serial N/A Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial White W/ Black Sub-Dials Millimeters 37 Strap 2pc Handmade Leather Strap CASE & BRACELET The wonderful stainless steel case appears to have been gently polished in the past but retains excellent case dimensions with limited signs of use. The case retains its original pump pushers and unsigned crown. The screw-down case back remains in great overall condition. The watch comes supplied on a two-piece handmade leather strap. DIAL & HANDS The white dial with black tachymeter track features a charming warmth with a few age spots seen throughout, though no actual damage is present. The sub-dials are deep black with white markings and silver hands. The tritium lume plots have achieved a deep green patina and exhibit no degradation when inspected under UV light. The original tritium hour and minute baton-style hands have taken on a dark coloration that match the dial well, under UV light inspection minor degradation is present in the hands. ACCESSORIES

Historical context

Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)

Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.

The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.

Read the period in the timeline More wristwatches from this period Earlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking

Atlas type guide

Chronographs and split-seconds watches

A chronograph is a watch with an additional seconds hand that can be started, stopped and returned to zero independently of the timekeeping. Louis Moinet built an early example in 1816 and Nicolas Rieussec a recording 'chronographe' in 1821; Adolphe Nicole's heart-shaped reset cam (patented 1862) made the modern return-to-zero possible. Split-seconds (rattrapante) chronographs add a second hand that can be stopped for intermediate times; flyback chronographs restart instantly.

Chronographs were essential tools for doctors (pulsometer scales), artillery (telemeter), engineers and sport. In wristwatches, Valjoux, Venus, Lemania and later the automatic chronographs of 1969 (Zenith El Primero, the Chronomatic Calibre 11 group and Seiko 6139) are milestones.

What to look for

Push-pieces on the case band or a single button in the crown (monopusher).
Subsidiary registers for minutes and hours; tachymeter, telemeter or pulsometer scales.
Column wheel versus cam control visible in the movement.
Calibre markings of specialist makers (Valjoux, Lemania, Venus, Landeron).

Dating clues

Pocket chronographs with heart cam reset: after 1862.
Wrist chronographs: from c. 1910; two-button designs from the 1930s.
Automatic chronographs: from 1969.

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.

Mechanisms mentioned

Chronograph — Complication

Record completeness

Maker or attributionRecorded
DateRecorded
Place or countryRecorded
MaterialsNot in source
DimensionsNot in source
Narrative descriptionRecorded
Inscriptions / marksNot in source
ProvenanceNot in source
Several photographsRecorded

Editorial status: Documented — facts as published by the source; not independently verified by Atlas editors.

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Sources & image rights

Record source: Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (opens another website in a new tab).

Image rights: © Craft & Tailored — dealer photographs; permission required (opens another website in a new tab).

Images are hosted by the Atlas for study and credited to their owner. Rights holders may request correction, credit changes or removal, or grant permission, via the editorial office.

Cite this record

"Vantage 'Hamilton' Chronograph "Valjoux Cal. 7733", 1960s." Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles, VTCHRO. Catalogue record in The Horology Atlas, WatchMuseum.org, https://atlas.watchmuseum.org/museum/vantage-hamilton-chronograph-valjoux-cal-7733-1960s-a89c49.