Hamilton Watch Company
Hamilton Watch Company
- In stock
- Inventory on the way
Product Details
Certificate Type
Common Stock
Date Issued
Specimen, circa 1970's
Canceled
Yes
Printer
American Bank Note Company
Signatures
Machine printed
Approximate Size
12" (w) by 8" (h)
Additional Details
NA
Historical Context
The Hamilton Watch Company was established when the Keystone Standard Watch Company was forced into bankruptcy in 1892 and sold at a sheriff’s sale to a group of Lancaster, Pennsylvania businessmen whose objective was to “build only watches of the highest quality.” During this same year, a merger was effected with the Aurora Watch Company of Illinois and a decision was made to name the new company after James Hamilton, owner of a large tract of land which was granted to him from William Penn and included what is now the city of Lancaster. The new company would be known as The Hamilton Watch Company.
The following year, the Hamilton watch brand introduced its first watch, designed by H.J. Cain, one of the company’s founding fathers. That same year, Hamilton unveiled “The Broadway Limited,” a railroad watch referred to as “the watch of Railroad accuracy.” Initially used as a reliable timing device for the country’s railroads, the Hamilton Railroad Pocket soon became the official watch of the American Expeditionary Forces. A wristwatch version of the Railroad watch was gifted to General Pershing and his doughboys in World War II. It was also on Admiral Byrd’s wrist during his expeditions to the North and South poles, accompanied the Picards on their first ever balloon trip into the stratosphere, and was worn by the first American to scale Mount Everest.
In 1928, after the Yankees won the World Series, the Hamilton Watch Company announced the Yankee watch, establishing it as a pioneer in watch design. The brand helped America keep up with the energy of a new lifestyle. Cutting-edge Hamilton designs, including the Yankee and the Piping Rock, symbolized the independent spirit of the day.
Hamilton watches continued to embody the soaring spirit of the ‘30s, as the world turned its attention to the skies with the start of commercial aviation. Soon after, Hamilton was named the official timepiece of popular industry leaders, including Eastern, TWA and Northwest.
During WWII, Hamilton stopped producing watches for consumers and began developing new timepieces exclusively for military purposes. Today, the Hamilton ‘Hack’ is a favorite item among watch and military collectors alike.
In 1957, Hamilton’s advanced engineering and innovation led to a significant breakthrough in timekeeping—the first electric watch. The Ventura shocked the market and became an instant success.
In 1965, the Cadillac tailfins of the ‘50s inspired the design of the Ventura, which became the preferred watch among icons of American style. Elvis Presley sports this model in his movie Blue Hawaii.
In 1969, the Hamilton Watch Company completely ended American manufacturing operations with the closure of its factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, shifting manufacturing operations to the Buren factory in Switzerland.
From 1969 to 1972, all new Hamilton watches were produced in Switzerland by Hamilton's Buren subsidiary. In 1971, the Buren brand was returned to Swiss ownership and by 1972, the Buren-Hamilton partnership was dissolved and the factory liquidated, due to decreased interest and sales of the Hamilton-Buren product.
In 1972, Hamilton introduced the Pulsar, the world’s first digital watch.
On May 16, 1974, the Hamilton brand was sold to SSIH (subsequently The Swatch Group).
Related Collections
Additional Information
Certificates carry no value on any of today's financial indexes and no transfer of ownership is implied. All items offered are collectible in nature only. So, you can frame them, but you can't cash them in!
All of our pieces are original - we do not sell reproductions. If you ever find out that one of our pieces is not authentic, you may return it for a full refund of the purchase price and any associated shipping charges.
FAQ
Are the certificates offered on your site genuine or reproductions?
All of the certificates you see on our site are genuine pieces, we do not sell any reproductions.Are the certificates you sell negotiable on any of today's stock markets or indexes?
No. All of the pieces we sell are either canceled or obsolete and have collectible value only.
Are the images presented in your product listings of the exact piece I will receive?
It depends. We try to present images of the exact piece you will receive whenever possible. However, when we are offering quantities of a piece, this is impossible. Within every product page we detail whether or not you will be receiving the exact certificate listed, or if the image is a representative example of the one you will receive.
How will you ship my order and how much do you charge?
We ship all orders via the United States Postal Service. Most domestic orders are shipped via Ground Advantage. USPS International, Priority and Express Mail, UPS and DHL services are also available, and costs are calculated during checkout. Current charges may be reviewed here.
Can I return my purchase?
Absolutely. You may return any merchandise, for any reason, within 30 days of the purchase date for a full refund of the purchase price.
We guarantee all of our pieces to be authentic. If you ever determine that a piece is not authentic, it may be returned for a full refund of the purchase price as well as any associated shipping charges.
Shipping
If your order exceeds $35, and the shipping address is within the United States, shipping via USPS Ground Advantage is FREE!
We make every effort to ship out all orders within 24 hours of receipt.
We ship the majority of orders via the USPS, with domestic orders using the Ground Advantage service.
Shipping is calculated during checkout. Upgraded services such as Priority and Express Mail, as well as UPS and DHL options, are also available.
As soon as your order is shipped you will receive your tracking information via email.
OVERSEAS ORDERS PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DECLARE FULL ORDER VALUE ON ALL SHIPMENTS. CUSTOMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL VAT/CUSTOMS CHARGES.
Returns
Our goal is to make sure every item you receive is exactly what you had in mind. If you not happy with your purchase, we’ll help you get it sorted in a timely and professional manner.
You can return anything we offer for an exchange, refund or store credit within 30 days of delivery. Return shipping costs may apply, and the item must be in its original condition and packaging.
Any shipping charges collected on the original order are not eligible for a refund.