Why This Watch Matters A product of the "Chronomatic Consortium," this Hamilton Chrono-Matic is as horologically important as it is easy wearing. The Full Story While the Zenith El Primero was the first to market by mere months, a group of brands under the moniker the "Chronomatic Consortium" was also hard at work on one of the first automatic chronograph movements in watchmaking. The culmination of four years and four brands efforts – Hamilton, Heuer, Breitling, and Dubois-Depraz – was the caliber 11. On March 3, 1969, the consortium debuted its line of Chrono-Matic watches at simultaneous press conferences in Geneva and New York City. You can read the whole story here. For the spring of 1969, the caliber 11 found its way into numerous, and we mean a ton, of different cases under the Heuer and Breitling brands. For Hamilton, there were only three options: The funky Fontainebleau ref. 11001-3, the panda dial ref. 11002-3, and the blue dial ref. 11002-3. Where the Fontainebleau was a bit of a geometric marvel, the later two ref. 11002-3s dialed back the 1970s funk with more traditional round cases and classically angular lugs. There's some belief and scholarship that suggests these three chronographs were actually produced by Heuer for Hamilton as a continuation of the consortium partnership. This blue dial Chrono-Matic is one we're really excited about offering. The color and finish of the dial are what stand out immediately. A blue dial is going to draw attention regardless, but here it has a matte finish invoking a calm sea. The singularly hued and non-metallic blue here creates a truly differentiated look. Hamilton's chronographs in this era from the 1960s into the '70s always featured extremely well done dial details, such as the applied hour markers and silver tension ring here. There was real design and care that went into this dial, and it shows. We paired this Chrono-Matic with our Reid Strap in Slate Grey. The grey works well with the matte blue tone of the dial, and the slightly pebbled surface of the strap offers an additional layer of dimension. The Fine Print Maker: HamiltonModel: Chrono-MaticReference: 11002-3Year: Circa 1969Case No: 1661188Material: Stainless steelDimensions: 36mm diameter; 13mm thicknessCrystal: PlexiglassLume: Yes, tritium Caliber: Hamilton, self-winding, caliber 11 Bracelet/Strap: HODINKEE The Reid Watch Strap in Slate GreyLug Width: 19mmBox/Papers: No What we Love and What You Should Know This Hamilton is in overall great condition. The case is strong with some scratches. The writing on the caseback is clearly visible. There are some scratches on the caseback, particularly around the edge from being opened. The dial is clean with light patina; the hands have developed light patina in general. The lume on the dial has developed patina and aged nicely. The lume on the hands has aged close to a matching color to that of the dial. The silver tachymeter scale around the edge of the dial has developed patina. The dial, case, and movement are signed by Hamilton. The crown is an unsigned replacement. The crystal has light scratches. This watch was photographed on a 175mm/6.9inch wrist.
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