It is our mission - nay, our purpose at analog/shift to bring you some of the most exceptional timepieces in the vintage market. And with that comes some of the most unusual. Although the Hamilton name is certainly recognizable, this particular timepiece is a supremely rare and ultra-cool piece that simply doesn't turn up all that often.
Aside from it being a cool blue automatic chronograph made by one of the oldest names in American watchmaking, what makes it so special, you ask? Hamilton, in collaboration with Breitling, helped fund the development of one of the world's first automatic chronograph movements with sporting timer specialist Heuer in the late 1960s. Culminating in a simultaneous release of the Chrono-Matic movement across the three brands in 1969, Hamilton was able to latch on to the excitement in the market that the movement created, and saw limited success with a few of their own models.
This is particularly noteworthy for Hamilton, because in the late 1960s the American watchmaking giant wasn't doing all that well. Pressure from high end Swiss manufactures had ramped up continually in the post-war years, and the once prominent company from Pennsylvania was losing footing on its own turf. Collaborating with Heuer during this time gave the brand a solid - albeit brief - moment in the sun before ultimately being bought up by a major Swiss conglomerate.
Although these are certainly good looking timepieces, the real beauty is the movement itself. The earliest automatic chronograph movements produced by Heuer were first execution Calibre 11s, made famous in the Autavia and Monaco models most notably. Heuers with the "chrono-matic" script on the dial can fetch tremendous sums at auction, as they quickly abandoned the shared branding after the development was complete. Both Hamilton and Breitling hung on to it for a bit longer. These early movements were quite frankly riddled with problems, and finding one that isn't a rat trap today is a rarity. Servicing them can also be incredibly difficult, and there are only a handful of qualified watchmakers in the country who can bring one back to life. This particular example, in outwardly fantastic shape when purchased from its prior owner, has recently received a top to bottom mechanical spa treatment by one of our master watchmakers, and is ready to go for another 45 years of regular use!
We get lots of inquiries for these rare chronographs which are a true rarity on the market. Don't miss this fantastic example!
