Hamilton’s established a policy in 1929 of placing their highest grade movements in their solid gold cases. Thus, the company offered 19 jewel 979 movements and 987 17 jewel movements in gold-filled cases. Executives set the policy to establish Hamilton as the finest watch in the world, not just American. The policy worked. Hamilton had the finest watches of all American manufacturers and the most technically advanced movements money could buy.
The 1929 catalog demonstrated the transformation of Hamilton wristwatches into a serious business division. The purchase of Illinois Watch Company in 1927, brought with it two divisions: the wristwatch and the pocket watch groups. Hamilton de-emphasized the pocket watch business in Illinois and used the wristwatch team to establish new offerings. They married style with technology.
Before the Hamilton took over operations, Illinois began commissioning its own unique wristwatch cases. The company cased and boxed its watches at the factory changing the way jewelers sold watches.
Illinois released a series of art deco watches such as the Picadilly, Major, Marquis, Chieftain, Ritz, New Yorker and Manhattan, the Beau series (Beau Monde, Beau Geste, Beau Brummel, and Beau Royale), the Mate, and the top of the line 14-karat solid gold Consul.
I placed the Jolly Rodger, an Illinois Watch, in the gallery below to show the influence of Illinois styling hand on the 1929 Hamilton watches.
Copyright 2006-2017 | All Rights Reserved