Hamilton Willshire

The late 19th and early 20th centuries were without question the golden age of American watchmaking. The implementation of mass production and interchangeable parts assured American supremacy. Brands such as Gruen, Elgin, and Hamilton vied against the Swiss to dominate the watch industry—and Hamilton, in particular, was at the top of its game. In particular, the development of railroad chronometers gave the manufacture a reputation for accuracy and dependability, in an age where those qualities were vital in a watch. But Hamilton’s production did not rest on railroad chronometers alone: throughout the 1920s and 1930s, and on into World War II, Hamilton released a dizzying array of designs. In the 1920s, the brand started to deviate from the typical round cases that predominated in the early years of wristwatch production. These watches were often referred to as “Geographic” thanks to their revolutionary case shapes. Hamilton experimented with a variety of shapes, from the square or rectangular “tank” shapes popularized by Cartier, to bold asymmetrical designs that subtly foreshadow the Hamilton Victor, one of the world’s first electric wristwatches. These early wristwatches were named after their shapes: Tonneau, Square Cut Corner, or Cushion were just some of the models Hamilton released in the 1920s. But after a few years, these models were given names that evoked images of success and prosperity. Certain watches were named after famous golf courses or country clubs, such as Meadowbrook (a country club in Northville, MI, outside Detroit) or Oakmont, a golf course near Pittsburgh, PA. The qualities these names evoked became increasingly desirable after the Wall Street crash of 1929. People lost their fortunes, and many businesses were forced to fold. Even Hamilton was not immune to the privations. This particular piece, a Hamilton Wilshire, is one of the unsung heroes of the Hamilton archive. The Wilshire, released in 1938, had a gold filled case with incredibly unique wire lugs. In essence, the model captures the aesthetic of American fine watchmaking. This particular example has a beautiful champagne dial with Breguet numerals and subsidiary seconds. This example features light patina and preserves the model's character and personality, telling the story of one of the coolest watches in Hamilton's history.