1974 Hamilton Geneve 6bb RAF Issued Military Watch
Ref: 6bb/5238290
Specification
Lugs : 19mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and, therefore, comes with no original Hamilton box or paperwork. It is paired on a 19mm military-style NATO strap. The watch is from Circa 1974 and is sold in worn vintage condition, but it remains in all original and fantastic condition for its age, with an unpolished case and untouched dial and hands, as you can see from the photographs. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ua5snZETgfb7Xh2GIzkbhU5HNllDTgMj?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 21:49 - https://youtu.be/7CqNkBAnkEg
The Watch
This particular Hamilton Genève is a Royal Air Force issued '6bb' from 1974; the Genève marked dial is one of approximately only 700 issued in that year. Hamilton replaced the outgoing Smiths watches, which were produced from 1973 until 1976. Its 36mm brushed stainless steel tonneau-shaped case sits on the wrist like a cushion. The monocoque case means you have to go through the front to get to the movement. It is made from a single block of stainless steel and increases the watch's resistance to water, and gives it additional strength over a traditional case with a screw-down case back. The fixed spring bars have a lug-to-lug length of 41mm and a thickness of 10mm, ensuring a comfortable fit on your wrist. A domed crystal sits above a matte black dial. The wide minute track has pips coated in Tritium, large Arabic numerals mark the hours, and elegant sword hands are coated in Tritium. Text is printed precisely with the T in a circle, signifying Tritium. At 6 o’clock, the Broad Arrow indicated British Government property. On the reverse, it is engraved with its military Nato stock number and issue number inside a manually wound Hamilton Cal. 649, 17 jewels with hacking. The watch comes fitted on a well-suited aftermarket 19mm NATO strap.
Personal Note
This is by far the best example Hamilton 6bb RAF I've had the privilege of stocking and under different circumstances this would be staying with me in my personal collection! This particular Hamilton Genève is a Royal Air Force issued '6bb' from 1974; the Genève marked dial is one of approximately only 700 issued in that year, making it incredibly rare, so snap it up whilst you can!
The Brand
In 1892, Hamilton was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and began producing pocket watches. Their focus has always been to make accurate, affordable timepieces. In 1914, they became an official supplier to the U.S. Armed Forces during WWI; they shifted production from pocket watches to the more convenient wristwatches. In 1926, Admiral Richard E. Byrd became the first aviator to reach the North Pole, circling it for 13 minutes before returning to base. He timed this pioneering 15-hour and 57-minute flight with a Hamilton watch. As soon as America joined the Allied forces in World War 2, they stopped producing watches for consumers to focus on the enormous task of supplying the U.S. Armed Forces. They produced over one million timepieces, including wristwatches and marine chronometers, and they even earned an Army-Navy E award for excellence in manufacturing. On May 16 1974, Hamilton was sold to SSIH, which is the previous name of what is now the Swatch Group. They remained in the US until 2003, when they transferred their operation to Biel, Switzerland. From this date forward, they were able to put on their Swiss-made dials.