One of the odder new 2010 model watches from Hamilton is the RailRoad Automatic collection. For both men and woman, the watches can’t seem to shake the fact that their most distinctive feature is borrow from the popular Cartier Roadster collection. The crown mixed with the date window magnifier lens on the sapphire crystal is just too connected to Cartier. Sure Hamilton does it a bit differently, but watch lovers know exactly where the design was taken from. Other than that there is no Cartier in the design. The dial feels retro, but not retro inspired. It just sort of feel like a lot of random elements from classic watches from the 1940s – 1960s where thrown into the RailRoad Automatic design.

The ladies model here is 38mm wide, and available in gold plating (as seen). Look at the watch hands, do they not look like fingers and appear as though they have French tips? Inside the watch is a Swiss 2824-2 automatic movement. The white leather strap goes well with the gold plated case and has an interesting metal port hole, which is a unique look. Prices start at $890 for the lady’s models.

Hamilton is taking its American Classic collection on an exciting voyage with the brand new Seaview family of timepieces. The first two landmarks in this line of nautical themed watches are the Seaview AutoChrono and the Seaview GMT. The new model Seaview Automatic 46 mm will be launched in 2009.

These sophisticated watches get themselves on the map by means of intricate design detail and precision functionality. With a choice of materials, from edgy stainless steel to elegant pink gold plating, and colours, there is a watch to suit every situation, on land and at sea.

Seaview AutoChrono

The Seaview AutoChrono gives classic sophistication an appealing kick. This turns it into a hero of the present, with its roots in the past, mixing heritage with modernity. Sophistication clearly expresses itself through dials featuring a Côtes de Genève finish, simultaneously reminding of the watch’s nautical theme with their own small waves. The sporty character is strikingly evident in the turning bezel design with its embossed digits and markings resembling the most famous navigational instrument, the compass. Around the bezel, 15-minute intervals, like those used for decompression calculation, are clearly marked. There are three models in the family, each with its own distinctive identity. A pink gold colored version is the flagship of the trio with its intrinsic elegance contrasted with a trendy black rubber strap. This textured black rubber strap can also be teamed with a silvercolored case and black dial, or, to highlight a more classical direction, replaced by a stainless-steel bracelet.

Seaview GMT

The Seaview GMT applies alternative functionality to this elegantly sporty timepiece with its facility to accommodate a second time zone. And since over 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by ocean, thiscapability is particularly useful to nautically-minded wearers. The GMT function looks like the historical ships’ telegraphs known as chadburns, where the ship’s direction and speed were revealed through a metal barrell surround.  The predominantly black dials of the three GMT models present a circle of small windows through which the movement ETA 2893-2 makes regular appearances. A finely tapered hand extends beyond this ring of cutouts to point to a square display revealing the hour of the selected second time zone on the 24-hour clock.

The Seaview GMT is available nn exactly the same color combinations as the trio of Seaview AutoChrono models. The Côtes de Genève ondulations enhance silver-colored windows forming two arcs centered on 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock, one integrating the date window, returning the imagination to navigation with its strong resemblance to historical inclinometers, used to measure angles of elevation.

Seaview Automatic

The elegant simplicity of the brand new Seaview automatic 46 mm attracts the eye. The model impresses due to its size and the ingenious blend of materials and hues. The main new feature is the steel PVD gunmetal watchcase, which stresses the masculine feel of the watch. The watchcase with polished details combined with the black dial make the white digits and hands really stand out. Like all Seaview models, the turning outer dial is also gunmetal coloured, as well as the digits and the 15-minute decompression feature, which enhance the “sober” look of the watch. The anthracite leather strap also adds a final touch of sophistication.

Simplicity is also a watchword on the model with a stainless steel watchcase with a brown leather, metal or finely-worked rubber strap. The elegant simplicity of the model is also conveyed by a black and white face letting the harpoon shaped hour hand stand out as it points to the digits, which are also black and white. The date window, positioned at 3 o’clock, is equally discreet.

Hamilton is celebrating cultural icon, Elvis Presley, with two special models of the iconic Ventura watch, to mark what would have been the ‘King’s’ 75th birthday in 2010. The distinctive, shield-shaped timepiece, worn by Elvis in the 1961 movie ‘Blue Hawaii’, comes in two new interpretations – a replica of the original 1950‘s model and a XXL version. The Ventura Elvis Anniversary Collection promises to contribute a new chapter to two legends.

Ventura Elvis Anniversary Collection

The Ventura Quartz is a faithful tribute to the original 1957 model, which made watch-making history as the world’s first electrical, battery powered watch. Design detail of the case of the new model mirrors that of its 1950s ancestors and today comes in either stainless steel or a yellow gold PVD finish. A black dial also reminds of the 1950s Ventura timepieces, complete with digit markings all culminating in an embossed rounded point like the surrounds of the iconic wall-clocks of the era. These nostalgic looks enclose a modern Swiss quartz movement to ensure precision timekeeping for the 21st century.

The choice of attachment for the Ventura Quartz, with the possibility of a metallic flex bracelet or a bi-color leather strap in black paired with silver or gold color, has its own story to tell. The watch originally purchased by Elvis would have had a leather strap and archive material reveals that, at his special wish, the jeweller exchanged this for a metal bracelet to satisfy his celebrity customer.

Ventura XXL Elvis Anniversary Collection

Having started its life as a pioneer, the Hamilton Ventura continues to make a bold statement over half a century later in the form of a limited XXL edition. This special timepiece integrates touches of the unexpected to give its classic inspiration a futuristic and rocky feel. The familiar shield shape of the gunmetal colored case gets a distinctively contemporary look through smoothed surfaces and XXL dimensions. The angular crown is integrated into the case with its pointed tip signalling 3 o’clock. The black dial has racy looks with a background effect resembling that of a high-tech sound box. A touch of fiery red stretches from 12 o’clock to
3 o’clock and daringly reappears on the tip of the seconds hand. Celebrating modernity, the case elegantly flows into a stylish, smooth black rubber strap. The limited edition which will only be produced till the end of 2010 will contribute to make the King‘s legend alive.

Fact Box

Ventura Elvis Anniversary Collection

Material: Stainless steel / yellow gold PVD
Dial: Color Black
Attachments: Two tones leather black and gold or black and silver / flex steel
Movement: Quartz 956.102
Crystal Sapphire
Water resistance 50 m

Ventura XXL Elvis Anniversary Collection

Material Stainless steel PVD gunmetal
Dial Color Black
Attachments Black rubber
Movement Automatic 2824-2
Crystal Sapphire
Water resistance 50 m