AT THE HEART OF CINEMA FOR MORE THAN 80 YEARS

There’s something about going to the movies that makes your heart beat just a little bit faster. The big screen, the surround sound, the total absorption in another world.

For the duration of the movie we’re captivated. Everything comes together to draw us into the director’s world. The music, the script, the actors, the styling, the set, the costumes, the accessories, the lighting. We don’t even notice how many different things are happening at the same time that have to be absolutely perfect for a movie to happen. And that’s exactly as it should be.

At Hamilton, we’re just as excited to see the film come to life on the silver screen, to see the vision of the movie makers finally realized. 

We know more than most how much work, dedication and passion goes into making a project a reality. On the other side of the camera there are hundreds of people working relentlessly to make sure the character looks just right and that the action takes place in a way that makes sense and is seamless. We know this because we’ve been a part of it since the first time our watches appeared in a major movie all the way back in 1932.

The movie was Shanghai Express, its stars were Clive Brook, Marlene Dietrich, a Hamilton Flintridge and a Hamilton Piping Rock watch. They were essential props that had a hand in the successful denouement of the plot like in Interstellar where the Murph watch helps save humanity.

Another important Hamilton watch appearance in a movie was in 1951. The multi award-winning The Frogmen saw the makers choose Hamilton ‘Frogman’ watches for their historical accuracy as they sought to tell the true story of a group of U.S. Navy divers during WWII. Authenticity and accuracy led to the choice of Hamilton for the characters. 

It wasn’t long until the world of science fiction beckoned. Legendary director Stanley Kubrick specifically sought out Hamilton to create a bespoke desk clock and watch for his epic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Pearl Harbor was another movie that needed the Hamilton touch to ensure its main characters were authentic American military heroes. The watch worn helps define the character wearing it. In The Martian, the main character Mark Watney wears a Hamilton BeLOWZERO, which shows his will to survive and his ability to think for himself.

It’s not just the characters who rely on watches for authenticity. Without a Hamilton watch, the plot of Interstellar couldn’t have progressed or reached its satisfying conclusion.

From action movies to sci-fi franchises to major blockbusters starring Hollywood A-listers, Hamilton has been the go-to brand for movie directors, set designers and costume designers since the early days of the major feature film. 

Our work to provide or create the right piece always begins right at the beginning during the creative process. Before you see a Hamilton watch in a finished movie, we’ve been working for many months to develop, create, alter, or perfect a watch and make sure it fits the character.

This passion, this drive, this creativity and challenge is what has continued to keep Hamilton at the heart of the movie world and why our watches have appeared in over 500 major movies. It’s why we do what we do.

But it’s not all about the blockbusters and the on-screen talent. Since 2006 we’ve celebrated the achievements of film makers and brought the behind the scenes talent into the spotlight with the Hamilton Behind the Camera Awards.

We’re also paying it forward with a special project with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to support the movie makers of tomorrow. We’ve set the students the challenge of making a movie about the history of Hamilton celebrating our American heritage and referencing our many major milestones. We’re dedicated to helping inspire and develop the next generation of behind the camera talent.

Even after so many years at the heart of cinema, going to the movies still makes the Hamilton heart beat just a little bit faster  – and it always will.