Words: Laura McCreddie
You are probably familiar with many of Hamilton’s Hollywood connections – Stanley Kubrick, for example, approached the brand to create the watch of the future for 2001: A Space Odyssey. Elvis and Will Smith both wore Venturers in Blue Hawaii and Men in Black respectively, while Interstellar’s entire plot hinges on a Hamilton.
But were you aware that the inaugural screen appearance by a Hamilton was in the first-ever film about scuba diving?
The film in question was The Frogmen, based on the real-life operations of the United States Navy Underwater Demolition Teams against Japanese Army and naval forces in WWII, and featured Hamilton’s aptly named Frogman.
The original design wasn’t just made for the motion picture; genuine underwater demolition teams used it during WWII. The watches were developed as vital pieces of naval equipment, used for plotting location and direction as well as being diving tools.
And it’s these watches that have provided the inspiration for the 2016 reboot of the Khaki Navy Frogman.
There is a more wearable 42mm version in black or blue that is water resistant to 300m, but it’s the limited edition version that’s the real showstopper.
For starters, it’s a substantial 46mm and has a very eye-catching red bezel complemented by a black dial and strap. Given those two features, you can safely surmise this is not a watch for those who like their accessories understated.
It is also water resistant to an ear-popping 1,000m – ideal if you’re planning to spend a holiday exploring the bathypelagic layer of the nearest ocean – and has an 80-hour power reserve thanks to some subtle frequency modifications of Hamilton’s H-10 automatic caliber.
The case is made from titanium, so despite its girth it won’t weigh you down, and it comes with a helium valve to equal out internal and external pressures in saturation diving conditions, should you choose to check its water resistance claims.
And it’s not too challenging on the wallet either. At £1,095 it is firmly in the “affordable luxury” category, with the 42mm version coming in at an even more reasonable £840.
The only downside to the Frogman, small though it is, is that this is not one of those “poolside to boardroom” diver watches. It’s brash, chunky and would definitely not slip under a shirt cuff.
But there are enough of those out there. This is a no nonsense diver watch that’s not pretending to be anything else.
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