After positive marketing tests, in 2017 and 2018, where Hamilton has relaunched the historical chronograph-panda-dial-40-mm-h38416711/" target="_self" rel="noopener">Intra–Matic Chrono, the brand has now dedicated its efforts in its “simply time” collection. Hamilton American Classic’s Intra–matic is nothing new, it is however new its smoked dial variation moving the brand of U.S. origin to explore new avenues drawing inspiration from the ambience of Jazz Cafes.
The Intra–matic is, together with Khaki, one of Hamilton‘s best sellers primarily because the brand has interpreted in a rather original way the simplest analog watch in existence, the three hands, which represents the result of a transformation from pocket watch to wrist watch which took place in the first half of the XX Century.
The Intra–Matic reinterprets the original concepts of those watches: the dial is heavily curved (making it very difficult to photograph), it has thin and elongated hour indices and, smart choice, adopts the historical logo. After all the name Intra–matic goes back to the ’40s and ’50s and the modern collection is inspired, in no uncertain terms, to the American popular design of those years.
In 2018, the designers have had fun personalizing the dial by introducing various color tones and launching the smoked dial. Marketing has thus identified three different color tones and produced two collections distinguished solely by dimensions (38mm vs 42mm case width) and band combo. The dials are available in smoked grey, smoked havana brown and bourbon but only for the grey there’s a choice of a leather band or an integrated tight weaved steel bracelet. The two models in havana brown and bourbon can only be purchased with a PVD treated steel, rose or yellow gold.
Aside from the colors let me share the feeling I got with the steel and grey dial version coupled with black veal leather and the bourbon with coffee color band, seen in these photos: the smoked grey is more elegant and reassuring while more eclectic, and perhaps more in line with this collection, is the Havana color version. In particular, I’ve found pleasing the combo of brown color indices with a grey dial, I feel however that the light color dial in the Havana may tire in time and, though the coffee color band has a nice intense color, it is prone to soil quite easily.
In both cases the brand has opted for thin and soft bands, a forced choice when the case is light and there’s the risk of the watch not adhering to the wrist in the first months. Though readers and friends alike know full well my feelings toward the use of a date window, it must be said that in this occasion the designers have done a good job by ably integrating it. The font is simple, geometrical, the numbers elongated and the window border color matches the bars. Unbeatable as always is the price: Hamilton‘s Intra–Matic are automatics and do not exceed the Euro 900 MSRP, an outstanding value in today’s market.
(Photo credit: Horbiter®’s proprietary photo-shooting by Simona Bertogliatti)
Gaetano C @Horbiter®
Instagram – Gaetano Cimmino
