Hamilton · 17 jewels · 2022 (917 pieces)
Hamilton Railway Special 2022
Hamilton left Lancaster in 1969, but for its 130th anniversary in 2022 it went back to its roots with the American Classic Railroad Pocket Watch. The dial reads Hamilton Railway Special and follows the old railroad layout, with bold Arabic hours, every minute numbered, red five-minute marks and a stepped dial with a sunken seconds register. The case is polished steel, 50mm across and just under 12mm thick, with a sapphire crystal, a hinged bail and a steam engine engraved on the back with 130th Anniversary Railway Special and the edition number. Inside is a Swiss ETA 6497, a 17-jewel hand-wound movement first designed for pocket watches, set by pulling the crown. Hamilton made 917, a nod to the old factory's address at 917 Columbia Avenue, and Worn & Wound reported they'd sold out before the launch party. It's a new Swiss watch built as a tribute, so buy it as one.
Spec at a glance
- Maker
- Hamilton
- Grade engraved
- ETA 6497
- Family
- Railway Special
- Class
- Standard grade
- Jewels
- 17 jewels
- Setting
- Pendant set
- Era
- Swiss-Made Revivals (1970 on)
- Years made
- 2022 (917 pieces)
The grade
What the ETA 6497 engraving tells you
This is a modern Swiss-made Hamilton with an ETA 6497 inside, so it has nothing in common mechanically with a Lancaster 992B or 950B. Confirm the caseback engraving reads 130th Anniversary Railway Special with an edition number out of 917.
What to check
These are only a few years old, so wear is usually light, but the polished steel case shows scratches. The movement doesn't stop when you pull the crown, so setting it to the second takes a little patience.
- 01Edition number: Look at the caseback in the photos. It should show the train engraving and a number out of 917.
- 02Dial: Check the dial text in the photos. It should read Hamilton Railway Special with red five-minute numbers.
- 03Chain and pouch: Ask the seller whether the steel chain and leather pouch are included. Both came with the watch, so a complete set is the one to buy.
- 04Crystal: Look for scratches on the sapphire crystal and case in the photos. Sapphire rarely scratches, so marks there suggest a hard knock.
- 05Running: Ask the seller to wind it and confirm it runs. A healthy ETA 6497 should run around two days on a full wind.
Find one on eBay
We haven’t been through this watch’s listings yet. Search eBay for the grade and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a sharp photo of the movement showing the grade and serial number, and a short video of the watch running, and pass on any listing that won’t show them.
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