Hamilton Otis 'Reverso'
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Why We Love it
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Why We Love it
–We love vintage watches for all sorts of reasons, chief among them being the stories they tell. Well, this one has a hell of a story.
You’ve no doubt heard of the Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s famous reversible wristwatch, patented in the early 1930s. And if we were to show you a version of said wristwatch made by Hamilton — an American-founded company based halfway across the world — from the same decade you’d no doubt cry ‘foul.’
Well, you’d be half-right: Hamilton did indeed merely use the design of the Reverso for its Otis model, named after Otis Bryan, a TWA executive, chief pilot, and close friend of then-Hamilton vice president Ross Atkinson. However, Hamilton didn’t just copy the Reverso — it asked permission. In 1938, the American watchmaker agreed to pay Jaeger-LeCoultre $0.60 per Otis watch produced in a licensing agreement. How’s that for some cool horological history!
An unmarked Otis in good condition would be a special enough find — these watches had a relatively short production run. However, this one is even better: Dating to the 1930s, it’s beautifully inscribed on the back “To my dear husband on our twentieth anniversary with love Julia.” And if that sentiment weren’t enough, the reverse of the caseback features a gorgeous Masonic crest, executed in fine detail by someone who was clearly a master craftsperson.
Housed in a 28mm 14K yellow gold-filled case, it features a beautiful, brushed silver-tone dial with applied stylized Arabic indices, an outer railroad minute track, a matching gold lance handset, and a sub-seconds register at 6:00. Powered by the manually wound Hamilton Caliber 980, it comes paired to a taupe suede leather strap with a gold plated pin buckle.
Honestly, what can we say — this time capsule of a timepiece is the reason so many of us are so deeply fascinated by vintage watches. It’s the type of watch that deserves to live its second life with someone who will appreciate its charm and its story.
If that’s you, then you know what to do!
Brand Story
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Brand Story
+The DoD contracted GI watches from many manufacturers, the most notable among them being Hamilton and Benrus. While other manufacturers cast their cases in plastic or fiberglass, Hamilton--the first manufacturer to receive the contract in 1964--cast theirs in steel throughout the entire 30 years of production. The look of these watches remained more or less the same during this interval, in keeping with the utility of their design and construction.
Their dials were spartan, and featured printed Arabic indices for both 12- and 24-hour graduations with luminous plots at each interval, with matching luminous 'syringe' hands and a 'spear' central seconds hand which was coated with a healthy dollop of Tritium to ensure maximum legibility. The 17-jewel, manual wind movements fitted were equipped with a hacking feature: a mechanism that stops the second hand from moving when setting the time. This enabled soldiers to synchronize their timepieces for maximum accuracy during elite operations and coordinated maneuvers. Despite the compact size of 34mm, these watches were designed to take a beating.
A:S Guarantee
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A:S Guarantee
+Our Pledge
Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.
Condition
Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.
Warranty
We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.
International Buyers
Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.
Shipping & Returns
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Shipping & Returns
+All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.
Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.
We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.
Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.
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Hamilton Otis 'Reverso'
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