Hamilton has just refreshed its iconic Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H line with three new colors – Hunter Green, Warm Brown and Matte Blue. With manual winding, two straps in the box and a mortgage-free price tag, these are chronographs that bring the romance of the 60s back to your wrist.
Let's be honest. Most of us don't use chronographs to time laps at the Monza circuit. We use them to time pasta cooking or simply because they look damn good. And Hamilton knows it. So they took their coolest watch, Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H, and breathed into it the soul of the late sixties, when cars smelled of gasoline and you had to wind your watches before going out for coffee.
If you've been waiting for a sign to buy an "honest" mechanical watch, this is it.
Paints that smell like octane
Hamilton didn't invent hot water, but improved on what already works in the Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H. We got three new versions that scream "vintage" but without the risk of having to take the watch to the watchmaker for service every week.
The first two models, Hunter Green and Warm Brown, offer that sexy “fumé” or gradient effect – the dial is lighter in the middle and darker towards the edges. This creates the depth you’ll see at traffic lights. The third model, Matte Blue, is for those who dare to go a little more daring. There’s no color bleed, but a matte blue base broken up by bright orange hands. This is a watch that says, “Yes, I know what I’m wearing.”
All three models retain the classic “bi-compax” arrangement (two small counters), which means symmetry that soothes the obsessive-compulsive disorder in all of us watch lovers. And the best part? There’s no date. Thanks, Hamilton. No one likes to set the date on a watch they only wear on the weekends.
What's under the hood?
Here we get to the point. The “H” in the name means that this is a hand-wound watch. It is powered by the H-51 caliber.
Why would you want a watch that you have to wind by hand in 2026? Because it's a ritual. Because it connects you to the machine. The H-51 caliber is based on the proven Valjoux 7753 architecture, with modern upgrades like a Nivachron spring (resistant to magnetism) and a 60-hour power reserve. That means you can put it down on Friday and it's still running on Sunday morning when you head out for a hike.
Obesity: The elephant in the room?
Let's talk about measurements. The case diameter is an ideal 40 mm. This is the “golden mean” that fits every hand, from a lumberjack to a programmer.
But beware, the thickness is 14.35 mm. Is that a lot for a manual-winding watch? Maybe. But a large part of that height is due to the beautiful, box-shaped sapphire crystal, which imitates the Plexiglas of the past. Because of this, the watch does not look like a “tuna can” on the wrist, but has that real retro profile. Also, if you want a thin watch, buy a digital one. This is a chronograph, it has to have presence.
Two for the price of one
Hamilton has made a move here that even those “big” Swiss brothers should learn from. In the box you get not only a nubuck leather strap (which is color-coordinated with the dial), but also a steel “mesh” bracelet.
This means you get two watches in one. Leather for the office and mesh for summer days when you sweat while watching Formula 1 on TV. At the price 2.445 $ (expect a price of around €2,300 with us) This is a package that is hard to beat. You get heritage, mechanics, and style without having to sell a kidney.
