1966 Dateline S-675

Most Hamilton calendar watches are automatics - and there are loads of them.  However, there are only a handful of manual-winding calendar models out there... six to be exact.  One of them is the 1966 Dateline S-675.  The S-675 was produced through 1969 so you will see them from time to time but it's not a common model.

The Dateline S-675 came in a 10K RGP case - as you might surmise by the 600-designation of the model number.  The model came in a one-piece waterproof case with a complementary bracelet.  Other than the date complication, the S-675 features a decorative dial with silver and gold accouterments.

All of the Dateline S-series models I have come across have used the Hamilton 674 manual winding movement, based on an ETA grade.  It's basically the same as the automatic version but without the rotor assembly.

My S-675 project arrived in decent shape and with it's original bracelet to boot.  Although the watch appears to run, the date does not advance properly and is stuck between 8 and 9.  I'm not sure what's up with that but I suspect it's got something to do with the index lever under the dial.

Sometimes one-piece cases can be confusing and give you the impression that they are a two-piece design.   You'll even occasionally see marks on the case back from someone's prior attempts to open it... but not this time.  It's clearly a one-piece case and opens though the crystal.

The bracelet is a JB Champion design - good confirmation that it's the original bracelet.  You won't find a Speidel bracelet originally outfitted on models from this era.

The 17 jewel 674 movement is in good shape... a little dirty but otherwise appears like new.  There's a movement ring to keep the movement secure when it's installed in the case.  That just pops off.

There are no marks inside the case back from prior watchmakers so I may be the first person to open this watch in almost 50 years.  One thing that is interesting is the two sets of numbers inside.  One is a unique number for the watch case and the other is the number of the model.  The D-number is the case serial number and the 923765 is the model number.  I don't really pay any attention to the model number but I'm fairly certain that the last two digits of the number are the year of the watch... in this case 1965.  So why is this a 1966 model?  Well... I don't know for sure but my guess is Hamilton watches were introduced like automobiles and the new model year actually came out in the middle of the prior year.  So a 1966 model was actually introduced in late 1965.  That's an educated guess, but a guess nonetheless.  It would be interesting to see another S-675 and verify if the last two digits ever change... like for a 1969 version, or are they all the same?

Without the dial in place you can see the mechanism for the date complication.  The golden wheel in the upper left will move the date wheel one space when it reaches midnight.  However the index lever under the bridge near the number 24 is what centers the date under the window in the dial.  It's not doing it's thing properly so the date wheel doesn't advance.  The bridge that covers the lever is a little dented (it appears) so that might be the issue.

Everything is cleaned and dried so now it's time for reassembly.

The "easy part" is getting the movement to run - and it's running nicely now so I can put it on the timer.  After this I'll have to do the hard part - and fix the date mechanism.

Things look good... the amplitude is a little low at 222 but I didn't wind the watch fully since there's no crown.  It will increase when I wind it more fully.

Believe it or not, I had to work on this watch for another hour to get the date to advance properly.  I tweaked the bridge a little and lubricated everything and after a bunch of attempts it finally was working as it should.

Now that the watch is reassembled and running well, I think it looks great.  The crown is original and pretty worn.  I don't have a replacement with the Hamilton H logo so I'll leave it as is.  That's the only distraction that this watch has and it's a very minor one at that.

1956 Automatic K-456

It's interesting how some K-series models are fairly ubiquitous and other, very similar, models are seen infrequently.  It makes you wonder if shoppers of the time were drawn more to one style than to another or if it was purely a matter of supply.

For example, you can't swing a dead cat without knocking a 1956 Automatic K-455 off the wrist of a Hamilton collector.  You can find a K455 for sale all the time.  It's a nice model, comes with two dial options and has a classic 1950's "flying saucer" vibe to it.

On the other hand, when is the last time you saw a 1956 Automatic K-456?  It was made for the same duration as the K455... through 1958.  However, you rarely see a K-456 in the wild.

The Automatic K-456 looks very familiar.  It looks like a cross between a K-455 and a 1957 Rotomatic I.  It came in a 10K gold filled case with a stainless steel back.  The dial features luminous dot hour markers with matching dauphine hands.

Like pretty much all of the K-series models from the 1950's, you will find the 17 jewel 661 automatic movement inside.

My K-456 project watch arrived in very good shape - a perfect project watch because it shows very little wear but doesn't look new either.  The crystal has a few rub marks and the crown doesn't fit quite right but those are both easy fixes.

This is my favorite style of screw-on back.  Stainless steel is tough and the openings are strong enough for my case wrench to get a solid grip.

The movement looks to be in great shape with no obvious corrosion anywhere.

Based on the spartan case back, there are no signs whatsoever of anyone every servicing this watch in the past.  I might be the first person disassemble this watch since it left Lancaster, PA in 1956.

Everything is ready to be reassembled.  There are a lot of parts in a 661 when you take it completely apart.

The basic powertrain has been reassembled and the movement is now ticking away.  It's off to the timer to listen to the ticking.

I wish every watch I reassembled looked like this right out of the gate.  Not much to complain about here... everything looks great.

A new 28.1mm diameter high dome crystal will go a long way toward improving the look of this K-456.  The other crystal was obviously old and it had turned a dull yellow.

You can see what a difference a trip to the spa can make on even a relatively good looking movement.  Notice how bright and shiny everything is now.  I still need to shorten the stem a little so the crown will seat better.

I decided to replace the crown with a better looking example, as the rest of this watch looks almost new.  This K-456 has not seen a lot of wrist time over the last 60 years.  I bet it will now, though.

1954 Automatic K-550

Hamilton's first Automatic models arrived on scene in 1954.  They had several of them, including their first calendar watch too.  They were all members of the newly created K-series.  One of them was the Automatic K-550.

Also offered in 1954 was the K501 and K502 so it sort of begs the question, why the K-550?  Why not the K-503?  Well, there was a K-503 already in the works, and a K504 too.  They came out in 1955.  So the answer to "why the K550?" is... I don't know.

Typically when the second digit in the model number is a 5, it means the watch has a stainless steel back.  The first digit represents the bezel material... 1 is  solid 18K, 2 is solid 14K, 3 is solid 10K, 4 is Gold Filled, 5 is stainless steel and 6 is Rolled Gold Plate RGP.  

So naming a first year model the K550 is a bit of a mystery.

Like most of the K-series models, you can expect to see a 17 jewel 661 movement inside.

My project K550 watch came with what I believe to be the original bracelet.  The K550 is a one-year wonder, it was only produced for a single year.  The catalog says there was a bracelet but it only shows the strap in the catalog.  However I have it on good authority that this bracelet is correct.

If the dial looks familiar, it should.  The same dial was used in the 1955 K504.  The shape of the lugs is what makes the K-550 different from the K504 - although the K504 has another dial pattern too.

The case back unscrews.  This is my favorite design for a case back - as I find it easy to open and close without my case wrench slipping.

I've restored lots of K-series models and the 661 is a very familiar movement to me.  It's a very sturdy movement but that makes it a very thick movement too.  So the K-series eventually yielded to the Accumatic line, which was considerably thinner.  And the Thin-o-matic line was even more slender, as you would surmise.

Everything is cleaned and dried.

Without the rotor assembly, the watch looks like your average manual winding movement - and it runs just fine this way too.  It's not unusual to find automatic watches that are missing their rotors.  They don't wind automatically but they still work and look just fine.

According to my timer, this 661 gets a clean bill of health.  Everything looks great.

One of the reasons why the K550 was a one year wonder is the sleek design.  Maybe it's a little too sleek.  Where's the crown?  It's there, but it's just recessed into the side of the case.  So this watch is very hard to wind manually.  It can be done but it's more challenging than when the crown is a little more exposed.

This K550 is a sharp looking watch and you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer original example.