Celebrating over 80 years of Hollywood movie collaborations

In 2019, Hamilton celebrates the magic of the movies as we turn the spotlight on our unbreakable bond with Hollywood. Hamilton watches made their silver screen debut in 1932 in the movie Shanghai Express starring Marlene Dietrich. To this day, our watches remain the choice of prop masters and directors and our collaborations with the world of cinema have been just that: true collaborations.

Every movie that a Hamilton watch has appeared in has involved a close working relationship with those who create characters and develop stories. Through our work with some of the world’s best prop masters, production designers, costume designers and directors, we’ve become the reference watchmaker for Hollywood.

Since 1932, our watches have appeared in over 500 movies and each reflects our close relationship with Hollywood. During this time, we’ve worked with some of cinema’s greatest, including legendary director Stanley Kubrick for whom we created a custom watch and clock for his epic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The iconic Ventura was first brought to the attention of a wider audience when it appeared on the wrist of Elvis Presley in the 1961 movie Blue Hawaii. A generation knew it as ‘the Elvis watch’ – until 1997, when its asymmetric case and futuristic form were the perfect choice for Men in Black’s Agent J. The Ventura immediately became part of the Men in Black uniform just as much as the suits, shades and neuralyzers.

In 2001, Pearl Harbor was one of the movies of the year, set against the backdrop of one of the 20th century’s defining events. In 1941, U.S. servicemen were issued with Hamilton Khaki Field watches with mechanical movements. With 38 mm cases, they were rugged, robust and recognizable. The watches worn by characters Captain Rafe McCawley (played by Ben Affleck) and Captain Danny Walker (played by Josh Hartnett) lent credibility, as well as historical accuracy, to an emotional movie.

2014 smash hit Interstellar needed a watch to help advance the plot by connecting a father and his daughter across time and space. We rose to the occasion, creating a custom watch that eventually appeared in some of the key scenes of the movie, a character in itself. Although the watch had no official name, it is affectionately known by the movie’s fans as The Murph after the character who owns and wears it. 

It is the passion, drive, creativity and challenge to create exactly the right watch for each movie that has kept Hamilton at the heart of cinema and in over 500 movies since 1932. We’re excited to tell our cinema story through our defining movie moments: moments like these.

Hamilton was founded in 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. Hamilton watches combine the American spirit with the unrivalled precision of the latest Swiss movements and technologies. Known for its innovative design, Hamilton has a strong foothold in Hollywood, with products appearing in more than 500 films. The brand also boasts a strong aviation heritage. Hamilton is a member of the Swatch Group, the largest watch manufacturer and distributor in the world.