Hamilton Watch Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. were a renowned American watch maker. At the entry of the United States into the Second World War, Waltham won a contract to supply marine chronometers to the American Navy. They had never made a chronometer previous and rather than reproducing other makers models, they designed a chronometer that could be made by mass production using modern manufacturing techniques, the first company in the world to make the components by modern mass production.
Hamilton stopped manufacturing in the United States in 1969 but continued in Switzerland. By 1974 the brand had been purchased by The Swatch Group. It is interesting that the two greatest American clockmakers, Hamilton and Waltham, both set up Swiss subsidiary companies before being taken over by the Swiss. Their innovative manufacturing techniques is still present in the DNA of all the major Swiss makers.
This chronometer was called the Model 21 and became available to the U.S. Navy in 1942. Due to the precision of the company's processes, the timepiece was the most accurate mechanical clock ever made. More than eleven thousand were made.Serial numbers are notoriously difficult to fathom, but on the balance of probability, this is a late production model.
Serial No.2E11272.
In the original mahogany brass bound case. The top tier is not present.
The movement has been stripped down, completely overhauled, cleaned and tested.
A good example of the most accurate chronometer made.