Hamilton, Van Horn, Cal.: 500, Prototype, 1956
Category: functional prototype
Description: Gilt brass cased prototype. Screwed, gilt brass case back company info stamped on the inside and company logo and instructions ‘do not open’ on the outside. Brass movement retaining ring with recess for the battery. White copper dial gilt, raised, triangular 5 – minute indexes, gilt, round minute marks and a raised, gilt Arabic ’12’. ‘Hamilton’ printed in black underneath ’12’. Silvered, raised, triangular hour indexes. Gilt, ‘alpha’ hands. Pictures credit (1)
Dimensions: 35mm, lug – lug: 43mm, lug width: 18mm
Movement: Hamilton cal.: 500 prototype, #349L
Additional info: This is one of about 160 functional prototypes given to general employees to test – wear. Employees were given strict instructions not to open the watch, as evidenced by the engraving on the case back. About 43% of the watches failed within the first month, and the indexing system was re-designed. The index mechanism does not advance the hands consistently, which was the major problem of this design. This prototype survived in complete condition and even retains its original strap and buckle (1).
The Van Horn model was one of the original two watch models introduced the 03.01.1957, when Hamilton announced the first battery powered watch to the world. It was named after John Van Horn, the director of Research and Development for Hamilton, who spearheaded the electric watch project (1).
Provenence: Ex René Rondeau collection
Published: Rondeau R.; The Watch Of The Future, 2006; Pages 41 – 43
Ref.:
Electric Watch Prototypes 