Hamilton watches have appeared in hundreds of Hollywood movies. Now, the latest installment of the iconic Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, joins the ever-expanding Hamilton cinema portfolio. As watch fans, we can't help but wonder if the watch itself is significant, based on that title — and the fact that Harrison Ford's beloved character hasn't previously worn a watch at all.
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Hamilton Boulton Quartz Read More
We won't know until the movie debuts on June 30 (and until we've seen it) exactly how the watch factors into the story or what kind of screen time it'll get. But we do know what watch it is: it's the Hamilton Boulton Quartz, the modern version of which was released in 2018. (Apparently, there will also be a Hamilton Khaki Navy Scuba watch making an appearance on the wrist of actor Antonio Banderas.)
With the film set in 1969 (excluding flashbacks), a quartz watch wouldn't be historically accurate, but the vintage (mechanical) watch it's based on came out decades before (in the 1940s) and so would certainly be plausible as a choice for the character. Think of it this way: just as Indiana Jones is played by Harrison Ford, the historical Hamilton Boulton watch is portrayed by a modern quartz Boulton.
We will, however, be checking to see if the watch features a ticking seconds hand in the movie — in which case we'll stand up in the theater and start yelling at the screen, naturally. It'll be hard to spot, since the Boulton Quartz features a small seconds subdial, just like the vintage watches — such a trait always makes the seconds hand's motion more difficult to detect than watches with large central seconds hands, even when you see them in person.
Sure, the film's prop master could have chosen the modern mechanical version of the Boulton ($895), which has a sweeping center seconds hand, but the quartz version is the more stylistically accurate. The Quartz is also smaller and thinner (27mm wide by 41.5mm long and 7.8mm thick), and most watches of the time would have been small by our modern standards.
The film's costume designer can't be faulted for the choice. We feel it fits the era and the character well, and this particular version with its gold-toned steel case will match Indy's khaki and leather ensembles. We like the Boulton style for everyday wear, too — it offers a look that's uncommon today and a great alternative to dressy, "shaped" watches like the Cartier Tank.
If you fancy yourself an intrepid archaeologist, or just like the Boulton's style, you can get your own version direct from Hamilton — whip and fedora not included.
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