Hamilton has a very specific price range. This comes from being part of the crowded Swatch Group. Hamilton watches must fit in a price category just bellow Longines, but above Tissot. This has had the positive effect of the brand being positioned very strongly at the entry price level for luxury timepieces. Last year the company released the Slim, which demonstrates the reason why Hamilton is such a strong player in the “democratic luxury” sector today. It is well designed, contemporary, runs on the highly reputable 2892 calibre manufactured by ETA in Switzerland, and is tagged with a starting retail price under $1,000.

Hamilton added two variations to the Slim collection this year and I got to play and film one at Hamilton headquarters in Biel/Bienne. The models in the Slim collection are perfect examples of how pictures never do watches justice. Images make the Slim watches seem plain and flat when in reality the 43mm width coupled with the low profile and classic design make for a striking piece that is very enjoyable to wear.

The conception of the Slim models caused some problems for Hamilton designers. The difficulty occurs in the source of the automatic movement. Hamilton uses ETA movements and these all offer fixed heights. Even more thickness is added to the movement when the subsidiary Small Second function is exploited. In order to compensate for the extra thickness, the Petite Seconde models don’t offer a see-through back. Instead a stainless steel back is secured with screws and engraved with Hamilton’s vintage logo. Regardless, the Petite Seconde is thicker than the original models, but only by a few, unnoticeable tenths of a millimeter. As more and more of the high end brands are reviving the classic style of elegant, slim watches, Hamilton boasts that they beat Geneva to the punch by introducing the JazzMaster Slims before many of the old manufactures.

An important factor to the width of a watch is what movement works inside it. While ETA does not yet make any movements specifically to be thin, Hamilton fitted the slim models with the high grade ETA calibre endowed with the lowest profile. The 2892 also happens to be the choice mechanism for the more luxurious and expensive non-manufacture watches, which is a happy coincidence for fans of the slim watches. The 2892 calibre is only 3.6mm high, while the other commonly used ETA Èbauche, the 2824, is a whole millimeter taller.

On the wrist, the Jazzmaster Slim not only looks great, but is very comfortable. As can be expected it fits nicely under your shirt cuff. The dial and leather strap, imprinted with alligator-like grain, are very classic and simple. A so-called Milanese strap made of a metal mesh material is also classic and reminiscent of an era when gold pieces had this type of strap integrated directly into the watch case. When all these vintage looking aspects come together, however, the result is young and fresh thanks largely to the considerable size of the case.

Hamilton’s JazzMaster Slim 43 is a revival of the elegant, thin watches of the past. That may seem like the whole idea when looking at pictures of these models, but when examining them up close and tyring them on the 43mm size, high grade materials, and overall modern feel become evident. The fact that, as with most Hamilton watches, the buyer is getting exceptional value makes these understated watches hard to overlook.

Marco is a specialist of Hamilton watches at MattBaily.ca

The look of the Bell & Ross BR-01 92 is based on the simple, clean design used on airplane instrumentation panels. The hands and numeral markers on these watches are recognizable as those on analog altimeters or airspeed indicators. The infamous square case of the BRs, with its four visible fastening screws, reflects the way the airplane instruments are affixed to the panel via four screws in order to make their removal and installation quick and easy. With the BR-01 92 Heritage, Bell & Ross captures the allure of vintage watches and applies it to the square BR “Instrument” concept.


The vintage feel of the BR-01 92 Heritage is mostly due to the beige hour markers and hands. The color that the company uses mimics the tint obtained naturally on white paint over a period of several decades. The same way an old paper document or the trim on a vintage Gibson Les Paul does, white tritium paint used in the 1940s to 1990s on watch dials tends to fade over time. The “vintaged” color offers a unique soft hue that is often desired as proof of authenticity. The advantage that Bell & Ross’ replicated paint has over the real thing is its photo-luminescence. It is completely lost in Tritium dials that are over twenty-five years old. Bell & Ross’ paint is extremely bright when the lights are turned off and will remain this way indefinitely. The dial of the Heritage has luminous paint on the seconds hand as well for precision night reading.

The strap adds much allure to the Heritage. It is really well suited to the overall style, although it will fit on any of the other BR “Instruments.” The lightly tanned leather is decorated with some of the markings found on the back of the watch’s case. The decorations are burnt into the leather. The strap is thicker then the standard BR leather bands, which also reflects the styles of military pilot watches of the past. Regardless of its thickness the strap remains light and supple, and breathes well.

The case of the Heritage is no different then that of the other BR-01 92s. It is a 46mm square made with stainless steel and coated with Bell & Ross’ black carbon finish. Other features of the dial include a screw-locking crown, an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and – of course – removable lugs that allow the watch to be mounted on a stand for use as a desk clock. A water resistance rating of 100 meters and a secondary waterproof nylon strap make the watch beach or ski-ready.

With the BR-01 92 Heritage, Bell & Ross makes a watch that captures the feel and the spirit of vintage pilot watches while creating a fashionable accessory for today. Adhering to their design principles, Bell & Ross released a watch that is beautiful in its simplicity and in line with the stringent requirements of professional pilots.

Marco is an expert of Bell & Ross watches at Matt Baily in Montreal

Italo Fontana created the original U-Boat watches as a designer. The watches were mostly regarded as fashion accessories rather then high-end watches thanks to the use of Japanese quartz movements and K1 mineral crystals. Today, the company and their timepieces have evolved. While one of their most appealing aspects is still their look, this aspect is backed by all the features of high-end watch production, including modified mechanical ETA movements, sapphire crystals, hand-made straps, and sturdy well designed cases. I can attest to the quality of today’s U-Boat models, and will demonstrate it by examining U-Boat’s Classico series.

The stainless steel Classico watches are probably the best selling U-Boats. They capture the essence of the company’s popular style with the bold military-inspired design, wide dial, and a metal plate affixed to the strap. Looking past the styling a watch enthusiast will also find many high quality features. One feature that stands out to me is the crown. The screw-down protective crown cover works well and looks great, but the actual crown itself is even more impressive. It is quite large and easy to handle. A sturdy and decisive click is felt when moving through the crown’s three positions. Finally, the crown feels as rock solid at the third (date) position as it does when tucked into its first (winding) position.

The recently redesigned straps are fantastic. They are now all hand made in Italy using a wide assortment of materials. They have become more supple, and a lining of soft calfskin leather adds to the comfort. The strap benefits from a ‘deployant’ folding clasp, which requires a lot less effort to use then its pressure locking counterpart.

The way a watch feels on and off the wrist is a great indication of quality. Operating the crown and crown cap is smooth and solid. The case incorporates a thick sapphire crystal, and offers a water resistance rating of 100 meter. It is thick and well assembled. I am confident that any one who picks up a current U-Boat model will be convinced of the company’s grasp on high-end horology.

Marco runs the Baily Blog on MattBaily.ca