This Underrated Affordable 1970s Racing Chronograph Has Never Been Better

A striking new colorway has injected some life into an underappreciated tool watch.

a closeup of a hamilton chronograph watch dial

Published February 4, 2025

·

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

When most people think of Hamilton watches, they probably think of the Khaki Field. And that makes sense. After all, the Khaki Field is arguably the most iconic field watch in the world.

But there’s another section of Hamilton’s catalog that I don’t think gets nearly enough credit, and that is the brand’s roster of chronographs.

Hamilton low-key has a ton of tempting automatic and mechanical chronographs, and they’re among the most affordable and competitively priced on the market.

You want a classic 1960s reissue with a panda dial? Pick up an Intra-Matic Chronograph. Interested in a badass pilot’s chronograph suitable for a Special Ops mission? Then an Aviation X-Wind is for you. In the market for an affordable alternative to a pricey icon like the Rolex Daytona or Breitling Navitimer? Might I suggest the Jazzmaster Auto Chrono or Khaki Aviation Converter?

Then there’s the brand’s quirky retro motorsports chronograph, the Chrono-Matic 50. It’s even less hyped than the mostly obscure collection of watches mentioned above, but a new version could finally bring the watch the attention it has long deserved.

a hamilton chronograph watch — A dynamic color change should attract some new attention to a forgotten cool chronograph in Hamilton’s catalog.

Orange and Blue Skies

Hamilton first released the Chrono-Matic 50 in black back in 2019 as a modern take on the brand’s Chrono-Matic E from 1972, an exceptionally bold (and rare) racing chronograph that now fetches big sums on the vintage watch market.

The 2019 watch was released as a limited edition of 1,972 pieces to coincide with the release date of the original Chrono-Matic, but since you can still purchase the watch new from Hamilton six years later, I think it’s safe to say it wasn’t a smash hit.

Now, Hamilton has released a new colorway of the Chrono-Matic 50 that ought to inject some life into the model. The watch has been given a blue and orange makeover that looks absolutely phenomenal.

And I’m not saying that just because I’m a diehard New York Knicks fan. Blue and orange are what’s known as complementary colors. They’re located on opposite ends of the color wheel. That means when paired together, they create the greatest amount of contrast and our eyes find this aesthetically pleasing. Look it up, it’s science.

a hamilton chronograph watch on a mans wrist — Blue and orange just work together, I don’t make the rules. (Go Knicks.)

One Quirky Chronograph

Outside of the color change, this is the same Chrono-Matic 50 as before, which is still worth discussing due to its unusual nature.

Right off the bat, you may notice this watch has three pushers and two crowns. On the right side of the case, it’s mostly what you’d expect. There’s your usual crown at 3 o’clock along with top and bottom pushers for the chronograph. The pushers are orange, but otherwise, this is a standard setup for a chrono.

On the left side of the case is where things take a turn into Crazytown. There is a second crown at 8 o’clock, and a third pusher at 10.

The crown is used to rotate the bi-color countdown bezel, which is located on the dial just inside of the fixed tachymeter bezel. Why is it bi-color? Well, because it’s a stylistic match to the original Chrono-Matic E from the ’70s, which featured a GMT complication in addition to the chronograph. I assume Hamilton skipped out on including the GMT function because it would be cost-prohibitive given the brand’s value-driven position in the current market.

As for the pusher at 10, it’s used to set the quick-date function at 6 o’clock. This is a pretty clever addition by Hamilton, as most other watches housing variations of the Chrono-Matic’s Valjoux 7753-based automatic movement require a special tool (or toothpick) to set the date.

Another quirk of the watch is its massive cushion-shaped case, which features wings on either side and radial brushing, giving the watch a ton of character. As Hamilton says, the case is “not for the faint-hearted,” as it measures 48mm across and 52mm from top to bottom (there are no lugs to speak of).

a closeup of a hamilton watch case — The case is thick at 16mm, but a good chunk of that comes from the massive retro-inspired top hat sapphire crystal.

The case is quite thick at 16mm, though that includes one of the tallest box-style sapphire crystals I’ve ever seen in my life, which also adds to the watch’s vintage quirkiness. Finally, there’s the strap, which is made of blue leather with perforations that show off an orange lining. It’s the perfect racing-inspired complement to the watch.

Pricing and Availability

It seems Hamilton has learned its lesson from the last Chrono-Matic 50 release, as the blue version is going to be a whole lot harder to come by. Rather than Hamilton releasing 1,972 examples, the new limited edition chronograph is limited to just 150 pieces.

Given the rarity, uniqueness and overall attractiveness of the watch, I suspect all 150 will be scooped up rather quickly, with the affordable price playing a factor here, too. The watch costs $2,545, which does make it the most expensive chronograph currently sold by Hamilton, but it’s still a bargain for a Swiss-made automatic chronograph with this movement and heritage-driven styling.