The Hamilton Intra Matic — One for Your Collection

Here are a couple of recommendations if you want to add the Hamilton Intra Matic to your collection.

Hamilton is a manufacturer whose watches are synonymous with American railroad accuracy, robust military watches, and Hollywood. Perhaps we associate it with its contribution to the chronograph, much less, though I don’t know why. 

One of the manufacturer’s bestselling timepieces is the Intra Matic. We’re about to explore this watch in some detail below. 

Seasoned collectors of the classic chronograph will undoubtedly be more than familiar with the Hamilton Intra Matic. Its design takes inspiration from the first Chronomatic watch, powered by the Calibre 11. For those unaware, the movement was a collaborative effort between Hamilton, Breitling, Heuer, and Dubois Dépraz. 

Over the years, the Hamilton Intra Matic’s popularity has grown. There are no prizes for guessing why, of course. 

You only need to glance at its dashingly good looks and classic layout to appreciate its enduring beauty. Before we look at some popular options from this collection, let’s look at where it all started. 

The History of the Intra Matic 

The Chronomatic proved to be an integral component in the advent of the chronograph in 1969. It became involved in a race alongside several rivals to reach a world-first. Seiko, Zenith, and a joint partnership between Swiss brands Hamilton and Breitling were among the contenders. 

The winner of that race all depends on how we look at it. 

Zenith produced an automatic chronograph prototype, though they didn’t sell it until the end of 1969. 

Seiko claims that reference 6139 secured the win but only sold the watch to customers in Japan. 

Hamilton and Breitling introduced the Chronomantic watch in March 1969 at Basel. 

Whichever way you look at it, the Chronomatic was undoubtedly one of (if not the) first of its kind.  

The aforementioned Calibre 11 played a pivotal role in the evolution of the chronograph watch. Timepieces using this automatic chronograph movement are easily identifiable thanks to their crown on the left. Such examples feature the hour totalizer positioned at 9 o’clock on the dial and the minute recorder at 3H. 

The Hamilton Intra-Matic watch series is home to many retro-inspired models that take on this very layout. Many of which boast the unapologetically beautiful Panda dial. 

These classic racing-inspired timepieces tip their hat to vintage collectibles of a bygone era and are available in many variations.

The modern reworking of the Intra Matic watch we recognize today didn’t launch until 2012. In addition to simple three-handed models, the chronograph is available in several colorways. In this article, we’re featuring two of the best examples.

Intra Matic watches from Hamilton’s American Classic collection have carefully balanced displays. They occupy a unique space in the panda dial watch category, brimming with plenty of vintage charm. 

Those that are simpler in design feature a three-hand layout. Purely vintage but dressy, they’re a deal-breaker for vintage watch fans.

Hamilton outfits its watches with an off-the-shelf movement. These tried-and-tested Sellita engines guarantee accuracy and wind within minutes.  

Aside from their undeniable character, Intra Matic watches are a popular choice for those who don’t want to buy from the vintage market. 

Below are two of the most popular Intra Matic Watches from Hamilton. 

Hamilton Intra Matic Chrono 

The first Hamilton Intra Matic Chrono watch to hit collectors’ radars was the ref H38716731 in 2017. It stood out with its reverse panda dial. Expanding on Hamilton’s rich history as a manufacturer of classic chronographs, the range is now pretty diverse. 

This reference, H38416560, for example, perfectly captures the appeal of this sporty chronograph. I can’t say I’ve ever encountered a green dial quite like this unique shade. It is both muted and pastel-like.

I love the stylized Hamiton logo that embellishes the top of the dial in white along with the logo. These features pop against the green nuances of the display, as do the baton hour markers. 

Square allocations of Super-LumiNova enable the markers to stand out with superb legibility at night. The rich glow also appears on the slender central hour and minute hands. 

This example is as good as any to use in terms of how a chronograph operates. The polished piston pushers are unequivocally retro-i and promise flawless operation under the fingertips. 

To begin a timing, you press the 2 o’clock pusher down. This is the same pusher you’ll use to stop the timing. Then, to reset the timing altogether, activate the 4 o’clock pusher. 

This Hamilton Intra Matic Auto Chrono watch features a classic brown leather band. But I have also seen the Intra Matic fitted on a mesh-style bracelet, which is pretty special. 

Take, for example, the Intra Matic Chronograph H. You can wear it on a leather band or a metal Milanese bracelet. Both are equally fetching. 

Hamilton Intra Matic Chronograph H

The Hamilton Intra Matic Chronograph H is unique because it marks the collection’s first hand-wound movement. Adding to its retro character, Hamilton experts choose a boxed sapphire crystal. 

This grants you a superb view of the dial from a side angle. Underneath that glass is a creamy white dial with black-filled counters at 3 and 9 o’clock. Around the outside is a tachymeter scale for measuring speed based on time.

The faux patina lume-applied hour markers in a pale pumpkin color look great on the distinctive panda dial. But they look even more impressive against the white dial of this reverse panda. 

Changing the auto-“matic” part of this watch takes nothing away from the beauty of the Intra Matic design. Saying that, if you’re new to hand-wound watches, you may want to familiarize yourself with how they work in comparison.

Winding Up

Hand-wound or self-winding, it doesn’t matter. The Hamilton Intra Matic transcends time with its timeless bi-compax chronograph. It’s great for those who love the appeal of the vintage chronograph but don’t want the pre-owned market hassle. 

Moreover, the watch is relatively affordable and promises some solid Swiss accuracy under the hood. 

Do you own one? Show and tell in the comments below and share your love for the Hamilton Intra Matic.