Hamilton has always had a slightly different energy from much of Swiss watchmaking. This is the brand that timed railroads, served soldiers, chased the skies, turned up in Hollywood, and still managed to keep its relevance and sense of humour. There is something wonderfully unstuffy about Hamilton despite all of its heritage. It makes good watches for people who know what they are looking at, without excessive hyperbole. That is precisely why the Jazzmaster Open Heart works.
The Jazzmaster line has long been Hamilton’s more “dressy” side, cleaner and a little more metropolitan. Previous Open Heart models gave the collection one of its most recognisable signatures, replacing the stiffness that can cling to formal watches with a touch of mischief. The new collection keeps that spirit intact, but feels more composed in the way colour, proportion and finish have been handled. The dial openings are enough to draw you in without turning the watch into a stage set. You get the animation of the balance wheel, the pulse of the mechanism, the sense that something real and fun is happening beneath all that composure.
The smoky dials help enormously. Hamilton describes them as layered tones that shift with the light, and that feels right: silver, brown, gold, blue and turquoise all bring something slightly different to the watch, whether that is subtle or a little more flash. Sizes run from 36mm to 42mm, all in steel, with sapphire crystal, 50m water resistance and the H-10 automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve and Nivachron balance spring.
With the Jazzmaster Open Heart, Hamilton shows why its watches remain such a popular choice among rebels who have grown up a little (and hopefully found a cause): people with a taste for old cinema, sharp jackets and proper mechanics. All heart, no fuss. What is not to love?
Author: Julia Pasarón
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