[Vintagehamiltons]

Hamilton Sherwood N
catalogued 1961 & 1962
14K yellow gold case
17-jewel Swiss automatic movement
Mexican mahogony wood veneer dial with solid gold numbers & markers
33mm diameter case
40mm over the lugs
18mm strap width

Hamilton's Sherwood model name was used previously on different models in the 1930's and 1940's. It was resurrected again in the early 1960's to market a line of watches with wood veneer dials. Numerous obstacles had to be overcome, such as finding veneers that were supple enough to conform to the shape of the dials, thick enough that you couldn't see through the grain, and resistance to porosity so the glue used to apply them to the silver dials wouldn't ooze through. The actual silver dials were reduced in thickness so that the .013" thick (equal to the thickness of about four sheets of notepad paper) veneer could be applied. Four or five wood types met the criteria and production proceeded. Unfortunately, they were a sales failure and most were returned to the company because they didn't sell, making them very scarce and highly sought after today by collectors.

Note the price drop from 1961 to 1962.

 

[Tom Barry]

No accounting for watchbuyers' taste - I think the Sherwood is really handsome and yet different. I would have bought one, but I was overseas in the Army at the time and never even heard of the model.

 

[two21b]

The wood dial is used to a nice effect on this one. It complements the simple case very well.

 

[alton1]

Very interesting piece.