Accumatic A-600
1961–1964 · 10k Rolled Gold Plate · Automatic
About the Accumatic A-600
The Accumatic A-600 was produced from 1961 through 1964, sitting in Hamilton's Accumatic family alongside a wide range of automatic dress watches from that era. It runs on either the caliber 679 or caliber 689, both 17-jewel automatic movements, housed in a 10K yellow Rolled Gold Plate case with a clean round profile and a sweep seconds hand. The dial carries embossed gold markers rather than printed indices, which gives it a bit more tactile presence than many of its contemporaries. There was also a numeric dial variant produced during this run.
Finding a clean example means paying close attention to the Rolled Gold Plate case, which can show wear through to the base metal at the lugs and high contact points after more than 60 years. The embossed markers are a detail worth verifying in person, since they can be flattened or damaged by improper cleaning. At $75 original retail, this was a solid mid-range Accumatic, and examples that have stayed out of water and away from polishing wheels tend to hold up well.
From the Catalog
Hamilton marketed the A-600 in 1961 with straightforward copy emphasizing the 10K yellow rolled gold plate case and embossed yellow markers. It retailed for $75, placing it comfortably in the middle of Hamilton's automatic lineup for that year.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1961
1963
1964
What to Look For
| Dial | Look closely at the embossed gold markers. They should have crisp, raised definition. Any sign of heavy cleaning or refinishing will flatten or damage them. The silver dial surface can be sensitive, so avoid any example showing water staining, cloudiness, or amateur polishing. |
| Crystal | Check for deep scratches, chips around the edge, or a replacement crystal that sits too high or low in the bezel. A properly fitted crystal makes a real difference in how clean the dial reads. |
| Movement | Dried lubricants are a genuine concern on any watch of this age. The watch should run continuously from wrist motion without needing to be shaken or manually prompted. If it stops when resting on a table or runs only intermittently, a service is overdue. Also note that reassembly of this movement requires careful alignment of the gear train, so any prior service work should be evaluated. |
| Case | This is a 10K yellow rolled gold plate case, so wear through to the base metal is common on the lugs and case edges. Examine those areas under good light. Moderate wear is expected and honest; heavy wear or obvious polishing to mask it is worth factoring into the price. |
| Crown | Check that the crown winds smoothly and sets the hands without slipping. On movements with a two-piece stem, a broken stem is a known risk when the movement has been improperly removed from the case, so any roughness or looseness in crown action deserves attention before purchase. |
The Movement
The A-600 was fitted with either the caliber 679 or caliber 689 depending on production year, both 17-jewel automatic movements built for everyday wearability. These are self-winding movements that charge from wrist motion, so no manual winding is needed under normal circumstances. Both calibers are serviceable, though the gear train alignment during reassembly requires patience and experience to get right.