Aqua-Date III
1968–1969 · Stainless Steel · Automatic
About the Aqua-Date III
Made from 1968 through 1969, the Aqua-Date III is a cushion-case automatic built around Hamilton's caliber 629, with a white dial, sweep seconds hand, and a date complication. It was positioned as a skindiver-style watch, aimed at buyers who wanted water resistance alongside everyday wearability. The integrated lugs give the case a distinctly sporty, purposeful look that separates it from Hamilton's dressier contemporaries of the same era.
Finding one in solid condition takes some patience. The white dial holds up reasonably well, but look closely at the embossed silver markers, which can show wear or tarnishing where the finish has degraded over decades. The date complication also means there are a few more moving parts to assess, so confirming the date changes cleanly and at the right time is worth the extra thirty seconds of inspection.
From the Catalog
Hamilton listed the Aqua-Date III as a skindiver model in stainless steel, offered on a bracelet for $115 or on a strap for $99.50 in 1968, positioning it as a capable sport watch at a mid-range price point for the era.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1968
What to Look For
| Dial | The white dial should be clean and even-toned with no spotting, yellowing, or separation near the edges. Inspect the embossed silver markers closely under good light for wear or finish loss. Any refinishing will flatten the texture and reduce the watch's collector value significantly. |
| Crystal | Check for deep scratches or chips. A hazy crystal is usually replaceable, but confirm the replacement fits the cushion case profile correctly before committing. |
| Movement | The caliber 629 is an automatic, and any movement this age running on original lubricants is running on borrowed time. Watch for erratic timekeeping or a watch that stops intermittently, both of which point to dried oil creating enough friction to stall the rotor or gear train. A service is expected, not optional, on any unserviced example. |
| Case | The stainless steel case should show wear consistent with its age. Examine the integrated lugs carefully, as they are a defining feature of this model and can be thinned significantly by heavy polishing. The case back can be tricky to open, so look for evidence of prying or marring around the edge. |
| Crown | Even though this was marketed as a water-resistant skindiver model, no vintage watch with decades of unknown history should be trusted near water. Test that the crown screws down or seats correctly without wobble, and check for corrosion inside the crown tube, which would suggest moisture has already found its way in. |
The Movement
The caliber 629 is a 17-jewel automatic movement that winds itself from normal wrist motion through a bidirectional rotor. It includes a date function, which adds a few more components to keep in sync. The cannon pinion on this caliber is notably small and can loosen over time, which may show up as hands that slip or a watch that seems to run slow without an obvious mechanical cause.