Dateline A-585
1968–1969 · Stainless Steel · Automatic
About the Dateline A-585
Made from 1968 through 1969, the Dateline A-585 is a stainless steel automatic from Hamilton's Dateline family, which explored date-display configurations across a range of case styles and price points during the late 1960s. It runs on the caliber 694A, a 17-jewel automatic movement, and pairs a clean silver dial with applied silver markers and a date window at 3 o'clock. The sweep seconds hand and absence of hour numerals give the dial a spare, modern look that was very much in step with late-60s design sensibility.
Applied silver markers on a silver dial can be hard to photograph and even harder to assess without the watch in hand, so condition here is best judged in person.
From the Catalog
Hamilton described the A-585 in 1968 with a spare set of credentials: 17 jewels, shock-resistant, anti-magnetic, and weatherproof. It retailed for $89.50, putting it in the mid-range of the Dateline lineup for that year.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1968
What to Look For
| Dial | Check the applied silver markers closely. They can come loose, tarnish, or shift over decades, and on a silver dial the contrast is low enough that damage is easy to miss in photos. Look for any discoloration or spotting around the date window at 3 o'clock as well. |
| Crystal | Confirm the crystal is intact and properly seated. Replacement crystals for Dateline cases can be fussy to fit, and an ill-fitting or incorrect crystal is a common shortcut on watches that have been through non-specialist hands. |
| Movement | The 694A is an automatic and should wind from wrist motion. On any movement this age, oil dries out over time, and enough friction buildup will stop the watch even if everything else looks fine. If it is running, check that the date advances cleanly at midnight without hesitation or partial jumps. |
| Case | Check the area under and around the lugs for corrosion or pitting. Case back removal on stainless Dateline models can require the right tool, so look for evidence of prying damage around the case back edge. |
| Crown | The crown should pull to the date-set position and then to time-set smoothly, with no slipping or grinding. A worn or damaged crown on a date model is worth factoring into the purchase, since replacing it with a correct period piece takes some hunting. |
The Movement
The caliber 694A is a 17-jewel automatic movement that Hamilton used across several of its Dateline and Accumatic references in the late 1960s. It winds bidirectionally from wrist motion and includes a date complication with a quickset function accessible via the crown. It is a reliable movement when properly serviced, though the date-side components include small spring-loaded parts that require care during any disassembly.