Dateline S-676
1966–1967 · 10k Rolled Gold Plate / Stainless Steel · Manual Wind
About the Dateline S-676
Made from 1966 through 1967, the Dateline S-676 is part of Hamilton's Dateline family, a series of date-equipped dress watches from the mid-1960s that brought a practical complication to everyday wear. It runs on the caliber 674, a 17-jewel manual wind movement, and comes in a round case of 10K yellow Rolled Gold Plate over stainless steel. The dial is silver with applied gold markers and a date window at 3 o'clock, paired with a sweep seconds hand for a clean, uncluttered look.
Finding one of these in solid shape is more of a challenge than the modest original price of $75 might suggest. The applied gold markers are worth examining closely for separation or loss, and the date window surround can show wear on examples that weren't stored carefully. The closely related Dateline S-675 shares the same production window, so the two often turn up together when a collection comes to market.
From the Catalog
Hamilton's 1966 catalog described the S-676 with a white dial, stick markers, and a date window at 3 o'clock, priced at $75. That positioned it as an accessible entry into Hamilton's date watch lineup, practical in function without being flashy in presentation.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1966
What to Look For
| Dial | Look closely at each applied gold marker. They can come loose or shift over time, and any that are missing or tilted will affect both appearance and value. Check the area around the date window at 3 o'clock for discoloration or moisture damage, which sometimes appears as a faint tide line on the silver dial. |
| Crystal | The crystal on a watch this age is likely a replacement or will need one. Check for deep scratches or crazing that catches light at an angle, and confirm it sits flush with no gaps around the rim. |
| Movement | The caliber 674 is a manual wind, so wind it fully before evaluating how it runs. Dried lubricants on a movement this age create enough friction to stop or badly regulate the watch, so any example that hasn't been recently serviced should be treated as a service candidate. The date mechanism on this caliber uses very small springs and components that can vanish during disassembly, so confirm the date advances cleanly at midnight and snaps decisively into position. |
| Case | The 10K yellow RGP layer over stainless steel wears through at high-contact points over decades, especially on the lugs and caseback edges. Examine the lug tops and case sides under good light for brass-colored bleed-through, which signals significant wear to the gold layer. Straight lugs like these also tend to show dings at the tips. |
| Crown | Check that the crown pulls out smoothly to the date-setting and time-setting positions without slipping or feeling loose. A worn crown or damaged stem will affect daily usability and is worth factoring into the purchase. Also note that this watch, like all vintage pieces regardless of original ratings, should be kept away from water. |
The Movement
The caliber 674 is a 17-jewel manual wind movement that Hamilton used across several of its date-equipped models in the mid-1960s. It incorporates a date complication, advancing the date disc through a mechanism that uses small, easily displaced springs, which makes careful servicing especially important. It's a dependable movement when properly maintained, but its age means most examples are well past due for fresh lubrication.