Day 'N Date 2001
1969–1971 · 14k Solid Yellow Gold · Automatic
About the Day 'N Date 2001
Made from 1969 through 1971, the Day 'N Date 2001 is part of Hamilton's Day 'N Date family, which brought day-of-week and date displays together in a single watch during the late 1960s and early 1970s. This model runs on an automatic movement in a 14K yellow gold case, giving it a solid dressy character that suited the era well. Hamilton offered it on a strap at an original retail price of $195 in 1970, positioning it as a genuine luxury piece rather than a casual everyday watch.
Finding one in honest, unworn condition is increasingly difficult given that gold-cased examples from this period often show polishing damage to the lugs, which on this model have a swept profile that loses its original sharpness quickly under a buffer wheel. The day and date mechanism adds complexity to the movement, so a full service history matters more here than on a simple three-hand watch. A running example with its original crown and an unpolished case is the one to look for.
From the Catalog
Hamilton's 1970 catalog described this model simply as a 14K yellow gold, 17-jewel automatic with a calendar complication on a strap, priced at $195. That price put it firmly in the premium tier of Hamilton's lineup for the year.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1970
1971
What to Look For
| Dial | Look closely at the day and date windows for any moisture damage, discoloration, or fading around the apertures. These are the first places to show age on a calendar dial, and repairs in that area are rarely invisible. |
| Crystal | Check for deep scratches or crazing, especially around the edges where the crystal meets the bezel. A replacement crystal is fine as long as it fits the case properly and doesn't sit proud or recessed. |
| Movement | This is an automatic, so it should wind from wrist motion, but dried lubricants are common in any movement this age and will create enough friction to stop it even if the rotor spins freely. Ask whether it's been serviced, and if not, budget for one before expecting reliable timekeeping. |
| Case | The swept lugs on the 14K gold case are a beautiful detail that gets destroyed by polishing. Run a fingernail along the lug edges and tops to feel for the flat, sharp surfaces that indicate an unpolished case. A buffed case won't hold value the same way. |
| Crown | Confirm the crown is original and that it screws or seats properly. On a water-resistant case from this era, the crown seal is almost certainly degraded by now, and the crown threads can wear if the watch was regularly set without care. |
The Movement
Hamilton's catalog notes 17 jewels for this model, running an automatic caliber that winds itself through a rotor as the watch moves on the wrist. The 17-jewel count is typical for Hamilton's quality Swiss-sourced automatics of the late 1960s, with jewels placed at the high-friction points to reduce wear over time. The day and date complication adds a small amount of mechanical complexity compared to a time-only movement, which is worth keeping in mind when evaluating service needs.