Day 'N Date 6006
1972–1974 · 14k Gold Electroplated with stainless steel back
About the Day 'N Date 6006
Made from 1972 through 1974, the Day 'N Date 6006 is part of Hamilton's Day 'N Date family, which brought the combined day and date complication to mid-range automatic watches during the early 1970s. The case is 14k Gold Electroplated with a stainless steel back, and the watch was offered with a brown dial and Hamilton's Quick Change II mechanism for advancing the day and date independently. It was available on both strap and bracelet.
The brown dial on this model is worth scrutinizing carefully, as electroplated cases from this era sometimes attracted moisture that found its way to the dial, leaving fading or spotting near the edges. Finding one with a clean, even dial surface and intact applied indices is the real challenge with this reference.
From the Catalog
Hamilton offered the 6006 in 1972 at $125.00 on strap or $139.95 on bracelet, describing it as a 14k gold electroplated model with stainless steel back, brown dial, and the Quick Change II complication.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1972
1973
1974
What to Look For
| Dial | Look closely at the brown dial for fading, moisture damage, or spotting near the edges and around the applied indices. Any separation or loss of the indices is a restoration cost worth factoring in. |
| Crystal | Check for deep scratches or crazing. A heavily scratched crystal can usually be replaced, but confirm the correct profile is used so it sits flush in the bezel. |
| Movement | Ask about service history. In an automatic that has been sitting unworn, dried oil creates enough friction to stop the movement entirely, and the damage from running dry is often worse than simply not running at all. |
| Case | Examine the gold electroplating carefully around the lugs and case flanks, where wear cuts through to the base metal first. The hidden lug style can trap dirt and moisture, so look at those areas closely. |
| Crown | Work through all crown positions and confirm the Quick Change II day and date functions advance cleanly and snap over fully. Sluggish or partial changes suggest the movement needs attention before regular wear. |
The Movement
The Day 'N Date 6006 runs Hamilton's Quick Change II automatic movement, which provides independent quick-set functionality for both the day and date displays. The complication relies on a lightweight quick-change mechanism with small parts that benefit from fresh lubrication to operate crisply. Any automatic from this period that has sat unserviced for years should be treated as overdue regardless of whether it appears to be running.