Elliott (1962)
1962–1963 · 14K yellow · Manual Wind
About the Elliott (1962)
Made from 1962 through 1963, the Elliott pairs Hamilton's caliber 770 manual wind movement with a 14K yellow gold case in a clean round profile. The dial came in two versions from the factory: an inlaid black numeral configuration and an applied gold numeral version at a slight premium. The Elliott belongs to Hamilton's broader dressy round case lineup of the early 1960s, a period when the company was offering a wide range of refined everyday wear pieces in solid gold.
Finding an Elliott in honest condition means paying close attention to the dial, since the two variants read quite differently in hand. The inlaid black numeral version has a graphic quality that suits the silver dial well, while the applied gold numeral version leans more traditional. Either way, check for hairlines or discoloration around the numeral zone, as inlaid dials can show their age there first.
From the Catalog
Hamilton offered the Elliott in natural yellow only, positioning it as an accessible entry into solid gold dress watches. The inlaid black numeral version listed at $50.00, with the applied gold numeral version available for $52.20.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1962
1963
1964
What to Look For
| Dial | Confirm which variant you have: inlaid black numerals or applied gold numerals. Both are correct, but they affect value and aesthetics. Look for lifting, discoloration, or crazing around the numerals, and check the silver chapter ring for overall evenness. |
| Crystal | Original crystals on watches from this era are acrylic. Deep scratches can usually be polished out, but check for chips at the edge where the crystal meets the bezel. |
| Movement | The movement ring in the caliber 770 is prone to verdigris, a greenish corrosion that can develop over decades and contaminate the movement if left unchecked. Ask whether the watch has been serviced recently, and look for any discoloration visible through the caseback if it opens. |
| Case | This is a solid 14K yellow gold case, so check for excessive thinning at the lugs from past polishing. Light wear is expected and honest; heavy buffing that rounds the lug edges is harder to undo. |
| Crown | The crown should pull out smoothly and set the hands without slipping. A worn crown or stem can make hand-setting unreliable, which is a straightforward repair but worth factoring in. |
The Movement
The caliber 770 is a 22-jewel manual wind movement that Hamilton used across a range of dress watches in the early 1960s. It winds by hand through the crown and keeps time with a subseconds hand running at the 6 o'clock position. It's a well-built movement with a good track record, but at this age, dried lubricants can create enough friction to stop it entirely, so a recent service makes a real difference in how reliably it runs.