Laird
1956 · 10k Rolled Gold Plate / Stainless Steel · Manual Wind
About the Laird
Made from 1956 through 1956, the Laird is a compact rectangular manual wind watch powered by the ETA 1220 caliber. The case is 10K yellow Rolled Gold Plate with a stainless steel back, and the dial carries embossed gold numerals and markers on a silver background with numerals at all positions except 6, where a subseconds hand sits. The Laird belongs to Hamilton's broader mid-1950s dress watch lineup, a period when the company was offering a wide range of rectangular and cushion-shaped cases aimed at the professional and business market.
The embossed dial is the thing to focus on with the Laird. That dimensional texture is easy to damage with moisture or careless cleaning, so condition varies more than it does on printed dials. A clean example with crisp, unflattened embossing is genuinely satisfying to find. Hamilton offered the watch with either a strap at $45.00 or a bracelet at $49.50, so it turns up both ways.
From the Catalog
Hamilton described the Laird simply as a 10K yellow rolled gold case with stainless steel back and embossed dial, offered with a strap at $45.00 or on a bracelet at $49.50 in 1956.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1956
What to Look For
| Dial | The embossed dial is the most condition-sensitive part of this watch. Look closely for flattening, moisture damage, or any signs that someone has cleaned it aggressively. The embossed texture should have visible dimensionality, not a softened or washed-out look. |
| Crystal | Expect an acrylic crystal at this age. Scratches are normal and can be polished out. Deep gouges or crazing cannot, and a poor-fitting replacement can sit too high or too low and distort how the dial reads. |
| Movement | Ask about service history. Dried oil in the ETA 1220 creates enough friction to stop the movement entirely, and a watch that runs briefly then stalls is a reliable sign it needs a full service before daily wear. |
| Case | This is rolled gold plate over a base metal case, not solid gold. Check the lugs and any high-contact areas for wear-through to the base metal. Light wear is expected and acceptable; heavy wear-through changes the appearance significantly. |
| Crown | Pull the crown gently and confirm it winds smoothly and sets the hands cleanly. A crown that slips, resists, or feels gritty usually points to a worn stem or a movement that needs attention. |
The Movement
The ETA 1220 is a Swiss-made manual wind caliber running at 17 jewels. It is a compact, reliable movement that Hamilton sourced during its mid-1950s period of incorporating Swiss-made ebauches into certain dress watch lines. It winds, sets, and runs without complication, and responds well to a proper cleaning and fresh oil.