Lord Lancaster S
1968–1970 · 14k Solid White Gold · Manual Wind
About the Lord Lancaster S
Made from 1968 through 1970, the Lord Lancaster S is a square-cased, 14K white gold dress watch from Hamilton's Lord Lancaster family, which focused on refined styling and precious metal cases aimed at the luxury end of the American market. It runs on the caliber 680, a 17-jewel manual wind movement, and features a silver dial set with six diamonds as hour markers in place of conventional numerals or indices. The hidden lug construction keeps the profile clean, giving the case a particularly tailored look on the wrist.
Six diamonds on a dial this size means any chips, cloudiness, or missing stones will be immediately obvious, so that's the first place to look on any example. The 14K white gold case is durable but can show polishing history, and a heavily buffed case will have lost the crispness of its original lines. Finding one with honest wear rather than aggressive refinishing is worth the extra patience.
From the Catalog
Hamilton listed the Lord Lancaster S with six diamonds, a stem-wound movement with 17 jewels, and an original retail price of $95 in 1968, positioning it as an accessible entry into the brand's white gold dress watch range.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1968
What to Look For
| Dial | Examine each of the six diamond indices closely. Look for chips, discoloration, or any sign that a stone has shifted or been reset. The silver dial surface should be even, with no spotting, water damage, or refinishing. |
| Crystal | This model takes an acrylic crystal. Check for deep scratches or crazing. A scratched crystal is replaceable, but confirm the replacement fits the square case correctly before assuming it's original. |
| Movement | The caliber 680 is a manual wind. Dried oil in a movement of this age creates enough friction to stop it, so wind it fully and let it run for several hours before drawing any conclusions about timekeeping. A service is almost certainly due on any unserviced example. |
| Case | The 14K white gold case has hidden lugs, which can be tricky to assess for wear. Look at the case edges and transitions for signs of aggressive polishing, which will round off the original sharpness. Check the case back for dents or marks from improper opening. |
| Crown | The crown should wind smoothly and set the hands cleanly with no slipping. Any roughness or resistance while winding points toward a movement that needs attention. |
The Movement
The caliber 680 is a 17-jewel manual wind movement made by Hamilton. It's a compact, straightforward design built to fit the slim dress watches Hamilton was producing in the late 1960s, and it winds and sets reliably when properly maintained. Like any movement of this age, it benefits from fresh lubrication, and a watch that hasn't been serviced in decades should be treated as overdue regardless of how it runs.