Sea Skip II
1968–1971 · Stainless · Manual Wind
About the Sea Skip II
Made from 1968 through 1971, the Sea Skip II pairs Hamilton's caliber 688 manual wind movement with a clean stainless steel round case and a silver dial marked by applied baton indices. A date window sits at 3 o'clock, and the sweep seconds hand gives the dial a purposeful, uncluttered look. The Sea Skip II doesn't belong to a named Hamilton family, but its sport-adjacent name and stainless case put it squarely in the category of practical, everyday watches Hamilton was producing as the quartz era approached.
Finding a clean example comes down almost entirely to the dial, the silver finish can develop patina or spotting over time, and the applied baton markers should be checked for any separation or missing pieces, since replacements aren't easy to source. The date complication also adds a mechanical consideration that a plain-time watch wouldn't have. Offered with either a bracelet or a strap at slightly different price points, these were accessible watches in their day, which means surviving examples turn up with varying degrees of care behind them.
From the Catalog
Hamilton listed the Sea Skip II with a silver dial, applied baton markers, date window, and luminous hands, available on either a bracelet at $55 or a strap at $49.95, a modest price difference that gave buyers a choice without changing anything about the watch itself.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1968
1971
What to Look For
| Dial | Look closely at each applied baton marker for separation or gaps at the base where they meet the dial surface. Any marker that has shifted or is sitting unevenly is a problem, since period-correct replacements are hard to find. Check the silver finish for spotting or water damage around the date window. |
| Crystal | The crystal should be clear and free of deep scratches. A hazy or heavily scratched crystal is replaceable, but confirm the right profile is used, since a poorly fitted replacement can affect the overall look of the dial. |
| Movement | Ask when the caliber 688 was last serviced. Oil hardens with age, and enough friction from dried lubricants will bring a movement to a stop. Also worth asking about: the date change wheel has a known tendency to separate from its retaining screw, so verify the date function cycles cleanly through a full 24 hours. |
| Case | The stainless case holds up well, but check the lugs for wear, especially if the watch spent time on a bracelet. Case backs on these can be stubborn to open, so if there's evidence of prying around the case back edge, make sure the seal seat wasn't damaged in the process. |
| Crown | Pull the crown gently to the date-set and time-set positions and confirm it moves smoothly between them. The crown can detach from the stem if it's been pulled too hard over the years, so any looseness or wobble in the crown is worth investigating before purchase. |
The Movement
The caliber 688 is a 17-jewel manual wind movement that Hamilton used across a range of sport and everyday watches in this period. It adds a date complication to the basic timekeeping function, with the date wheel advancing once per day. Reliable and serviceable, it rewards a proper cleaning and lubrication but will become sluggish or stop entirely if the original lubricants have dried and hardened.