Stormking V
1955–1957 · Stainless Steel · Manual Wind
About the Stormking V
Made from 1955 through 1957, the Stormking V is a stainless steel manual wind watch built around either the caliber 748 or caliber 735, both 18-jewel movements. The dial is silver with raised gold numerals at 12 o'clock, painted black markers, gold dot indices, and a sweep seconds hand. Hamilton marketed it as waterproof, with the standard caveat that the original seal needed to be restored any time the case was opened for service. The Stormking V is part of Hamilton's Stormking family, a line of sport-oriented watches sharing the waterproof stainless case format across several dial and movement configurations.
The silver dial is the thing to scrutinize first on these. Silver dials develop patina in ways that can look beautiful or troubled depending on how the watch was stored, and a dial with uneven oxidation or separation near the edges tells you about its history before anything else does. The raised gold numerals are rhodium plated, so check for any loss of that plating under magnification. Finding one with a clean, intact dial and a functioning sweep seconds hand is the benchmark.
From the Catalog
Hamilton's 1955 catalog described the Stormking V as a stainless steel, waterproof watch with a sterling silver dial featuring 18K gold numerals in rhodium plating and luminous dots, available on a bracelet for $72.50 or on a strap for $69.50. The waterproof designation came with a clear condition: that the original seal be restored whenever the case was opened for servicing.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1955
1956
1957
What to Look For
| Dial | Silver dials can oxidize unevenly over seventy years. Look for consistent patina across the surface, and inspect the raised gold numerals closely for any chips, losses, or flaking of the rhodium plating. The luminous dots should be present and intact, though some aging or discoloration of lume is normal and expected. |
| Crystal | Confirm the crystal sits flush and is free of deep scratches or chips. A poorly fitted crystal on a waterproof-case design like this can compromise the case seal. |
| Movement | The caliber 748 is a challenging movement to service correctly. It requires precise alignment of four wheels during reassembly, and the escape wheel pivot is easy to break if any force is applied at the wrong moment. Ask whether the movement has been recently serviced and, if so, by whom. In a watch this age, dried lubricants are the rule, not the exception. |
| Case | The stainless steel case should show wear consistent with its age. Check the lugs for deep scratches or aggressive polishing that has softened the original lines. The case back seal should be intact, and the case back itself should show no signs of forced opening. |
| Crown | The crown is part of the waterproof system on this case. Check that it screws down or seats properly and shows no damage to the threads or stem. A worn or replaced crown may compromise the seal. |
The Movement
The caliber 748 is an 18-jewel manual wind movement produced by Hamilton in the mid-1950s. It features a sweep seconds configuration driven from the center of the movement rather than a separate subseconds register. Some examples of the Stormking V were fitted with the caliber 735 instead, also an 18-jewel manual wind, making movement identification worth confirming when you have the watch in hand.