Thincraft II
1957–1960 · 10k WGF, 10k YGF · Manual Wind
About the Thincraft II
Made from 1957 through 1960, the Thincraft II is part of Hamilton's Thinline family, a group of slimmer-profile dress watches that leaned into the mid-century appetite for refined, low-profile design. The movement inside is the caliber 735, an 18-jewel manual wind with sweep seconds, which was a selling point Hamilton highlighted prominently in period advertising. Cases came in either 10K yellow or white Gold Filled, and the dial options split between a white sterling silver dial with applied gold markers and dots, and a black sterling silver dial with applied gold dots only. The rhodium plating on the markers for the white case versions was a thoughtful detail that kept the aesthetic cohesive across both metal options.
Finding a clean example means paying attention to the silver dials, which are prone to spotting and oxidation at the edges after decades of exposure to humidity. The black dial variant is the simpler of the two visually, relying entirely on the applied gold dot indices without the additional markers, which gives it a starker, more modern look that holds up well. Both versions are worth hunting for, but condition on the dial will make or break the piece.
From the Catalog
Hamilton positioned the Thincraft II in 1957 at $89.50, pointing to the 18-jewel movement, the sterling silver dials, and the 14K gold markers as the key values at that price. The rhodium plating on the white case versions was called out specifically, making it clear Hamilton thought carefully about how the two-tone metal combinations would read as a finished piece.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1957
1958
1959
1960
What to Look For
| Dial | Silver dials age in specific ways. Look for spotting, tarnish creep from the edges, or separation at the applied gold dots. On the white dial version, check that the applied markers are all present and sitting flush. On the black dial, confirm the gold dots are intact and none have been reattached off-center. Any refinishing will flatten the surface and kill the value. |
| Crystal | Check for deep scratches, crazing, or chips at the edge. A worn crystal is replaceable, but make sure it fits correctly to the case before assuming any crystal will do. |
| Movement | The caliber 735 is a well-regarded manual wind, but oil dries out after years of sitting. If the watch is sluggish, stopping, or gaining wildly, dried lubricants are the likely culprit. A full service will fix that, but budget for it. Also, the escape wheel pivots on movements like this are fragile, and a watch that has been poked at by someone who did not know what they were doing can have damage that is not obvious until the movement is open. |
| Case | Gold-filled cases from this era can show wear through to the base metal at the lugs and caseback edges. Check those spots carefully. The caseback on these can be tight and takes the right tool to open without damage, so look for evidence of prying around the seam. |
| Crown | Wind the crown slowly and feel for roughness or grinding. A smooth, positive wind with good resistance through the mainspring is what you want. Also confirm the crown is original and not a mismatched replacement. |
The Movement
The caliber 735 is an 18-jewel manual wind movement with a sweep seconds hand, meaning the seconds hand runs off the center arbor rather than a subseconds dial. Hamilton built this caliber for their dressier Thinline pieces, and it has a solid reputation for reliability when properly serviced. The 18-jewel count puts it at the higher end of Hamilton's manual wind lineup for the period, with extra jewels added at friction points to reduce wear over time.