Thinline 2024
1966–1969 · 14k Solid Yellow Gold · Manual Wind
About the Thinline 2024
Made from 1966 through 1969, the Thinline 2024 is part of Hamilton's Thinline family, a line built around slim case profiles and clean, dress-oriented design. The case is 14K yellow gold with a circular shape, and the movement inside is the caliber 680, a 17-jewel manual wind that Hamilton used across several of its American-made dress watches of this era. The dial is silver with applied gold stick markers and no numerals, keeping the face spare and uncluttered.
Finding one in good shape means looking closely at that 14K case, where polishing over the decades can soften the lug lines and thin edges more than buyers often expect. The applied gold markers are delicate and can be lost or shifted, so a dial that still has all its indices straight and intact is genuinely worth noting. The Thinline family has a dedicated following among collectors who want a real gold American dress watch that wears slim and quietly.
From the Catalog
Hamilton marketed the Thinline 2024 in 1966 at $150, emphasizing the ultra-thin case design alongside practical specs including shock resistance, anti-magnetic protection, an unbreakable mainspring, and waterproof-dustproof construction with seals intact. The catalog described the dial as a round white face with applied gold stick markers, positioning the watch as a slim, dependable dress piece in solid gold.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1966
1968
What to Look For
| Dial | Check each applied gold stick marker carefully. They can shift, come loose, or go missing over time, and replacements are not easy to source. Any marker that looks cocked at an angle or is sitting unevenly has likely taken a knock or a rough cleaning at some point. |
| Crystal | Look for chips, deep scratches, or cloudiness around the edges where the crystal meets the case. A replacement crystal is not the end of the world, but confirm it fits flush and is properly seated. |
| Movement | Ask about service history. Lubricants in a movement this age dry out completely over decades, and a caliber 680 running on dried oil will eventually stop altogether, sometimes without much warning. A recently serviced example is worth a premium. |
| Case | This is a 14K gold case, which means it has real material value but also means it has probably been polished at least once. Look at the lugs and case edges under good light. Over-polished cases lose their crisp lines and can look visually soft compared to a lightly worn original. |
| Crown | The waterproof seals on a watch this age are no longer reliable regardless of their original rating. Check that the crown screws down or seats properly and shows no damage or replacement. A mismatched crown is a small thing that a lot of people overlook. |
The Movement
The caliber 680 is a 17-jewel manual wind movement made by Hamilton in the United States. It winds from the crown, keeps good time when properly serviced, and is a straightforward, robust movement by the standards of its era. It is not a complicated caliber, but it rewards careful maintenance and tends to run reliably for years when the oils are fresh.