# Hamilton Nautilus 403



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

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Anyone familiar with Hamilton Electrics will know that the Nautilus 403 is one of the rarest of Hamilton Electrics :yes:.

It's an electric pocket watch...but those people who were still buying pocket watches in the mid 1960s were not the same people who were eagerly embracing the newly introduced electric watches...so it was a sales flop and only 500 were thought to be produced. I'm sure our own member "Hamiltonelectric" can tell us more.

About 4 years ago, I won a Nautilus 403 empty case on eBay and built a complete watch using a correct 505 movement but failed to find the correct dial and hands (both unique to the 403) but instead fitted similar dial and hands from another Hamilton.

Two weeks ago a genuine Nautilus 403 was listed on the Bay...and much to my surprise  , I won it and at a very good price. So here is this new arrival...very rare...and it all mine!

The case is in great shape: crisp engraving on the bezel, original turning marks on the back and highly polished edge of the back.

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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Following photos show the new arrival (left) next to the Nautilus 403 (right) that I "made" back in 2007....I hadn't appreciated how the dial I chose made the 403 look so much smaller that the correct version; the hands are pretty close though.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Both the original and the "SH Special" are lovely Paul! Nice addition to the collection :notworthy:


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## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

Very suave. :notworthy: What size are they Paul? They look small on the photo but as I am unfamiliar with that movement I may be completely wrong.

Mike


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

tixntox said:


> What size are they Paul?


Mike, they are small at 38mm...although that's probably the largest diameter Hamilton Electric. I'm told size doesn't matter.


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## AbingtonLad (Sep 8, 2008)

Now I don't really like gold watches and am not that interested in pocket watches... but these are great. Really starting to get into Hamilton's unique 'blingness', though every one I look at seems to sell for hundreds so I won't be buying any time soon.

I think Paul has probably helped to do for cheap Hamiltons what Mac has done for cheap Services! There ain't none no more, as my daughter would say


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Thank you Kevin...too late to alter the landscape gardening to get a Hamilton featured?


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

They are both really nice Paul, great to have something so rare in the collection :yes:


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## AbingtonLad (Sep 8, 2008)

Silver Hawk said:


> Thank you Kevin...too late to alter the landscape gardening to get a Hamilton featured?


Don't even say that in jest! I spend many hours a day trying to work out what I'm doing with the garden anyway, without changing my mind about the design. But it would have been just as cool to have done an electric movement instead of a mechanical one!

Hmm... there is a large round area at the other end of the garden which was going to be a compass. Now see what you've done! :blink:


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## LozR (Jan 12, 2011)

They do look really cool, especially the newcomer and I imagine that they are even better in the flesh.


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