A rare Hamilton-produced “Fab Four” Navy Fleet Air Arms, Chronograph with an unsigned dial and original military markings — a true collector’s piece from 1971.

Hamilton has a long and distinguished history with the military, particularly during the Second World War. The American brand supplied over one million watches, marine chronometers, and precision timers to the Allied forces. Renowned for their reliability and legibility, Hamilton’s field and pilot watches became standard issue for U.S. Army and Navy personnel. Post-war, the brand continued to produce military-spec timepieces such as this, for various NATO forces, cementing its reputation as a maker of rugged, dependable watches built for service.

What's on Offer

A fascinating and highly collectible piece of British military watch history, this Hamilton-produced “Fab Four” chronograph was originally issued to the Royal Navy with the MOD specification 0552/924-3312 and then later Re-issued with 0552/924-3306 - it is actually dual marked with 3312 being updated to 3306 - this may be because a 3312 was originally concieved as a "non lume dial" and since it was being used by the Royal Navy it was likely used onboard a nuclear submarine, the lack of lume would be so it would not interfere with instrumentation readings or the geiger counter on the submarine which would have been used in case any nuclear material leaked.

The watch would then have been taken back into stores until it was then re-issued to the Air Force and given a lumed dial, and because of this, re-marked to become a 3306 in order for the watch to be repurposed and used - a distinctive nuance that adds to its collectability.

The dial is notably unsigned — a deliberate move by the Ministry of Defence to emphasise function over brand, making these “anonymous” variants especially sought after by some collectors. All this adds to it being far rarer than the average Hamilton.

The black dial remains beautifully preserved, with two recessed sub-registers, luminous hour plots, and syringe hands with the original tritium (denoted by the circled T) lume now aged to an attractive warm tone. The small military pheon is present at 6 o'clock and marks it as property of the MoD, while the case back retains its original military engravings.

Housed in a solid stainless steel asymmetric case and powered by the robust Valjoux 7733 manual-wind movement, this chronograph was built for absolute reliability in the field. With its purposeful design, rarity, and historical significance, this “Fab Four” is a true standout — a must-have for serious military watch enthusiasts. 

Functionality and military history aside, it’s worth observing that the watch wears extremely well and has an attractive presence on the wrist, sure to draw questions and admiration from both military and non-military collectors!