About Hamilton
Hamilton was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892. Now headquartered in Switzerland, Hamilton is well-respected in the watchmaking industry for making reliable and stylish timepieces. Hamilton watches tend to be priced in the $750 – $2,000 range.
I own several Hamiltons and generally have had good experiences with their watches.
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Review Summary
I quite enjoy the Valiant Auto for being an overall elegant and affordable timepiece. Its $645 price tag buys you higher-grade ETA automatic movement, good quality of build, and a sapphire crystal. It’s comfortable to wear, compliments just about any outfit, and won’t break the bank. Recommended.
Hamilton Valiant Automatic Technical Specifications
- Model Number: H39515734
- MSRP: $645
- Case Diameter: 40mm
- Alternate Models: Some very pretty alternatives available
- Movement: Automatic, ETA 2824-2
- Complications: Date display
- Power Reserve: Approximately 38 hours
- Water Resistance: 50m/165ft
- Crystal Material: Sapphire
Setting the Time
The time and date are manipulated using the crown. The ETA 2824-2 movement is easy to operate and very reliable.
How To set the time:
- Pull crown to the furthest position (position 3). Turn the crown clockwise to set the time. Note that the date display will rollover at at midnight.
How To set the date:
- Pull the crown to the middle position (position 2) and turn clockwise to set the date.
Hamilton Valiant Aesthetics & Design
One of the things I value in a watch is purpose in design. I find I am always drawn to clean design that doesn’t yell at its viewers. It’s that appreciation that gives me my fondness for the Valiant, as the Valiant is a decidedly minimal.
Lacking texture on the dial, the surface is smooth with a slight sheen- reflecting the chrome hands clearly but not obnoxiously. The hour markers are flat white, as is the date display at 3 o’clock.
If the Roman numeral hour markers weren’t enough to elevate the Valiant’s look, the polished and brushed two-tone stainless steel case is up to the task. The polished bezel and sides meet a brushed lugs. It’s so simple, and it works so well.
The model of the Valiant is a black on black combo, but you can find other options available (including a handsome steel and black combo, the H39515754).
At 40mm, the Valiant will be a good size on just about any wrist. I found it comfortable to wear for long periods, as well. It has some weight but it’s not overbearing.
Hamilton Valiant Automatic Build Quality
True to form for Hamilton, the Valiant is built well. Hamilton maintains good quality standards overall, as do the ETA movements that typically power them.
Crystal, Case, and Dial
The sapphire crystal is mated with a polished stainless steel case. My photos do a poor job showcasing the quality of build, but I assure you that it is certainly what you should expect from a Swiss manufacturer like Hamilton.
The hands are dead straight and are aligned with the markers perfectly. There is no movement aside from their intended path. I did not find any imperfections in the face or chrome on the hands.
Strap and Clasp
The leather strap is of good quality. It’s almost luxurious feeling, but I can’t review that completely as I did not wear the strap in while it was on loan from Gem by Carati. I have had experience with nearly identical straps from Hamilton and have always liked them, and I expect no different from the Valiant.
More About the Hamilton Valiant Automatic
Movement
Hamilton uses ETA movements of at least elaborated grade. For the ETA 2824-2, that means an average variance of +/- 7 seconds per day.
The ETA 2824-2 is a 25 jewel movement and, while basic, is considered a tried and true reliable movement. With proper care and servicing it will last for a decade or more.
Value for Money
For some people, Value is subjective. You can find watches that look very similar to the Valiant for a lot less money. At $645, the Valiant is squarely in entry-level automatic territory. At it’s Amazon price of around $500, it’s a better value but is still more expensive than non-Swiss automatics of similar design.
But therin lies the value proposition: it’s not that it costs $500; it’s that you can get a Swiss-made automatic using an excellent quality movement, with a sapphire crystal, for only $500. The quality of build far exceeds what I have experienced from a Stuhrling Original, or comparable budget auto, and the reliability and accuracy does too.
This is a great watch that is affordable, retailing for an average of $500 on Amazon, and built to last. I think it’s a good buy.
Photo Gallery
On this one, I’m not in agreement with you. I find the Tissot Le Locle much prettier. In addition, the back of the Tissot is a work of art. Rather, I believe that the Hamilton Viewmatic is the direct competitor of the Le Locle.
I’m curious. I went on a watch hunting expedition this week searching for either a Swiss Quartz or Automatic for under 500 usd…I was able to find this one for 400 and snatched it up as fast as I could but not before going back and fourth between this and a variety of different swiss quartz watches made by Tissot and a new brand called 88 rue du rhone.
Tissot offered exactly what you would expect, a solid reliable watch…but for some reason I found each product of theirs just…boring. This watch certainly stuck out more which is why I purchased it, but in the back of my head I couldn’t stop thinking about going for the brand not a lot of people talk about which is the 88 rue du rhone. Ask any person which watch they’d go for between 500 and 1k and you’ll hear Tissot, Seiko, Hamilton Orient etc…but I haven’t been able to find a single review on Rue du rhone…maybe they’re a terrible brand but if you get a chance, pick one up and review so I can have buyers remorse while I’m reading it and maybe i’ll get one next time.
In the meantime, looking forward to the Valiant…certainly looks like a great entry-level automatic…hope it won’t provoke me to buy one for even more money….although their chronograph automatic does look tempting.