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Fanny Zafraka-Themelidis
Hamilton has built a unique relationship with cinema over the decades. Its watches have appeared in more than 500 films and television productions, while on numerous occasions the brand has created special timepieces exclusively for the needs of a particular film. Its collaboration with Christopher Nolan has evolved into a creative relationship that began with Interstellar, continued with Tenet and Oppenheimer, and now culminates with The Odyssey. This time, however, there is one fundamental difference. The new Hamilton Khaki Field could not, of course, appear in the film, since watches did not exist during the period in which the story of Odysseus takes place. Instead, it was created as a tribute to Homer’s epic and to the extraordinary cinematic world envisioned by Nolan.
The story unfolds during the Bronze Age, centuries before the first mechanical means of measuring time appeared. This prompted Christopher Nolan and Hamilton’s designers to take an entirely different approach. Rather than drawing on historical watches — which naturally did not exist — they found inspiration in the objects associated with Odysseus in the film: his helmet, his sword and symbols drawn from Greek mythology. The result is a contemporary watch that seems to carry the traces of another age.
The 42 mm case is crafted from bronze, the metal that defined the age of Odysseus. The caseback, made of titanium for greater durability and comfort, depicts Odysseus’ helmet alongside Christopher Nolan’s signature.
The black dial features a vertically brushed finish and a raised pattern inspired by the texture of the hero’s helmet, while the detail at 12 o’clock references the metal rivet found on his sword scabbard. The sword-shaped hands are coated with Super-LumiNova X1.
The most unexpected element of this limited edition, however, is not the watch itself. It comes with a replica of the brooch of the goddess Athena, the talisman that, according to the film’s narrative, Penelope gives to Odysseus before his journey. The brooch can be worn as a piece of jewellery, transforming the watch into a complete collector’s object for enthusiasts of both watchmaking and cinema. Even the presentation box follows the same aesthetic, incorporating a shield, a commemorative plaque and a black-and-bronze colour palette.
Hamilton did not choose the production number at random. The number 12 is one of the most significant symbolic numbers in Greek mythology and appears repeatedly throughout The Odyssey: the 12 ships that accompany Odysseus towards Troy, the 12 axe heads through which he shoots an arrow to prove his identity in Ithaca, and even the roughly 12,000 verses of Homer’s epic. The edition is therefore limited to 2,112 pieces, incorporating this symbolism directly into the watch’s collectible identity.
Despite its ancient Greek inspiration, the watch is based on the contemporary Hamilton Khaki Field Automatic. Inside is the automatic H-10 movement with a Nivachron™ balance spring, offering an 80-hour power reserve. The case measures 42 mm in diameter and 10.9 mm thick and is fitted with a sapphire crystal featuring a double anti-reflective coating. Water resistance is rated to 100 metres, while the watch comes on a brown leather strap with a titanium buckle.
Very few collaborations between cinema and watchmaking manage to transcend the realm of merchandising. This is certainly one of them. Christopher Nolan did not simply ask Hamilton to produce a watch bearing the film’s logo. Instead, he actively participated in the creation of an object whose identity is drawn from the world of Homer. And that is precisely what makes this limited edition so distinctive: it interprets a timeless myth through the language of contemporary watchmaking. The same Homeric myth also recently inspired Montegrappa to create the remarkable The Odyssey – Chapter II limited-edition writing instrument.
Watch the official video…
