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It was 1979, and I had accompanied my parents to a dinner party. I was six years old, and my parents’ friends had no children. My parents married later in life and came from a generation where children were meant to be seen and not heard. Unfortunately, I am one of those who likes to be seen and heard. However, I was instructed to be on my best behavior, so they set me in front of the television.
Noticing that I was bored, our host handed me his wristwatch and said, “Check this out.” He pressed a button on the side of the case, and the display lit up in bright red, showing the time. I had never seen anything like it before. My father’s manual-wind Caravelle watch had a large white dial with Roman numerals and looked like an antique compared to this modern watch. I was captivated, and he let me wear it and play with it all evening. Undoubtedly, that watch made a lasting impression on me.
The 1970s were an exhilarating period in design and technology, marked by rapid changes. The quartz crisis impacted the watch industry, prompting companies to innovate. This development created numerous new timepieces, including the noteworthy Hamilton Pulsar Cushion. Introduced in 1974, it boasted a vibrant red LED display that would only activate when you pressed the button on its side. Fifty years later, Hamilton is releasing an updated version called the PSR 74, and they have chosen to maintain its iconic 31mm cushion-shaped case.
This design was considered futuristic in the 1970s and still appears futuristic today. However, a slight modification was made by adding a second button on the left side of the case. The right button shows time in 12-hour or 24-hour format, while the left button displays the date. The bangle-type bracelet has been improved to feature solid links instead of hollow folded steel and tapers down to a modern butterfly clasp. The display is now covered with anti-reflective sapphire glass, and the watch is water-resistant up to 100 meters.
The new Hamilton PSR 74 is powered by the H-40e Quartz movement, which features a hybrid digital display that combines reflective LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and emissive OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) technologies. It is available in brushed stainless steel and gold PVD stainless steel, just like the one that captured my imagination all those years ago. Both models are now available. The standard steel version costs $745, while the PVD gold model costs $845. More information can be found on the Hamilton website here.
