Introducing the Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono

In 2017, we reviewed the limited edition Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 Chrono. By successfully pulling from a few popular Hamilton references dating back to the ‘60s and ‘70s (including the Caliber 11-powered Chrono-matic, which Hamilton released in 1969, and the Chronograph A from the year before), the Intra-Matic 68 Chrono turned out to be one of the most interesting neo-vintage releases of that year.

You can read our full review here, but to sum up with a TL;DR quick-take, the Hamilton Intra-Matic 68 Chrono is a great watch, but it’s not one without a few shortcomings—the dimensions being chief among them. Nevertheless, the Intra-Matic 68 Chrono was generally well-received, and, unsurprisingly, it sold out in no time.

Hamilton is back with version two—this time a general release, and it remedies some of the missteps of the first version. Introducing the Intra-Matic Auto Chrono (2018).

First things first, the case is 40 millimeters across—down two millimeters from the 2017 edition. This was a smart choice. I find 40 to be a sweet spot for a large range of wrist sizes.

But that downsizing doesn’t just affect wearability. It also has a significant impact on the design. Ditching two millimeters means that there is less real estate on the dial, so the design elements—all of which were present on the limited edition—have to be rethought. The result? The sub-dials are noticeably scaled down, and consequently the dial feels far more balanced. Not knocking the original—I quite liked the enlarged registers, but I just prefer the equilibrium that Hamilton’s designers achieved here.

The dial is also an inverse of what we saw in 2017. A true panda is a welcome change of pace, and it’s a no-brainer for Hamilton to do this. A cream dial is framed with a black tachymeter ring along the outer edge, which then matches the black registers at three and nine. At six, you’ll find a date complication. No complaints from me here. It all looks great.

Powering the watch is Hamilton’s H-31 automatic chronograph caliber. The H-31 features 27 jewels, a chronograph function, hacking seconds, hand winding, date, a 60-hour power reserve, and a frequency of 28,800 bph. The date is not advanced via the crown here. Instead, there’s a quick-set pusher at 10 o’clock for changing the date.

We’ll be going hands-on with this one really soon, so stay tuned for our review. We’re as excited as you are to see this one in the metal.

The price will be $2,195 and delivery is slated for fall. Hamilton