There’s two design features I’ve been seeing a lot recently in the watch world: a resurgence in square and rectangle-shaped cases and a whole lot of pastel-coloured dials. Combining both of these together is the new Hamilton Boulton Macaron watch collection, an obviously 1940’s inspired rectangular watch with dessert-coloured displays. Could this be a winning formula?
The Hamilton Boulton is by no means this Swiss watch brand’s most notable collection. I’d give that prize to their Khaki Field, Khaki Navy or maybe even their Ventura. The Boulton however has been quietly hiding away in their portfolio for a few years now, and I’ll be honest, until the launch of the Boulton X Indiana Jones watch back in June, I’d never heard of it.
Speaking of the Hamilton Boulton watch that was strapped to Harrison’s Ford wrist for the final instalment of the Indy franchise - Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – it doesn’t seem like this design got much love either. Sure, it’s a handsome dress watch that fits in with the film’s timeline, but it’s not the robust adventure watch I’d imagine someone like Indiana Jones to wear. And so, the Boulton once again got lost in the back of my mind.
Then arrived the press release for the new Hamilton Boulton Macaron watches, and for the first time since hearing the Boulton name, I became interested. The rectangular-shaped case is reimagined into a smaller size and joined by four vibrant dials inspired by a beloved flavour of macaron.
The most notable dial in the line-up is spotted on reference H13321861. The peppermint blue display is synonymous with the French dessert and features black-outlined white Roman numerals. Then there’s reference H13321821 with a vanilla-beige dial with unexpected but pretty, lavender-coloured numerals. Reference H13321812 elects a pearly white dial with refreshing lemon yellow numbers and strap to match while finally H13321813 pairs the iridescent white backdrop with pistachio green numerals.
The dials of the Hamilton Boulton Macaron watches are distinctively 1940’s inspired, arranged in a classic Art-Deco style. They have nickelled hour and minute hands at the centre and a levelled seconds hand placed separately in its own subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock. The hardware is captured beneath sapphire crystal which sits on the elegantly curved, tonneau and rectangular-shaped stainless steel case. The case wears at 23.50mm wide and 27.40mm tall with a thickness of only 8.64mm. There’s also a water resistance of 50 metres.
Like the Indiana Jones model before it, the new women’s Hamilton Boulton is powered by a classic Swiss made quartz movement. Finally, each watch is completed by a calfskin leather strap dyed in the same hue as its dial. The straps close by stainless steel pin buckles and incorporate Hamilton’s EasyClick system for swift strap replacement.
I don’t speak for every female watch wearer, but the Cartier Tank is a watch I’ve always had my eye on. It’s one of the most iconic rectangular-shaped women’s watches on the market, and as a collector, I’d feel pretty smug to have one in my collection. That being said, it’s not cheap. Meanwhile, the Hamilton Boulton Macaron gives a very, very similar aesthetic for almost a third of the price. The combination of colours on the dial are also stunning and tempt my love of colourful watch dials.
Technical Specification:
- Brand: Hamilton
- Model: Boulton Macaron
- Price: €725
- Material: Stainless steel
- Movement: Quartz
- Complications: Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Dial: Peppermint blue with black numerals / Vanilla beige with lavender violet numerals / Pearl white with lemon yellow numerals / Pearl white with pistachio green numerals
- Size: 23.50mm x 27.40mm
- When the reviewer would personally wear it: It’s a lovely dress watch and the colours would definitely bring some playfulness to some of my most boring outfits.
- A friend we’d recommend it to first: A female watch wearer with a love of rectangular watches.
- Best characteristics of the watch: The choice of dial colours. Very refreshing and on trend.
- The worst characteristics of the watch: I can’t help but wish they’d considered an automatic movement.
