Front view
Dial, hands and bezel as delivered.
Case-back view
Case-back engraving and, where fitted, the sapphire display.
Movement
Calibre with its finishing and decoration.
On the wrist
Worn shot for proportion and strap drape.
Hamilton · American Classic
Hamilton American Classic 38 mm Black 18k
Reference 82191OR.21
Reference at a glance
- Brand
- Hamilton
- Collection
- American Classic
- Model
- Hamilton American Classic 38 mm Black 18k
- Reference number
- 82191OR.21
- Year / era
- 1988 · 1980s — mechanical revival
- Complication
- Perpetual calendar
- Movement
- Quartz
- Case material
- 18k yellow gold
- Dial type
- Black lacquer
- Strap / bracelet
- Integrated steel bracelet
- Water resistance
- 200 m
- Limited-edition status
- Limited edition of 500 pieces
Case, dial & bracelet
- Case dimensions
- 38 mm
- Case thickness
- 10.2 mm
- Case material
- 18k yellow gold
- Bezel
- Smooth polished
- Crystal
- Flat sapphire with Cyclops lens
- Dial
- Black lacquer
- Hands
- Mercedes hour hand with Chromalight display
- Indexes
- Printed minute track with applied batons
- Bracelet / strap
- Integrated steel bracelet
- Clasp / buckle
- Pin buckle in matching case metal
- Water resistance
- 200 m
Movement
- Movement / calibre
- Calibre 80C — Quartz
- Movement type
- Automatic with micro-rotor
- Frequency
- 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz)
- Power reserve
- 10 days
- Number of jewels
- 31 jewels
- Complications
- Perpetual calendar
- Functions
- Dive time, running seconds
- Watchmaker
- The calibre is built in-house and adjusted in five positions before delivery.
Production & market
- Production period
- 1988 – 1995
- Limited-edition quantity
- 500 pieces
- Current market information
- Consistently trades above retail; waiting lists at authorised dealers remain long.
Designer
Gérald Genta
Gérald Genta (1931–2011) trained as a goldsmith in Geneva and became the most influential watch designer of the 20th century. Working freelance, he sketched the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak overnight in 1970, followed by the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur SL and the Bulgari Bulgari — defining the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch as a category.
Historical significance
Hamilton American Classic 38 mm Black 18k sits within Hamilton's American Classic line, introduced in 1988. It carries the house codes established since 1892 — 18k yellow gold case, black lacquer dial and quartz — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.
Interesting facts
- The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
- The movement's bridges are decorated even where they will never be seen once the watch is cased.
- The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.
The House
Hamilton
Brand facts
- Founding year
- 1892
- Founder
- Adam Bopst & Charles Rood
- Headquarters
- United States
- Tier
- Affordable & Tool Watches
- Major collections
- Khaki Field, Khaki Navy, Jazzmaster, Ventura, American Classic
- Signature technologies
- In-house hairspring production · Composite and ceramic case materials · Anti-magnetic silicon escapement
- Famous movements
- Automatic COSC chronometer · Quartz · Automatic Powermatic 80 · Automatic, 38-hour reserve
- Notable watches
- Hamilton Khaki Field 37 mm Blue Carbon (1976) · Hamilton Khaki Field 44 mm Salmon Grade (1952) · Hamilton Khaki Field 37 mm Mother-of-pearl Sapphire (1982) · Hamilton Khaki Field 37 mm Meteorite Stainless (1985)
Brand history
Hamilton has spent more than 134 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's Khaki Field, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.
Adam Bopst & Charles Rood established Hamilton in 1892, working from United States at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Hamilton calibre produced today.
Historical milestones
1892
Adam Bopst & Charles Rood founds Hamilton in United States.
1899
Hamilton earns its first international recognition for precision timekeeping.
1969
The quartz era forces Hamilton to redefine mechanical watchmaking.
1990
Hamilton enters the modern collector market with its signature lines.
2024
Hamilton continues to produce Khaki Field, Khaki Navy, Jazzmaster and other icons in limited numbers.
More American Classic
Hamilton American Classic 36 mm Black Grade
Ref. 30283OR.62
Hamilton American Classic 36 mm Mother-of-pearl Quartz
Ref. 54554OR.49
Hamilton American Classic 42 mm Green Stainless
Ref. 83862ST.81
Hamilton American Classic 43 mm Silvered 18k
Ref. 41022OR.13
Hamilton American Classic 43 mm Meteorite Stainless
Ref. 80620ST.58