Those are too cool for school. I'm mainly a fan of the early Hamilton wristwatches, but those are really terrific looking prototypes, I wish they would have made them as production watches.

Doc, Great! I just love it when people use all the image space we have to do these great webicles. Oh, and especially great topic and watch. I loved that movie and the watch that almost got picked, so much of that "Jetson" look... that's what I thought the future was going to look like until 2001 came out. Hrm, maybe that's why Kubrik went with the other watch.

Thanks for the great read!

I think it was that other director, Ridley Scott, who made a more realistic future. I wonder what Harrison Ford was wearing?

Very exciting prototypes! I have a couple of the original design department models from 1960 that have the same back as in the first prototype pictured here -- they were strictly to show how a watch would look, there was no way to put an actual movement into the case.

The Flight was obviously a logical starting point for a futuristic movie watch but Hamilton ended up making a completely different watch. The movie watch shared one thing in common with the Flight prototypes, the indicator windows were dummies.

Next month Hamilton will be releasing a limited edition of 2,001 pieces based on the movie watch, which they are calling the "X-01".

Rene,

Thank you so much for your reply.

Can you share any info about the movement in the Final concept watch. I've never seen it before.

I haven't encountered that particular grade before but Hamilton used quite a few different Swiss movements in the 1960s, mostly ETA grades that carried new Hamilton designations. That was probably a ladies' grade used on some of the lower-end watches at the time.

There were actually two versions of the "Odyssee 2001" sold to the public. The version pictured on page 1 was the second style. The first style was made for only a brief period and had more dramatically-styled triangular hands as well as round planet-like luminous markers. The metal band was a mesh design, unlike the brick-links of the second model.

Bill,
How awesome to find such interesting Hamilton history. Thanks for all the great photos, and to Rene' for the additioal information.

Bill,

Many thanks for posting those pictures and accompanying text. A very interesting read!

I need a Flight...

Best Regards

Paul

Flight II sales are usually well over $1000, and even the modern quartz re-issue is now expensive, at up to twice the price when new.

The case is very susceptable to wear down to base metal just behind the crown, on the back, due to constant rubbing when being wound.


dan

Bill, I am intrigue with your knowledge of the “2001” watch. I run the official fan site dedicated to the film and book and their sequels. I also know the actor, Gary Lockwood who did wear the watch in some scenes. At this time the public version of my website is up but 90 percent of the site is down due to redesign and upgrades. I hope you come by sometime and take time to visit the site.
I like to mention your post in my next newsletter (July 4th). If you have any questions regarding the watch, I’ll try to answer them but I doubt I know as much as you do.

2001:exhibit

I found one of the publicly available Odyssee this weekend, but it is the case and movement only, no band.

does anyone happen to know where to find a band for it?