Take an ultra-realistic post-apocalyptic setting, fill it with ferocious fantasy creatures and psychopaths armed to the teeth, step into the role of Sam Porter Bridges - a brave courier tasked with delivering supplies from one place to another in this hostile world - and sprinkle it all with the visionary touch of Kojima Productions... Welcome to Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, the second installment of the bestselling game from Hideo Kojima's Japanese creative studio. Alongside Norman Reedus as Sam Porter and Léa Seydoux as Fragile, the cast notably features a brand-new addition that is sure to catch the eye of gamers and watch enthusiasts alike: a futuristic looking timepiece named American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2, developed by Hamilton in close collaboration with Kojima Productions.
Hamilton was the obvious choice in Hideo Kojima's view: "More than half a century ago, in the late 1960s, one of my favorite directors, Stanley Kubrick, asked Hamilton to create the watch that appeared in his film 2001: A Space Odyssey", he explains. "I feel deeply honored to have been able to collaborate with Hamilton in creating the watch featured in my latest work Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Being a brand that has provided watches for numerous films, Hamilton was the ideal partner to design and develop a model rooted in the near future, which is an extension of the present." It should be noted that over the past century and up to the present day, Hamilton has carved out a unique place for itself in the world of cinema, with its watches chosen by filmmakers to feature in more than 500 films and television series and sometimes playing key roles in Hollywood blockbusters.
TOPPING THE BILLING
It all began with a glance in 1932. In Shanghai Express, Marlene Dietrich asks Clive Brook "What time is it?" He slowly lifts the cover of his watch….. revealing her photo inside as well as the Hamilton signature on the dial. Just 40 years after its creation in Lancaster, Pennsylvania the brand thus made a sensational entrance into film-making history with this iconic scene. Hamilton's filmography is impressive, particularly in the world of action movies. In Men of the Sea (1951), navy divers are equipped with the first Frogman watch, inspired by the watches supplied to the US Navy. The spirit of the original lives on its successor, the Khaki Navy Frogman. In Pearl Harbor (2001), the pilots played by Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett wear the Khaki Field, a direct reference to Hamilton's World War II military watches. Hamilton also equips modern day heroes: in Die Hard 4 (2007), Bruce Willis wears the Khaki Aviation ETO; in 2023, Harrison Ford sets his sights on the Boulton in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the final chapter of the saga; Dwayne Johnson chooses the BeLOWZERO in Central Intelligence (2016) and Red Notice (2021); while Matt Damon triumphs on the red planet in The Martian (2015).
"While classics are often in the spotlight, Hamilton's big-screen stars also stand out for their bold designs."
These various appearances on the big screen are also an opportunity for Hamilton to highlight part of its heritage. The watch featured in Shanghai Express (1932) is a Flintridge, a 'clamshell' (flip-top) wristwatch typical of the 1930s. In Oppenheimer (2023), iconic vintage watches from the 1930s and 1940s were provided by collectors from around the world and appear on the wrists of Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon. Not to mention the Art Deco silhouette of the Ardmore model which accompanies Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Michelle Williams in Venom (2018), vividly proving that Hamilton's vintage lines are more relevant than ever.
BOLD AND BESPOKE
While classics are often in the spotlight, Hamilton's big screen stars also stand out for their wildly daring designs. The Ventura, the world's first electric wristwatch, hit the silver screen in 1961 on the wrist of Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii. Its triangular silhouette has since become iconic and stood the test of time. It was thus only natural for it to appear in 1997 on the wrists of Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Tessa Thompson in Men in Black. It was also worn by Ken Cosgrove in the Mad Men series and made a strong comeback in the Marvel universe with the Ventura Elvis80, chosen by Robert Downey Jr. when playing Tony Stark in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Sometimes, however, the ideal watch for a film does not exist. Once again, Hamilton has always risen to such challenges through close collaboration with production teams, directors, screenwriters and Hollywood prop masters. For 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick tasked Hamilton with designing an innovative watch to match the film's universe. The result was a one-off featuring a futuristic cuff design, which Hamilton ingeniously marketed a few decades later in 2001, with a numbered 2001 piece limited edition. One of the most famous examples is doubtless the brand's collaboration with Christopher Nolan on the science fiction masterpiece Interstellar (2014). Specially designed for the film, the Khaki Field - renamed "Murph" by fans - is an integral part of the plot, because at the end of the story, it becomes a key narrative object that saves humanity by delivering a coded message.
FROM BIG SCREEN TO GAMING
Alongside its epic journey in cinema, Hamilton is developing a new playground. Its first foray into the world of video games dates back to the release of Far Cry 6 in 2021. For its second collaboration with a video game development studio, the brand is making a very big splash, since it has been asked to create a watch to feature in the sequel to Death Stranding, the award-winning masterpiece from Kojima Productions. "It took more than two years to design and develop the watch that appears in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, alongside production of the game itself", says renowned art director Yoji Shinkawa, who wanted to incorporate a real watch into the techno apocalyptic setting of this new installment.
"It took more than two years to design and develop the watch, alongside production of the game itself."
"If it had merely made an appearance in the game, we would have had a certain amount of freedom in developing it", he continues. "We spent a lot of time on the design to make it a product that actually works as a watch while conveying the game's distinctive atmosphere. After many discussions and failed attempts with Hamilton's designers, we managed to create this model." Once again, this variant ticks all the boxes of a true horological UFO, despite its direct references to the classic lines of the Boulton. Its aesthetics are channeled through the clean, arched lines of the case in black PVD treated titanium a material that not only provides the necessary strength to withstand the game's inherent dangers, but also weighs 45% less than steel and thus makes the watch exceptionally light on the wrist. Not to mention its excellent resistance to corrosion caused by sea water.
A SCULPTURAL WATCH
It took a full two years to develop the American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition, as the technical challenges it implied were as significant as Hideo Kojima's visionary expecta-tions. Seven sapphire crystals for a single case: such is the daring gamble taken by this radically designed watch. A main window framed by two triple-glazed columns provides an implacably rigorous geometrical structure. Each facet catches, deconstructs and transforms the light to create a ballet of moving shadows bringing the object to life. The result is a statuesque 36mm x 48mm case playing with reflections like a futuristic prism. The ultra minimalist gray hour markers appear to be floating above the dial, punctuated by a bold orange marker at 12 o'clock and swept over by a slender orange lacquered seconds hand. The open worked hours and minutes hands echo the glass construction, while bringing a visually lighter touch.
Understated, sturdy and ultra-contemporary, the black PVD-treated titanium bracelet harmoniously extends the technical vibe of this timepiece. Beating inside is a three hand, 25 jewel automatic movement with an impressive 80 hour power reserve. And because fragility clearly has no place in an apocalyptic future, a Nivachron" balance spring ensures protection against magnetic fields, shocks and temperature variations. "Inspired by the Boulton American Classic model from nearly a century ago, we believe we have created a watch that is both futuristic and extremely refined and which would fit perfectly into the real world", adds Yoji Shinkawa.
"At first glance, it may seem very simple, but when you actually touch and hold it, you will feel its essence and high quality achieved thanks to Hamilton's advanced technical and production capabilities." All that remains to be done is try it on and embark on the adventure. Hideo Kojima's best advice? "Pick up this watch and discover the product bridging the gap between the world of gaming and the real world." Be warned, however: the American Classic Boulton Death Stranding is a 2,000 piece limited edition.
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