Well, I've settled into a comfortable long-term relationship with my EZM 3, so I'm going through my collection and selling some watches that I love but do not wear. Here we have the black-dialed Hamilton 156-Alike, a rare limited edition watch made for the Italian market probably in the early 1990's. Hamilton themselves don't know anything about this watch, so there is very little information out there about it. There was also a white-dialed version as well, an example of which can be seen in my last photo. This watch is obviously very similar to a Sinn 156 so I have come to calling it a 156-Alike. It is about 41-42 mm in diameter with a 20 mm lug width (just like the 156). Unlike most 156's you encounter, it has a screw-on caseback. The plastic crystal is in very nice shape, as is the case, but both have the signs of a used 25-30 year-old watch that has been well cared for and carefully worn. Unlike the Sinn 156, the bezel works on a unidirectional counterclockwise click basis and the action is fine. Everything on the watch is original and correct to the best of my knowledge. My pictures represent it fairly -- a nice wearer with no significant issues and no mechanical issues, but not a "mint in box" specimen. Please note the day wheel is in Italian. The watch comes on a Rover Haven Arts & Crafts strap made from Horween's Color No. 8 shell cordovan in size 80/120. It is 20/18 in width, approximately 3 mm thick, and is made from two-layers of shell cordovan and very sturdy. If you don't want the strap, I'll happily keep it. It is also supplied with heavy duty shoulderless spring bars, which work very well with the drilled-thru lugs of the case. The best news is that the movement was comprehensively serviced only two years ago at a cost of $580. The watch has been worn no more than six times since then (yeah, I'm like that). If you have been looking for one of these, you will not find a better specimen for the money, in my opinion at least. I am asking $2500 USD shipped and PayPaled in the US. I will consider other reasonable offers as well as international shipping, but reserve the right to decline an international deal, especially if I've had a bad experience with your country's postal service before. My apologies in advance. I have many good references on this and other watch forums and on eBay as well. Please ask if you can't find mine, as I will also ask for yours. Payment by PayPal or Venmo ONLY. No checks, no money orders, no bank transfers, no e-checks, etc. please. Since I am a private collector and not a dealer, no returns for any reason at any time (unless the watch arrives damaged or something like that) so do your homework first. If you buy this watch and discover six months from now that the bezel was replaced 20 years ago and hence isn't "original," that is not my responsibility. This exact thing happened to me recently, so if I sound a bit strident, that would be why. So again, please do your own homework first. Feel free to PM me with questions or offers. Thanks for looking at my post. Myron And here is why I call these Hamiltons 156-Alikes (the Sinn and white-dialed Hamilton are not for sale).
Having owned a white dialed version, I can second the Hamilton lack of knowledge. Best of luck with your sale.
Thanks, Brook. These watches are so cool, but I've promised my better half to get my collection under control and I've decided that owning this one and a 156 is too much overlap. So it needs a new home. I doubt there is another out there in this condition and freshly serviced to boot. Myron
It's all good in the end if you're happy. However, this does illustrate the point Syrte made that the name on the dial is very important.
+1 there’s something about having those two as set, they just belong together. Symmetry! Uh oh! I’m beginning to sound like I might be a Collector.