Spectacular vintage late 60s HAMILTON Intra-Matic 30 jewel Automatic gent's watch

This is a phenomenal find, an original Hamilton Intra-Matic, with box and purchase receipt dated 1973. 

The Intra-matic was Hamilton's premium "ultra-thin" dress watch line, sitting above the standard "Thin-o-matic" models.

Hamilton's goal was elegance through thinness. The dial is a "sunburst" champagne finish with minimalist stick markers and thin hands. This is a 2-hand model with a date, which is the classic dress configuration.

This would have been considered a high-tier gentleman's watch. It was marketed to executives who wanted a watch that would slide easily under a shirt cuff, and it competed with other micro-rotor watches like the Universal Genève Polerouter.

About that micro rotor. As beautiful as this watches, it is the movement that is the star of the show here. It is powered by the famous Hamilton Caliber 92 (Buren 1281) micro-rotor movement, a technically significant engine that allowed this watch to be one of the thinnest automatics of its day.

(I measure 8.3 mm from case back to the top of the crystal) 

Unlike standard automatics where a large semi-circular rotor sits on top of the movement (adding thickness), this movement uses a micro-rotor (or planetary rotor) that sits flush inside the movement plate. This allowed the watch to be incredibly thin without sacrificing the convenience of automatic winding.

The "Thirty 30 Jewels" inscription is significant. Most standard watches of this era had 17 or 21 jewels. The high jewel count in the Caliber 92 was necessary to reduce friction in the complex, compact winding system.

Hamilton acquired the Swiss manufacturer Buren in 1966 specifically to access this micro-rotor technology. This movement is the direct ancestor of the legendary Caliber 11 (the first automatic chronograph), developed by Hamilton-Buren, Heuer, and Breitling.

Enough history, let's talk about this particular watch: 

The gold-plated case is in exemplary condition, showing very little wear. Please see the high resolution photos for details. Additional photos available on request. 

The crystal is clear and free of damage, save for a couple of very light scratches. 

The dial is a champagne sunburst, in exceptional condition. Under magnification you can see a light speckling patina in the top coat, it is even across the surface of the dial and adds just a touch of character. Dial print is crisp and clear, overall dial condition 9/10.

The movement is in excellent condition, and the watch winds, sets and runs without issues keeping good time. 

The watch comes on a NOS Japanese Bambi brand lizard pattern strap.

Included with the watch is the original box, which is in somewhat rough condition, there seems to be an issue with the hinge. Also included is the original sales receipt for the watch, which was purchased in November of 1973 in Hong Kong, for the princely sum of ¥28,000, which 2025 US dollars would amount to about $700.  

This is a very collectible piece, with the added bonus of the original box and papers.