For one of horology’s buzziest brands right now, Hamilton has quite the varied CV, having once timed America’s railroads and supplied watches to the military before becoming, today, a fixture in Hollywood blockbusters. And with Francesca Ginocchio newly installed as CEO, that relationship with film is gaining fresh momentum.
Recent projects have generated some serious hype around the Swiss watchmaker, ranging from a partnership with Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, where Hamilton watches appear on screen, to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which has resulted in a limited-edition watch inspired by the film.
For Ginocchio, the job now is to build on that cinematic heritage while taking Hamilton further into wider entertainment, including gaming.
Here, she talks about how the brand’s watches are matched to their on-screen characters, working with Christopher Nolan and what comes next.
Square Mile: As the new CEO of Hamilton, how do you hope to build on the brand’s legacy, particularly its relationship with cinema?
Francesca Ginocchio: First of all, I have to say that this is a fantastic moment for Hamilton, and our results are very strong. I think much of that is down to the storytelling we have built around the brand. Cinema is really the pillar where this all began for us.
Our relationship with film goes back to 1932 with Shanghai Express, and later to Elvis Presley in 1961’s Blue Hawaii.
It’s a long-standing part of Hamilton’s history and something we want to preserve. We really try to choose or create watches that fit the characters in the films and the stories being told around them.
That is the way we want to keep working with cinema. We are already involved in projects for 2027, because these collaborations usually begin at least a year in advance.
SM: What has been your personal favourite on-screen moment involving a Hamilton watch?
FG: I have two favourite moments, both from the same director, Christopher Nolan. The first is the Murph in Interstellar. It’s a cult movie; you can see it 20 times and always enjoy it, and it speaks to many generations. My children are 17 years old and they love the movie, too.
At first, the Murph was thought of as just a prop for the movie – but it gains such an emotional meaning because it’s the gift that the father gives to his daughter. Then we listened to our fan base and we produced the watch, and it’s now our number one reference worldwide.
The second one is Oppenheimer, because the way we worked with this movie, to provide the perfect watch to fit the time and era, is really unique. There are not many brands that can do something like this.
The Khaki Field Blue Murph is the latest iteration of the iconic Interstellar Murph.
SM: What do you think makes Hamilton watches so impactful on screen?
FG: I think it’s the storytelling and the authenticity. I also think it’s the fact that we’ve been working with Hollywood for many years. We have the Behind the Camera Awards in Hollywood, which we have had for 20 years, and it’s a recognition for the people who work behind the scenes.
When people then work on a new movie, they may have attended our awards, they know the brand and they also propose our watches. It’s not only the visibility we get, but all the work that is done behind the scenes that makes the difference.
The storytelling and the authenticity are what make Hamilton watches so impactful on screen
SM: In Disclosure Day, Colin Firth and Josh O’Connor wear Hamilton timepieces. How do you go about selecting a timepiece for a particular character?
FG: For this project, the watches were chosen to suit the characters rather than created specifically for them. Once the filmmakers shared details of the characters with us, we proposed a selection and they chose the two pieces they felt worked best.
Both are also very important watches for Hamilton. The Jazzmaster Open Heart has this distinctive opening on the dial, while the Khaki Field is one of our bestsellers.
That is an important part of the way Hamilton works with film. We do not try to force a particular watch into a project; we let the directors and producers choose the piece that best fits the character.
Josh O’Connor stars in Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, with Hamilton once again playing a supporting role.
The Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical appears in Disclosure Day, chosen to complement O’Connor’s character.
SM: Tell us a bit more about the collaboration with Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey. How did that collaboration come about?
FG: The Odyssey is now the fifth movie we have worked on together with Christopher Nolan, after Interstellar, Tenet and Oppenheimer. What is interesting is that in all of his films he has a special relationship with time – both the perception of time and the importance of time within the story.
For this project in particular, we wanted to do something together that was linked to the materials and the message of the movie. Of course, the watch is not in the film because wristwatches did not exist at that time. But there are two connections: the first is the material, such as the bronze used for the case, which is connected to the materials used for the weapons and other elements of the characters’ gear. Then there are details on the watch inspired by the movie, including the hands and elements on the caseback.
There is also the story of the pin included in the box. It appears in the movie and is a gift that Penelope gives to Odysseus for his journey. I think that is another part of the connection. I would say the watch is really a tribute to the relationship we have built with Christopher Nolan and to all of the projects we have worked on together.
We also wanted to make this a limited-edition piece – and it features Christopher Nolan’s signature. For us, that gives it a special meaning, both for Hamilton fans and for fans of his work. It is limited to 2,112 pieces because 12 is a significant number in Greek mythology, and we wanted to reflect that in the edition size.
The Hamilton Khaki Field Auto The Odyssey Limited Edition pays tribute to Christopher Nolan’s latest film, with bronze detailing and design cues inspired by the world of ancient Greece.
SM: How do you ensure that film collaborations remain aligned with Hamilton’s heritage?
FG: We have a number of ways of working. One is to provide vintage watches that are appropriate for the period of the film, as we did with Oppenheimer.
We’ll also design special prop watches for a character and help filmmakers source watches for their projects.
Then there are pop-culture projects, like the Murph, or what we did for Men in Black and Tenet. These are the different ways we try to ensure authenticity.
Then there are special projects like The Odyssey, where the authenticity comes from the collaboration itself. After four movies, we have built a long-standing relationship with Christopher Nolan.
SM: As the new CEO, what are your priorities for Hamilton?
FG: Cinema will continue to be a major pillar, and we want to focus even more on high-quality projects. We really see that these are the ones that pay off in terms of visibility and consistency.
Then we want to work more with gaming. I would not say it’s another pillar, but it sits within the same entertainment world and is very connected with the movie industry. Often a game leads to a film, or the other way around.
It’s a perfect combination because we have built credibility in entertainment through movies over many years, and we are now bringing the same approach and credibility to gaming.
What we are also trying to do is create a stronger link between what happens in our communications around these projects and what happens at the point of sale, in our retail stores, corners and windows. We are, for example, developing a concept for our retail stores where we would like to create experiences connected to this world, whether that means seeing something linked to a movie or trying a game.
We do not even need to speak too much about the technical features of the watch. You start with the storytelling, get people passionate, and then the rest will follow.
See more at hamiltonwatch.com
