Hamilton Revives a Gorgeous Deep-Cut Tool Watch for a Legendary Video Game

Hamilton’s Pan Europ lacks the prestige of brand mates like the Murph, Khaki Field and Intra-Matic, but it’s still a beautiful watch with retro panache and a deep history.

The cushion-cased racing watch has sat on the back burner with somewhat uninspired releases for the past few years. But, in collaboration with one of the most popular video game franchises in history, the Pan Europ is getting the spotlight it deserves.

Hamilton

Either someone at Capcom, the studio behind Resident Evil, is an avid fan of Hamilton watches, or the Swiss watchmaker took the opportunity to revive a long-gone limited-edition reference. However the decision was made, Resident Evil Requiem, which releases on February 27, features a gilded black Pan Europ.

The game’s heroine, Grace Ashcroft, rocks a reproduction of a limited-edition Pan Europ released in 2023 as part of Hamilton’s Black and Gold collection. That collection was largely a flop, with most of the references still available, but the Pan Europ is long gone.

Hamilton

The fleeting appearance of the limited-edition release is easy to understand. Black and gilt is a potent color scheme that makes for a gorgeous watch when executed properly, and the restrained use of gold on the dial and PVD-coated steel case absolutely nails the assignment.

Interestingly, Hamilton increased the gold on this reissue. While it was previously only on the prominent rehaut and other dial details, the 60-minute bezel track is now gold-tone, and there is a gilded ring on the crown.

A pared-down racer

Hamilton’s Pan Europ design dates back to 1971, when it became one of the earliest watches to run on the groundbreaking Caliber 11 automatic chronograph movement. The name and contemporary auto racing style were nods to the formerly American brand’s new European home.

Hamilton

In 2011, Hamilton revived the Pan Europ collection in its original chronograph form, and ten years later, expanded it to include a three-hand dial with a day-date complication.

Initial releases used sporty colorways, including the red, white and blue motif that still stands as the flagship reference for the collection. But the 2023 black-and-gilt redesign provided a more suave, considered appearance. It is easily the best modern interpretation of Hamilton’s obscure racing watch.

The standout feature is the oversized rehaut enveloping the chamfered baton hour markers. It has a golden tone with a snailed texture and a black seconds track, matching the metallic black with golden inlays of the indices, hour hand and minute hand.

Hamilton

Compared to the 2023 release, the seconds hand is no longer golden. While a circular, radial sunburst etching has been added to the center of the dial, the dial markings have been simplified to just the Hamilton logo at 12:00. The day and date still appear in separate windows with gold-on-black-discs.

The 42mm cushion case and knurled bezel frame are coated with black PVD with contrasting brushed and polished surfaces. It houses a Hamilton Caliber H-30 automatic movement with an impressive 80-hour power reserve, which is decorated and visible through an exhibition caseback.

A winged chrono

The other half of Hamilton’s Resident Evil collaboration features far more prominent customization for the game. It is a Khaki Field Auto Chrono with a large wing decoration on the dial.

Hamilton

According to Hamilton, the crown is designed to look like the adjustment knob on a sniper scope, and the pushers resemble bullet casings to correspond with the character’s combat experience.

The 42mm steel case features the same black PVD coating as its companion watch, and it comes on a black synthetic rubber strap with a faux textile texture and an H-pin buckle.

Hamilton

The robust chronograph runs on a Caliber H-21 automatic movement with a day-date complication, a Nivachron balance spring and a 60-hour power reserve. Notably, the subdials contain a 30-minute totalizer at 12:00 and a 12-hour totalizer at 6:00 with no seconds hand.

Availability and price

Hamilton’s Resident Evil Requiem collaboration is set to release with the game on February 26. Each watch is a limited edition of 2,000 units. An email registration is available to be notified as soon as the watches are available for purchase.

The Pan Europ is priced at $1,475, less than $300 more than the standard version, despite the addition of the PVD coating and a more elegant black leather strap with an embossed alligator texture and a printed golden stripe.

The Khaki Field Auto Chrono costs $2,175, the same price as the blacked-out regular-production model.

Hamilton

Hamilton Pan Europ Resident Evil Edition

Specs

Case Size	42mm
Movement	Hamilton caliber H-30 automatic
Water Resistance	50m

• $1,475 at Hamilton

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