Hands-On With The Futurustic Hamilton Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition

I must confess that I am not a big gamer, so I had to brush up on my knowledge of Death Stranding to create a bit more context before putting the Hamilton Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition on my wrist. The watch was created to celebrate the release of the hit game’s sequel. As the highly realistic game often features real actors and uses their voices, it is only a small step from the world of movies in which Hamilton has made a name. For this new release, Hamilton worked with Yoji Shinkawa, the game’s art director, to create a timepiece that perfectly complements the post-apocalyptic environment of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. How does it hold up in real life? It’s time to find out.

After I did some research on Death Stranding, I became familiar with the game. As it turns out, some friends of mine played it religiously. I learned that the game isn’t all that far removed from the film industry, and as you probably know, Hamilton has become “the watchmaker of filmmakers” over the last 90 years. For Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions enlisted famous actors, such as Lea Seydoux, Mads Mikkelsen, and Norman Reedus, who plays the lead character Sam Porter Bridges, to create the characters in the game. As a result, it is pretty close to home for Hamilton.

The details of the Hamilton Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition

But we are here to talk about the watch. As Mike already wrote an introduction article, I will quickly discuss the basics so I can focus on the wearing experience. Mike explained that the Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition is part of Hamilton’s Boulton line. It’s the brand classic series of watches that takes after the famous Cartier Tank.

Hamilton introduced the Boulton in 1941, so it’s a proper classic. In today’s collection, the brand offers the watch mostly with a 27mm by 32mm case size. With the Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition, we get something completely different. The shape is pretty much the only thing resembling the regular Boulton.

The new limited edition is a black PVD-treated titanium watch with a tonneau shape. The case measures 36mm wide, 48mm long, and 13.7mm thick. As you will understand, it’s quite a big watch, even if it is stealthily black.

The 26mm-wide three-row titanium bracelet with a sandblasted finish, a black PVD coating, and a butterfly clasp emphasizes the presence. Additionally, the bracelet doesn’t taper to a more elegant width at the clasp. Consequently, the watch almost feels like a futuristic bracelet. But the case will remind you that this is not just any watch.

The remarkable case of the Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition

First, the case might be traditional in its basic shape, but it is far from it in its execution. The curved top of the case features seven crystals. The first is a traditional curved rectilinear sapphire crystal with an antireflective coating that dominates the head-on view.

Both sides feature lattices that hold three sapphire crystals each. As a result, you get a unique side view of the dial and hands. The case construction gives the watch an almost arena-like presence, which I like as a design object.

Hamilton has paired the case with a layered black dial with multiple finishes. The outer section has a media-blasted finish and features the applied hour markers. One index, at 12, is lacquered orange, matching the large orange seconds hands. The other markers feature a brushed finish with polished chamfers for some visual sparkles.

Working inward, the dial is stepped twice, with the middle ring holding an additional set of printed hour markers. The center features the Hamilton name, logo, and “Automatic” in gray.

Lastly, the orange seconds hand is accompanied by oval-shaped, skeletonized, and brushed hour and minute hands. As a result, the watch looks futuristic but also like a timepiece that could have been designed in the 1970s.

The automatic Hamilton caliber H-10

Although the watch is futuristic, its movement is familiar. Inside lies the automatic Hamilton caliber H-10, essentially an ETA C07.611 (Powermatic 80) based on the familiar ETA 2824. The operation frequency was reduced to 21,600vph, and the power reserve was improved to 80 hours. Additionally, the Nivachron balance spring helps resist the effects of magnetic fields and temperature changes.

Lastly, the caliber is visible thanks to the rectangular sapphire crystal, which features a decoration like the tar in the game. The black frame of the case back features each watch’s unique limited edition number and a few other details, such as the water resistance and the reference number.

Wearing the Hamilton Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition

Once I put the watch on my wrist, the first thing that stood out was its size. Even on my not-so-small 18.5cm wrist, it has tons of presence. I would have loved to see a slightly smaller version because it would’ve made the watch a bit more elegant. Now, I know that elegance is not necessarily what Hamilton was chasing; the context is Death Stranding 2, not my preferences. But with a slightly smaller case and, especially, a slimmer bracelet, the watch would have been easier to wear and visually digest.

First, the case is 48mm long, which is already significant. However, due to the bracelet’s construction, the first link does not slope down vertically but at a slight angle. As a result, the bracelet doesn’t wrap itself around the wrist immediately.

A little bit of a gap increases the length by a few millimeters. Secondly, the bracelet is 26mm wide, but the gap between the lugs is only 20mm. This is due to the flaring construction of the end links, which aligns them with the outside of the lugs. Only if you remove the bracelet do you see the ingenious construction the brand created. While smart, unfortunately, it doesn’t make the watch easier to wear.

Final thoughts on the Hamilton Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition

Then again, this is not necessarily a watch for the hardcore watch crowd. A bit of context will make you understand that this futuristic tool is part of the dystopian setting of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. It is a display of design wizardry put into the video game’s world, and in that light, I do appreciate the watch as a design object. The case shape and construction are distinctive and have their charm. The side view never disappointed me during the week we had the watch in the office.

On top of that, this watch has made me curious to check out the new video game when it comes out. That’s about the best compliment I can give Hamilton because that’s precisely what it should do for someone unfamiliar with Death Stranding. For the fans, this new 2,000-piece limited edition can be a nice manifestation of the game on the wrist.

As such, I think it’s a clever release by Hamilton that will find its audience quickly. All 2,000 pieces will go on sale in June 2025 for €1,625. Granted, that is not pocket change, but once you see, hold, and wear the watch, you will understand it better. The design and engineering that went into creating the Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition are impressive and result in a watch that certainly makes an impact.

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