For more than 100 years, the Hamilton watch has played a role in the style and trends of timepieces. And while the company is well-known for its innovative, reliable watches, its role in American history is often overlooked. Because of the company's storied history, a vintage Hamilton watch is quite the collectible, not to mention a Hamilton pocketwatch.

The Hamilton Watch Company was first started in 1892. Just a year later, the company found itself working hand-in-hand with the American Railroad System, trying to provide more accurate time in an effort to stop the wave of crashes that had occurred. In 1910, Hamilton would again come to the rescue, assisting the U.S. government by providing timepieces to the Armed Forces. This Hamilton watch, known as the Khaki, was so popular in the early 1900s that it was re-released successfully in 1990.

What's more American than baseball? In 1928, Hamilton released the Yankee Watch, in celebration of the Yankees winning the World Series. In the 1930s, when commercial aviation was first taking flight, Hamilton became the official timepiece of the four largest airlines at the time, TWA, United, Eastern and Northwest. But in the '40s, Hamilton would again be solicited by the government to work exclusively for the military.

It wouldn't be long before Hamilton would resurface as the trendsetting watchmaker. In 1957, Elvis Presley starred in Blue Hawaii bearing the new Hamiltion electric watch. The relationship between Hollywood and Hamilton would continue in 1966 in 1997: the Space Oddesy, and for Men in Black and Lethal Weapon. Today, Hamilton Watches International is a subsidiary of the Swatch Company. While Hamilton remains very much a part of American History, the company today benefits from Swiss watchmaking expertise.