Hands-On: The Hamilton American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Created with Hideo Kojima

At this point, Hamilton is basically synonymous with "Watches in the Movies" — with the brand most recently being the go-to watch for Christopher Nolan’s blockbusters like Interstellar and Oppenheimer. However, the most recent release from Hamilton goes in a somewhat different —albeit no less theatrical— direction. Anyone familiar with video games knows who Hideo Kojima is, and if you’re not familiar with his name, you’re familiar with the Metal Gear Solid franchise. One of the most gifted and prescient auteurs in gaming, Kojima is prepping for the release of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, the sequel to 2019’s excellent Death Stranding. For the release, Hamilton worked with Kojima on a limited-edition watch that is also going to be found in the game. The Hamilton American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition is the rare limited edition that truly takes watch design in an interesting direction while evoking the bleak and brutalist future depicted in the game.

Using the rectangular Hamilton Boulton as a starting point, the Death Stranding watch is the product of a design process that involved art director Yoji Shinkawa creating a timepiece that can exist in both our reality and virtually in-game. Shinkawa said, “It took more than two years to design and develop the watch that appears in 'DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH,' in parallel with the production of the game. If it was just to appear in the game, we could have designed it freely. But we spent a lot of time on the design to make it into a product that actually functions as a watch while also conveying the atmosphere of the game, and after numerous discussions and trial and error with the designers at Hamilton, we were able to complete the product.”

The black-PVD-coated titanium case is characterized by the seven sapphire crystals seen on the dial. There is the standard dial crystal but flanking it on each side are three “panels,” for lack of a better of word. This is a really unique take on a dial and it certainly lends the almost brutalist future vibe that is so persistent in the game. Beneath these is the black dial with a textured outer frame and a more classical central dial. There is a lot of black, to be sure, but the orange lacquered seconds hand cuts through it with some color really nicely.

The case measures 36mm wide and 48mm tall with a thickness of 13.7mm (50 meters of water resistance). The sleekness of the package is kept consistent with the matching black PVD titanium bracelet that has a sandblasted finish and a butterfly clasp. Turning the case over reveals the automatic movement, which has an 80-hour power reserve and boasts a Nivachron balance spring thanks to Hamilton’s Swatch Group resources.

There will be 2,000 pieces of the Hamilton American Classic Boulton Death Stranding 2 Limited Edition produced, and each watch will come in a special collectible packaging. Each is priced at $1,495 and will become available on June 26, 2025. If you’re interested you can sign up for notifications here at hamiltonwatches.com.