Don Hamilton's timeless timepieces

Don Hamilton passed the time during the pandemic by restoring iconic mid-century clocks

Section:Gallery

Sun., May 21, 2023

Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton has refurbished and rebuilt some of the classic midcentury modern Jefferson Golden Hour clocks he has collected in his tiny home workshop in Spokane. The clocks were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s, and they were made through 1991. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton has been refurbishing and rebuilding some of the classic mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clocks he has collected in his tiny home workshop in Spokane, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. The modern clocks were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton the classic mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clock, at left, along with slight variations at his office in Spokane, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. The modern clocks, which Hamilton collects and rebuilds, were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton, 70, carefully unwraps a non-functioning example of the classic mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clocs that he collects and repairs, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. He will keep this one for the parts. The modern clocks, which Hamilton collects and rebuilds, were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton, 70, points to some of the variations of the classic mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clock that he has repaired and refurbished at his office in Spokane, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. The modern clocks, which Hamilton collects and rebuilds, were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton, 70, points to some of the classic mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clocks that he has repaired and refurbished at his office in Spokane, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. The modern clocks, which Hamilton collects and rebuilds, were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton, 70, points to build dates of the classic mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clocks that he has repaired and refurbished at his office in Spokane, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. Since many of these clocks were built in the early 1950s, when Hamilton was born, he hopes to find one built on his birthday in 1952. The modern clocks, which Hamilton collects and rebuilds, were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton, 70, several of these mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clocks that he has repaired and refurbished aaround his office in Spokane, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. Since many of these clocks were built in the early 1950s, when Hamilton was born, he hopes to find one built on his birthday in 1952. The modern clocks, which Hamilton collects and rebuilds, were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel along with the gold-plated stand it rests on.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo
Longtime photographer and filmmaker Don Hamilton, 70, is obsessed with the classic mid-century modern Jefferson Golden Hour clock that he has repaired and refurbished at his office in Spokane and carefully separates and keeps many different parts and motors for them, shown Monday, May 8, 2023. The modern clocks, which Hamilton collects and rebuilds, were popular as gifts in the 1950s and 1960s and they were made through 1991, then discontinued. The signature motif is that the hands of the clock appear to float on a rotating glass bezel.

Jesse Tinsley The Spokesman-Review Buy this photo