Hamilton Pocket Watch Value Serial Number
Hercules Montero
American watches, both pocket watches and wristwatches, are highly collectible. One of the more innovative of watchmakers was the Hamilton Watch Company. It was formed in 1893, but it was really just a new version of an older company that made Lancaster and Keystone watches.
In 1891 a train wreck occurred that would have been avoided if accurate times had been kept by railroad employees. This launched the era of railroad watches and Hamilton jumped right in. Eventually over 50 percent of their production was railroad watches. The majority of the watches they made prior to 1925 were for work, at the railroad or other places of employment. Work watches typically had quality movements but inexpensive cases because they could get rough treatment in the workplace.
The opposite of this was the "Sunday" watch which had a beautiful solid gold case but an inexpensive movement. Presumably timing the preacher was less important than timing the Cleveland express. Maybe. In 1912 Hamilton introduced the 992 railroad pocket watch, a 21 jewel well engineered timepiece. This became perhaps the most successful of all railroad watches. From then until 1957 over one million were manufactured.
If you have an old Hamilton pocket watch and would like to date it, it is fairly easy. The firm kept excellent records. If the serial number is below 100,000 it is from the 1800s. A serial number below one million is pre-1909. A serial number below two million is pre-1924. If you would likemore specific dating bring your watch to me and I will see if I can help.
In the first decade of the 20th century Hamilton joined other watch firms in making a revolutionary new product, the wristwatch. For decades they were at the forefront of innovative design for wristwatch styles. In 1957 Hamilton introduced to the world the first electric watch, powered by a battery rather than mechanical winding.
For about 11 years they produced these watches, most of which had modernistic, asymmetrical cases. Very few of these watches were solid gold so they have no intrinsic metal value, but because they are popular with collectors they often bring in the low hundreds at auction.
In 1971 I was in college studying engineering and taking a course in product design. For a project we had to dream up a product and then design it. I decided upon a digital watch that would give the time in numbers rather than with hands, but the professor said it was ridiculous and made me change topics. I did not realize that the year before, Hamilton had introduced the world's first digital watch.
It was electronic (mine was mechanical) and one had to push a button to get the time, digitally, in red. The watch had absolutely no moving parts and was truly a marvel. Hamilton once again had been on the cutting edge of technology. The irritation of having to push a button to get the time made this watch short-lived and today it looks like a dinosaur, but collectors love them and they bring in the hundreds of dollars per watch.
I have not mentioned ladies watches for good reason. While the market for men's vintage watches is strong, the same is not true for their opposite gender. A ladies 14K Hamilton watch with a black cord band from the '30s or '40s may bring $25 to $40.
Especially problematic are the ladies diamond watches of the '50s and '60s. I see a lot of these in 14K gold or platinum and the vast majority of them are Hamiltons. They might sell for as little as $100 to $300 depending upon the amount of diamonds. This is substantially less than was paid for them decades ago.
One could literally write volumes about the history of the American watch
industry or even of the Hamilton company, which was one of the best makers.
I suggest a trip to the library to read up on these things. The finest
American pocket watches were called "railroad grade" because they were used
in the operation of the railroads, which needed precise timekeeping to avoid
collisions. These are the watches that collectors are most interested in.The 892 was not Hamilton's top movement...it was of a good grade but not the
top or railroad grade (which would have had 21 jewels or even more) ...sort
of a Buick and not a Cadillac. They were being produced (or at least
assembled from new old stock movements) as late as the 1970s and being sold
as collectibles in faux antique "railroad" style cases - those watches are
often available in unworn condition because by then people no longer wore
pocket watches as part of their wardrobe. This one looks like it is from the
50s. The watch itself was the classic "I worked for 25 years and all I got
was this lousy watch" type service award which was once common in American
industry. Given the middling grade of the watch, the employee involved was
also of middling or low grade and not a top executive who surely would have
gotten a better watch.The inscription is interesting but in economic terms it tends to lower the
value of the watch (unless your name is Marion). The watch is probably worth
around $200- $250 at best, perhaps less, on a bad day much less."Brewing Abroad" wrote in message
news:f9211cc1.04031...@posting.google.com...
>I have seen watches from this period and they did not have engine turning,
>were Swiss ''parts'', and of course the dying days of the American watch
>industry.
>The Incabloc cap jewel does 'appear' to make the watch Swiss.
I've seen a few Swiss movements with turnings....not many granted and
most likely the very early Swiss movements used by the likes of
Waltham, Hamilton, etc.When I compare the movement to my reference books it's the only one
that says "Swiss Movement".....dead give away. :-))))
> I have seen watches from this period and they did not have engine turning,
> were Swiss ''parts'', and of course the dying days of the American watch
> industry.
> The Incabloc cap jewel does 'appear' to make the watch Swiss.
>
There is engine turning on the movement - you can see the "Geneva stripes",
the same ones that are on the modern Glycine. However, the work seems rather
perfunctory compared to the elaborate engraving that was once common.
I had forgotten that Hamilton switched to Swiss movements as early as the
50s. Kinda sad really.In a ways it's good that it's a 6497 - no problem getting parts and this is
an OK movement, although a cheap one (well under $100 undecorated). Of
course it doesn't do much for the value of the watch that the movement is
still in production and that the movement is not a "real" Hamilton."Darryl Bryant" wrote in message
news:pan.2004.03.12....@DEADSPAMzip.com.au...
Just another example of a company marketing an inferior product on the
reputation already established. In this case, Hamilton sold a Swiss
movement under the same name as it's earlier product. Cheers
Trevor Jones