If you have followed this website you know that the focus has changed. The transition began before Christmas 2013. I’ve gone from showcasing Hamilton wristwatches for identification to a broader mission.
The emphasis on Hamilton Watch Company remains, and will encompass tracking of wristwatches and pocket watches. Economic conditions affect the price of Hamilton products. I don’t see this as a simple pause. I feel it’s important to share information about the buying and selling of watches.
When people say that time marches on – I don’t see time marching in the streets like a college band or a military parade. Let’s just say, people have trouble finding parts for old watches. Even the popular watches sold in jewelry stores after World War II are one-half a century from their date of manufacture. No one makes parts for old watches.
I collect watches 80-120 years old. You won’t find many parts for those. I’ll keep an eye on suppliers and let you know about those.
Hamilton provided very little documentation for the repair and service of their watches before World War II. The company expected a trained and qualified watchmaker to know what to do. Watchmakers apprenticed.
You will also find documentation to help you service and repair older Hamilton watches.
I have also ventured into finding and identifying vintage watch tools. Finding information on those strange looking creatures venturing out of the closets of deceased watchmakers requires unending research. In the process, I have found documentation on the history of companies that made the tools we all want to use and buy (or sell).
For those of you wanting more information about Hamilton watches from a micro point of view, I follow a blog that should give you what you want.
HandyDan’s website known as the Hamilton Chronicles provides a rich source of information on Hamilton Wristwatches in particular. I recommend you make it a part of your reading and research.
Back to this blog’s focus:
I wrote the following information in an earlier post:
Opinions vary about what’s vintage and what’s old. If you look on eBay, they label watches made from 1920 to 1970 as vintage. That’s a wide range. I see a huge difference between a 1929 Cushion and a 1965 Stainless Steal Automatic.
In my opinion, when Hamilton stopped putting 987 movements in their best cases the vintage era ended. Afterwards, used Hamilton watches became just old watches. Some call them “mid-century” and “preowned“, but to me, they’re just plain old used watches. Nothing differentiated them from Bulova, Caravel, Waltham, Elgin and so forth. American domination of the watch business faded into the distance after World War II.
Who made the decision to put the best American wristwatch movements ever made in 10K gold filled cheap (not Wadsworth) cases?
When the company decided to offer “popular priced” watches, the decline began. Looking back, you have to wonder who made the decision to put the best American wristwatch movements ever made in 10K gold filled cases? Frankly, I think Hamilton cheapened their line. They remind me of Elgins.
The movement saved Hamilton when the US entered World War II. The Military selected the Hamilton’s 987A and 987S for staff, pilots, officers and infantry.
The vintage era ended about 1939. The next year began the military era. After the war, you suddenly had the copycat era, which was short lived. Next came the Swiss era and the beginning of the end of American made watches.
I have little interest in watches released by Hamilton after 1936. I find the 987A movement a draw, but the overall watches are a cheap version of wristwatches from a great era. I think you can blame that on the Great Depression and lousy management.
As we progress in the change of this blog’s vision, I’m providing materials to help you work on vintage watches.
The following download contains a book about how to use staking sets. It’s the second document of this kind I have posted. If you have an interest in a similar treatise, check the download on an
earlier post:
I believe the second version of the book, downloadable here will also help you find your way through the world of staking tools and how they can help you work on Hamilton movements. You’ll see a more professional book on staking tools and their use from me in the days and weeks to come.
