Thread: POCKET WATCHES

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Hamilton was located on Lancaster Pa so the Elgin N.Y was either where the buyer lived or the retailer. Of course it could have been recased too. That was common. You gotta look inside to tell.

Some of Hamilton's records are on the NAWCC under reseach and company records. You can put in the serial number and it will tell you the buyer or jeweler that bought it if it shows. Some have private names on the called private label and the true ones will say the jewelers name on the movement as well.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Hamilton was pretty much the last man standing as far as U.S made pocketwatches went. The 992B was the culmination with the latest in technology and was accurate, reliable, easy to service and cheap. However it wasn't their true high end caliber though it was advanced. They used the 992B in many of the WWll watches made for the military services just that they had an additional number in front of the 992B like 4992B.

The early English watches were really something else. I have on from the 1700s and before the industrial revolution they were truly handmade with simple tools and produced one at a time. Unfortunately getting someone to repair them is near impossible and replacement parts must be custom made and hand fitted. That's why you can get one for maybe $300 or so. Hand pierced balance ****s and hand hammered Silver and gold cases with gold hands. They are all hallmarked with makers marks and assay marks and the guild location where they were made. Very well organized those English.

Yep!
After the US watch companies were selling out, Hamilton was buying them all until they finally sold to the Swiss.