Is anyone interested in a near mint Hamilton 939? I had it professionally serviced and can provide the watchmakers name, address and phone number with the watch. One source says only 300 were made. This is a 2 STAR watch.

This very nice and rare watch has a non matching serial number cock on it. Everything else is very nice and has been professionally serviced.

Thanks

Thank you Lindell for the correct information. Here is the source of my information; https://hamiltonpocketwatchman...ocket-Watches-Click/

I will indeed go with your information on the watch production numbers and will verify by counting the Gelson list.

Yes I know that there are purest that take offense to a watch that does not have matching numbers. As you also noted something has to be done to save an rare watch that is mostly in tact. Although not ideal it is something that in my opinion has to be done. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would not do that on a common what I would just use it as a parts watch. Would these same people turn there nose up at a watch that there were only a couple made and a part had to be made to make it complete. There are a lot of very rare items not just in watches but in many different antiquities that parts are produced to make the antique whole again.

I for one am proud to have saved such a rare 2 star movement. My price would be negotiable but I did not think anyone here would be interested in it even if it was the only one in existence because the cock was replaced.

Thank you again my friend for your wise input and I will show it when I get a chance to take pictures.

Harry

Hi Lindell as you requested here are some pictures of the 939.

I am open to offers if anyone is interested.

Thanks again for you advise it is always much appreciated.

Harry

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Nice watch Harry...I would of done whatever it took to save the watch too...Yes they do not bring high dollar but they the still have value..I have a 946 that has a mismatched balance cock...Very nice watch and what else was there to do with it besides throw it in a drawer and part it out...My choice was to save it...Whenever anyone was interested in it I always disclosed that it has the wrong balance cock..I have had it for twenty years now and thats ok because I like it...Gary

Well I dont know what THIS one is worth but I have seen two 939s go in the 900 range this summer, so do your deductions from there if you want to sell now in the current market.

We all seen that beautiful Ball 998 Elinvar sell here a couple months ago for only 1950 and he had trouble getting THAT. That watch as recently as 5 years ago sold for 3500 all day long.

I would wait until closer to the Holidays and hope the prices go up a bit. As we all know, the higher end watches were selling for a lot more money 5-10 years ago than they are now. They ebb and flow like anything else.

Yes Gary I do not know why the balance cocks get removed and never put back with the watches. I have a nice Gold Flash Appleton Tracy that has the wrong cock. I purchased it that way. I did not check it when I received it because it was running. But it is not a rare watch but it is a pretty watch.

I have two 939's. This one and a complete one. This one is in much better condition than the other 939 but at least they both run.

I can think of a lot of watches I could have ended up with that have the wrong cock so to end up with a 939 or a 946 for that matter I consider us lucky. We save a very rare watch from the parts drawer. Thanks Gary for your input.

Hi Tom,
Thank for your advise. Yes the price does go up and down. I notice that now I have to pay two to three times what I used to pay for a good case.

Less face it most people will not buy it if they have to pay what it is worth. No matter how bad they want it they will not pay what it is worth even if they have the money. They want a story to go with it like "yes and I stole it for $XXX dollars". And that does make it better.

Tom I appreciate your advise and it makes since. This watch would be great for someone who could never afford a 939 as the value is lower and you would never know it unless you pulled the cock. How much value it loses because of the cock is anyone's guess. Hopefully whoever ends up with this watch will disclose the cock is mismatched either before or after we are all gone. Harry

Harry;

Good notation on the cases, yes the really nice cases have gone WAY up while the watches themselves have went down. There is a definite shortage of nice cases especially the 18S Hunters like you have on that 939. This in part due to the scrapping when gold was 1900 oz, a LOT of them got melted down, even the gold filled ones, such a shame.

Somebody will want that watch, just a matter of time.

I can relate to the hunter case shortage , it has re-newed my love for silver !

Wow, NICE watch Harry!!

If I may just add something.----I agree with Tom, as usual, but might add one more thing to think about Harry. If you wait until the first of the year, or AFTER Christmas, you will find that you will almost always get more for your watches. January through April are the best selling times for these watches. Even the rare ones do better.

I have only been doing this with these watches for a few years now, but have found it to be true every year so far, and I have been selling for the last 50 years, and have always kept an eye on the best months for selling. It almost never changes. JMHO!

Regards,
Larry

Yes Kevin I have been putting away coin open face cases with engraved gold trains on them or jockey's, owls, etc.... The biggest problem with these cases are most are dust proof (swing out cases) and I don't care for these cases but considering the look of the case I collect them anyway. I love the patina on the cases and I do not polish them.

Thank you Larry,

I think it came out nice and of course you and Tom know a lot more about selling these watches than I do and I appreciate your advice.