Does anyone know when Hamilton Stoped making the red minute markers pointing to the center of the dial on the 16 size rialroad watches?

I have a 1907 "990" that they do, but the rest of them are normal. What a pretty movement though!!

Thanks.

Regards,
Larry

Larry, are you referring to red numbers in the marginal minutes track or the dots?

The Numbers Ed. I think it may be because it is a 990 Right?

Thank you Ed!

Regards,
Larry

The 990 and 992 both used the same dial and it should be a double sunk unit. I have not seen a 990 with a dial that was not also offered on the 992. Hamilton put the 15 and 45 min marker on a horizontal plane and the 30 and 60 on a vertical plane and the other numbers were situated on a horizontal plane, ie 25 and 45,20 and 40, 10 and 50, and 5 and 55 were on the same horizontal plane. This is a bit different that you sometimes see on Elgin dial (BWR 341 24hr dial) where the red min markers are always in line with the black marker. Hampden had some dials where the red min markers were like the Elgin or some like the one below that was like the Hamilton format. I think you can find examples of each type for the major brands, off hand I am not sure sure which is more or less common.

Thank you Claude.

I have a BUNCH of the Hamiltons, and this one is the only one like the Elgin in your picture. The rest of them look like the one in your last picture. Course it is the only one I have that is 1907 also. The rest of them are from 1917 to 1968.

Regards,
Larry

If you look on ebay and do a "Hamilton Pocket Watch" search and also include search of the description and in both 18 and 16 size you can find dials that look like the Elgin. When you see these it will be with the fancy Hamilton script, if you go to about 1 day you will see an 18s and a 16s (dial and case only). I don't think they are very common with the dials that have the block Hamilton script but they are not that uncommon for dials with the fancy Hamilton script. I think the 990 was phased out in 1919 but when the Hamilton switched to the block script on the 992 they did so on the 990 also.

I looked at the dials on my 990's and one has smaller red markers but the numbers are arranged in the horizontal plane format and the other has slightly larger red minute markers and all point to the center of the dial like the Elgin does, both have fancy Hamilton script.

I have long wondered why Hamilton collectors do not jump on the 990's over the 992's, better grade watch and usually your can pick them up at a lower price than the 992.

Well I was reading about them on here, and I went on and got the one I have. I was really happy with that movement. It is really something to look at.

I think it's something like the 952 and the 950. It's the same thing, and that 952 is some watch, and a LOT less money. Two less jewels is all that I can see as the difference.

Thank you for your help Claude.

Regards,
Larry

Larry I think you made a wise choice, I think the total production for the 990 was under 15K (without looking it up) so it is a much lower production movement than the 992, much nicer looking movement than the 992 and a better grade and more expensive when originally sold than the 992. I have two 990's and they are two of my better looking movements, they came in two basic versions, the two screw and the one screw (wind wheel hold-down). Like the 992 the two screw is earlier so I ended up getting one version of each. One of mine is a 4 post dial the other a 3 post dial. Keep your eyes out for the 990 since many people will pass them over and jump all over the 992's. The hunter version of the 990 (991) is hard to get and usually you will have to give up body parts to get one, the hunter version of the 992 (993) is much more common than the 991 and you have to give up less body parts but both are typically more expensive than the 990 or 992. I have a 993 but no 991 at the moment since they are rare and tend to be more expensive than I want to swing for. Some people don't go for hunter watches but you can find some nice examples at a decent price if you scour and look a lot.