Loose Dial

June 11, 2008, 13:59

Marty Bell

Loose Dial

I have a dial that is slightly loose. It is on the movement and in the case. This pocket is a 992E Hamilton in a #10 case and in great shape...I don't really want to take it apart to find out the problem; I'm deciding if I should return it to the seller.
Could it be missing dial feet? Maybe the screws?The looseness is side to side;with the hands on it's hard to tell if it would be loose in an up and down direction also.
Any thoughts?

June 11, 2008, 14:07

Lindell V. Riddle

Either the dial feet are loose or missing.

Most likely it is loose from shipping IF you purchased from a credible seller. I say likely because many of us err on the side of caution when installing the dial.

The other and far less likely possibility is a "stuck on" dial with missing feet. If you can supply the movement number and picture showing the dial we can probably determine whether or not the dial is a proper one for the particular application.

That is because there are only a few dials that are right for a 992-Elinvar.

Lindell

June 11, 2008, 14:27

Marty Bell

I'm sure this dial is right, but...

June 11, 2008, 14:27

Marty Bell

SS# 2623336 And Lindell, I think you ae right about missing rather than loose feet. Wouldn't loose feet only show an up/down movement?
And I would guess that two feet would have to be missing for me to notice...?

June 11, 2008, 17:11

Lindell V. Riddle

That is a genuine, original porcelain-enamel dial that is entirely correct for the watch. Hour and minutes hands may be replacements but seconds looks right. That all helps when beginning to establish whether you have a correct original or a sadly altered item.

You are caught "between a rock and a hard place" in this situation. If you take it apart and find alterations, the nearly impossible burden of proof is on you. I would carefully drop out the movement hoping for the best but being ready for the worst.

June 11, 2008, 17:20

Marty Bell

I'm new to Hamilton's and have the #10 case for this same watch in front of me. The bow screw does not look gold. That just doesn't ring true to me,considering the quality of these cases. Am I right?
The screw is tool-marked also-in case that matters...Thanks.

Marty

June 11, 2008, 17:20

Marty Bell

The screw looks gold in the light but steel in the dark-I'm very unsure-don't know if these will help-

June 11, 2008, 17:21

Marty Bell

And-

Marty

June 11, 2008, 17:21

Marty Bell

Dang me-they look so gold in these pic's!

Marty

June 11, 2008, 17:36

Lindell V. Riddle

Marty,

Compare the screw in your Model 10 to what you see in the Wadsworth Case Model 2 you see below, same "bar-over-crown" idea protected by the same 5-22-26 patents.

And yes, the screw should properly be steel...

June 12, 2008, 13:06

Leon Harris

Hi Marty, I agree with Lindell, screw should more than likely be steel. I am working on a Model #2 case now and have it apart. Take a look at the picture there is a gold colored sleeve that the screw goes through.

June 12, 2008, 14:53

Tom Brown

I recently took three of those BOC cases apart & each one had the steel screw Leon photographed.

Tom

June 12, 2008, 16:48

Marty Bell

Thanks for the back-up info guys. I'm OK now-just new to Hamilton cases and they seemed too nice not to have a gold alloy screw. As long as I have original parts I'm happy!