Hi everybody! Thought I'd post some pics of my favorite baby, my 992. I bought this last year for around $200.00. The serial # is 2486027, which puts it at 1927-28. It's in a Star case, which I know is not original. However, I just purchased a Hamilton/Keystone Rail Road Model 5, white gold filled, on ebay that I believe to be period correct. The dial is a single sunk HG. Is this dial correct? Or does it need a DS dial? I've read here in the forums that mine is an "emergency" dial. What do you think? Brad

pictures:

New improved case:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...X%3AIT#ht_2815wt_905

Brad,

Your watch is fronting a SS Heavy Gothic dial Dial 080 from the 1940's. You need an earlier DS dial, something like a HA Dial 576 or 522, or possibly a CPR Dial 577 (see picture).

992 Dials (Thanks to Richard Romero)

Thank you Ed! Ah...choices, choices, choices. I really like the 519 HG dial. Just something about those big, black numbers! Would that one work? Brad

Brad, this is what your watch will look similar to once it is in the Mdl. 5 case....esp. the one in the center....

Regards,

Jerry

Brad,
That would look like the watch in this ad.

RR

Hamilton Model No. 5 Advertisement

Thanks Jerry and Richard! Simply gorgeous! I like my Star case a lot too. I think I'm going to use it for a really nice 974 I've got floating around here. I really had to do the pouting and whinning thing to get my wife to let me go after that Model 5! Now, I need to start watching for a dial. I think I like the HG so much because I have no trouble seeing it. I can't see a Montgomery dial for beans. Best regards, Brad

The Dial 519 started near the end of the 992 era and might be a little late for a 1927-1928 watch, but I'd say close enough if you like the design.

Brad,
Another option is the Heavy Arabic 436 dial.

RR

Serial number 2473499

Thanks everyone for your help. I'm going to have to think about this for awhile. I've got plenty of time since I can't buy anything till at least summer! At any rate, it's going to look a lot better in the case it's supposed to be in. Best regards, Brad

Richard, those are the hands that I THOUGHT were supposed to be on the early model Hamiltons. When did they start coming out with the Spade/ Whip hands that I see on a lot of them?

Regards,
Larry

Larry,
The dial style was the determining factor for hands used and in 1927-1928 the hands shown would be correct for that dial on a 992 as far as I know.

In the ad below you can see the older style hands were still available on the 974 concurrently with the 992E which must be 1930's era.

RR

As far as the "newer style" hands the earliest ad I could find is from 1922.

RR

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen's Magazine 1922

Thank you so much Richard.

Wow, this can get really confusing at times!!

Also, in that add under my post, that is a model #16 case, and I was told that it came out in the 50's. That add looks older than that. Maybe not.

I just got one like yours, with the Montgomery dial, and I was thinking of putting those hands like yours on it.

Regards,
Larry

Richard & Lawrence....My opioion of the hands shown on the watch, sn-2473499, above are entirely all wrong for the movement....I think, and I could be wrong, the proper hands would have been the Heavy Spade hour hand, Whip minute hand and the Dart second hand....

The hands on Brads watch are correct with the exception of the second hand which should be the Dart....

Just my opinion....maybe Lindell, Ed or someone can tell me if I am wrong....

Regards,

Jerry

Jerry, That would be good as I have sold and received a lot of 992 and 992B's from the twentys with those smaller hands on them, and was under the impression they were the correct hands. I have even changed some BACK to that type.

Regards,
Larry

Larry, the hands on 2473499 should actually be on the Hamilton,974, Traffic Special....Look at the bottom watch on the literature piece about five posts above....

Regards,

Jerry

Larry,
You are welcome and definitely right about things being confusing. The case in the advertisement above (posted 02:20) is actually a Traffic Special housing a 974. It was introduced long before the model no. 16. The traffic special is marked 10 KT. GOLD FILLED whereas the model no. 16 is marked 10 K. ROLLED GOLD PLATE. To make it more confusing the Traffic Special case was used as an emergency case for the 992B in 1946 when die breakage was preventing the regular cases of the time from being produced. The model no. 16 was introduced in 1951.
RR

Here's some more pictures of the "older style" hands on 992 factory RR cases. Is the CPR correct with these hands? I don't know.

Here's a link that may clear up the "older style" hands on a 436 HA dial.

992 Railroad Watch - Is this an original set?

RR

Larry,
For the Montgomery(Numerical) dials, in a model no. 5 case, whether a BMN 522 or a HA N 581 the correct hands are shown above in Jerry's post on December 22, 2010 19:04.

Brad,
Good news, upon further research I'm finding the HG dial was introduced in either 1927 or 1928. Also, I found a factory box for a Model No. 2 case with movement # 2477666 and the HG 519 dial. My Model No. 2 case has 992 number 2475978 and it's fronting a HG 519 dial. By all means use the HG 519 if you like the style. Chances are more than likely it could be entirely correct for your movement, Model No. 5 case, and the hands you have with the exception of the seconds hand which should be the dart style as Jerry mentioned above.

The Heavy Gothic dial was also advertised on the Model No. 4 case.

Model No. 4 case with Heavy Gothic dial referred to as "high visibility"

That's great, Richard! Out of curiosity, do you have a close-up picture of the "dart" second hand? I bought these hands as a set. My 992 came with thin spade hands and no second hand. I'll get her correct one way or another! Regards, Brad

So NOW I find that you can mix a Baton minute hand with the Spade hour hand!!

Thank you Richard, and Jerry!!

Regards,
Larry

Brad,
The Dart second hand was made in blue or black. There are two different lengths and I'm pretty sure you'll need the longer one.

Often said it's always best to collect non-argumentative examples and the above Model No. 5 with the HA 436 dial and "early type" hands clearly shows why. As far as I know there's no documentation to prove the hands are correct. It seems the way it's been determined the hands are correct is by enough examples being reported for it to be more than coincidence. When your watch is complete it will be non-argumentative.

By the way that is my watch posted above and I've decided to leave it that way because that's how I found it except for the hands which were the same style but cut very short.

Jerry's opinion on the hands "early style" being wrong is also correct and valid to me. It's my opinion that one of the things that makes this hobby so much fun is sometimes there is no right or wrong, correct or incorrect, black or white, only grey which makes it colorful in my eyes.

I don't see the Baton minute hand Larry?

As always I'm still learning so please correct me if needed,
RR

Dart Seconds Hand

Thank you very much, Richard, and everyone else too. Boy! I love this place! Brad

Not that importent Richard. It was in one of the links I was following. I cannot find it now. I think it was in one of Lindell's.

I get to following these links at times and I forget where I was. Something like when I uset to hunt up in Maine. wouldn't get out of the back woods untill midnight at times.

Regards,
Larry

Well everybody, my Model 5 case just arrived tonight. Really nice, except it's got a small chip on the edge of the crystal. I can live with that for now. Brad

Larry, before we confuse you more, none of the hands above are Batton hands....

Take a look here Hamilton with Batton Hands and you see what I mean....

Regards,

Jerry

No Jerry, Trust me I know Baton hands, and I THOUGHT what dial they went to, as I have a buyer who will pay whatever for every one he can get.

It is just that when I was going through the links yesterday I saw a Baton minute hand with a spade hour hand with the fat second hand. It was even talked about in the post, and I just couldn't believe it.

I will try to find it.

Regards,
Larry

Larry,

The case in the ad that you mentioned as resembling a Case 16 is actually a Traffic Special case from the 1930's, which looks like a Case 16, except it is 10K gold-filled instead of 10K rolled gold plate like a Case 16.

Thank you Ed, but is that correct, a Baton minute hand with a spade hour hand?

Regards,
Larry

Well folks, it's the end of the holiday season, and for Christmas, my wife let me buy a pristine 519 HG dial that I found on ebay! It came today! And it is gorgeous!!! Now, all that remains is a dart second hand, and a dust band. Then, I'm gonna send it down to Chris for a COA, and it'll be ready to wear! Thanks everyone for your help on this little project. I really appreciate it! Regards, Brad