While we spend a lot of time bashing the popular auction site, here is an interesting example that if you look long enough, you will find one.. I do not say this about many watchs, but is is a NOS or in my words Never Been Used.. While this was bought, thinking it was a nice example of a Hamilton 937, quite suprised when it arrived.. No scratches, no marks, No jewelers marks, Absolutly New.. So new that when it got here, I couldn't figure out why it had WD 40 all around the bezel and dial..the seller thinking the front bezel unscewed a little stiff "lubed" it..in reality the threads were tight because it has not been opened much in it life..What else is still out there...

Nice find John, Got anymore pics.?

Dial

Mvmt.. I guess the owners name was Thomas Fitzgerald

John,
Nice-nice-wow////
You can send this one to Georgia/////
Tony

Interesting, indeed, but possibly peculiar that the hunting movement is in an open face case and that although the movement is specially marked the dial is not.

John Scott

Being a skeptic is a good when thing when buying, my comments were not forsale hype..

John, that is understood but because the watch is such a gem, as you say, its history and originality become all the more relevant to all of us who like to know about such things.

Hi John:
Very nice find!
Cheers!
Joel

I just left a dinner engagement with a friend who brought me his grandfathers watch. The dial read "Hamilton Watch Co". It was in a swing out Philedelphia GF case. When I looked at the watch chassis it read Thomas Fitzgerald. It looked very much like the one pictured in this post. I wrote down information about the watch but when I got home I noticed I neglected to write down the most important information, the serial number. Does anyone have any information about these watches?

Wow, what a beauty. I love the private labels, makes for interesting research. Someone must have really cherished this watch to have kept it in new condition.

Ray

There's a Thomas Fitsgerald (probably a jeweler) listed in the gold book. They give an 18s,17j, Model 1, Grade 936, Hamilton as an example.
Brian C.

Brian: Thank you very much for the information. This is beginning to make more sense to me. When I could not find Thomas Fitzgerald listed in the Gilbert, Engle and Shugart book I figured it was a private label.

Privately labeled watches are an interesting derivative subject. There is a theory that some of them may be one of a kind items.

Don

I think you might be right. I have three private labeled South Bend Watches in my collection. Two are 18s and one is 16s. What makes them different from these Hamiltons is that my South Bends have private labeled dials on South Bend marked movements. The watches here have Hamiton scripted dials on movements marked Thomas Fitzgerald.

Here is a Hamilton private label I recently bought, it has the name on both the dial & movement. I am guessing it is another jeweler in Ohio but I haven't had any luck finding anything on it.

Tom

Movement

It's a "beaut" that name deserves research, a 940 "special" private label strongly hints a RR Issue.

Wow, you guys are peeking my interst in private label watches. I might have to set my South Bend Only Watch acquistion guidelines asside. Here is a link to Interstate Time company Web site. They have some nice examples there too: http://www.interstatetime.com/PrivateLabels/PL_Main.htm

Tom,
the gold book also lists S. Engwiller, Mansfield, Ohio. It shows as an example a Hamilton 21j- special, adjusted 5 positions. It also lists a Hamilton 16s, 21jewels, 992,RRG.
So now all you have to do is find the 16s to go with your other Engwiller.
Brian C.

Brian

What is the gold book you speak of? I don't think I have ever heard of the book. When someone is listed in it what does it mean?

Tom

Brian

I think I just answered my own question, I guess the gold book is "American Pocket Watches" by Ehrhardt & Meggers. I have a copy of it but hadn't looked in it.

Tom

That's it Tom.
This book is a must for people that like private labels. It's also good for comparing movements to see what you might have, lots of movement diagrams.
Brian C.

If you see one of these on eBay, it's worth a serious try