CHECK YOUR 992B YOU (STILL) MIGHT GET LUCKY! --- NOW WE GO TO PART TWO!

July 30, 2006, 00:02

Lindell V. Riddle

CHECK THAT 992B YOU MIGHT GET LUCKY!

Vintage Hamilton Celluloid Watch Box for 992B

Here are the missing ingredients...

July 30, 2006, 01:33

Lindell V. Riddle

Geesh! I can't even find one close to it.

Anyone else doing any good?

July 30, 2006, 11:40

Phillip Sanchez

Well only 59000SN# off. One can only hope. Have you checked your 992B watches?

July 31, 2006, 18:16

Lindell V. Riddle

Say that's a good buy!

Vintage Hamilton Celluloid Watch Box for 992B

Went for only $255.00 which is a bargain for the plastic box alone.

Someone got a nice buy on this one...

August 01, 2006, 16:55

Edward L. Parsons, Jr.

I agree Lin, a bargain, even for just the inner box. I paid a lot more for a similar set 2 years ago, but then I was fortunate enough to acquire the watch that went with them later, so I'm not complaining

Here is another Hamilton inner and outer box set from the same seller:

Click here to view Hamilton box auction

Looks normal enough until you check the outer box label. Its a 992B label, but has "J395396 D" typed in (see pic). What do you make of that?

Odd-Looking 992B Label . . .

August 01, 2006, 18:20

Lindell V. Riddle

Odd looking is right Ed, but this this is not the first time we've found such a label with only one typed-in number (more about that later) but this one may be the oddest we're likely to find!

Let's begin with the obvious, the label relates to a Hamilton 992B but not to any specific 992B movement that we'll likely ever be able to identify. Ironically a Hamilton with movement number J395396 would be a Grade 982 wristwatch from 1947 production but I think we can conclude that is merely a coincidence and not related to this label. However, the reference we see to "Dial 121" on the label makes perfect sense, that refers to the double-sunk Hamilton Railway Special marked Heavy Gothic or squared-off numerals melamine dial.

Now we move to the case references on the label. We see "Model No. 2" which in the very last examples are known to have been just a slightly above that J395396 case number shown on the label, the box and label are a significant collector's item due to that very high number. In fact, there is recorded a 992B number C413843 in a Case Model 2 bearing case number J393997 and it likewise came with a 121 dial apparently during 1954 production. Based upon that example, common sense and logic would make the original watch movement to the auction label somethng in the C413000 area or a bit higher.

How did this oddly marked label happen? My guess is that some bleary-eyed typist on a long-forgotten sleepy Monday morning in 1954 made three mistakes which resulted in what we see in the auction...

Looks like the first error was to begin by typing in the case number rather than the movement number. The second mistake was to type it too high on the label so there was no room for the movement number. And the third mistake was to just let it go rather than beginning again with a fresh label. Typical Monday morning.

Speculation? Of course it is, like I said it's just my guess as to what happened. And if anyone else can come up with an alternative explanation I'm the very first to welcome seeing it!

Here's another one with only the movement number...