A Hamilton 950B, or Ball-Waltham 21j.....of the two, which would you carry on a daily basis, both being equal in terms of time keeping and condition.

Popular concensus has always been to put examples like this away in safe keeping, but me being a 'use them if you got 'em' mentality, as well as having a wife who tells me constantly 'enjoy them!', which would you advice being the best choice for daily carry....and 'rotate them', 'the one you like the best', or 'neither' is a cheaters answer. Pick one and explain why.

Regards! Mark

Mark, please post pictures of the two examples.

Wish I could, Tom. Daughters have the cameras.

Just to describe them more, the 1915 21j Ball-Waltham is in an excellent white gold Ball case with stirrup bow, perfect ORRS dial, and fully serviced. The engraving on the case isn't crisp, but excellent none the less.

The 1953 950B is in a correct A style Hamilton case, also dated 1953, with correct baton hands and very good melamine dial with correct 23j Railway Special markings. Fully serviced.

As I say, all things being considered, they are on pretty equal footing regarding pluses and minuses for carry or not to carry in my opinion, so based on my description above, which should get the nod?

I'm just looking for food for thought as I ponder this decision, as I WILL be carrying one or the other and enjoying it as advised by my better half and my watchmaker.

Just looking to see if anyone can make a case of one being best for consideration over the other, that's all.

Regards! Mark

Given the choice, I would favor the Hamilton simply because it is a little easier to deal with. Also you might look for a Stainless Steel case.

Thanks David. Just a side question, why would it be a little easier to deal with? Parts?

Regard! Mark

I'm with Dave Hamilton will be the one .
you always put ware on your case if you carry so ss case,silveroid or silver is best for that.

I'd go with the Ball as I personally find the stirrup bow to be more attractive.

Understood, Peter, but just given what I've said above with no variations or changes, which one would YOU recommend for carry, 'as is', and why?

Thanks Tom!

Regards! Mark

Yes, parts and service are both easier. It is like comparing a 1955 Ford Crown Vic. with a 1984 5 speed Trans-am. (Had both).

You need a camera, I have Marjorie's Canon that fell in a pitcher of beer in 06. Mebbe it dried out now . . .

Mark,

I have several fully serviced watches (Thanks Dave) that I keep out handy... not tucked away in the safe or in the display case...

I rotate them based on my mood or destination on any given day. Dinner and co-ed events get a sexy gentleman's watch. Work gets a nickle or silveroid cased RR grade 16s or 18s... poker night gets my best, early model '92... about as big and imposing as they get...

I reckon I'm saying, I would not relegate one or the other to the safe... over time, I've settled down on one or two that seem to jump in my pocket more often than others... but it isn't a deliberate decision.

Thank you for the fun thread,

Paul

Those are good points, Dave, but ironic.

My daily driver is a 1950 Plymouth, and our family car is a 2005 Malibu. I treat them the same, and drive them equally, though parts for the Plymouth are getting difficult to find on a daily basis, I still enjoy and drive 'her' everyday.

Good points all, Paul. My work situation is all in a control room at a University, and I live in rural South Central Tennessee, so my 'outings' in full regalia are few to none. I'm interested in going 'either or' at the moment.

I'm not saying I'm putting the off watch into a safe....but it will not be a 'mainliner', per se, like the one I decide to go with. I, too, enjoy all my watches.

I'm getting to the point I'm trying to reduce the number of operating watches I have at any given time on my 'ready rack'. I'd like to be down to having one regular carry, one vest watch, one wrist watch, and one yard watch with my remaining collection at the ready, but more to pull out and enjoy rather than depend on....and I DO depend on my timepieces in my line of work (distance education).

I have the wrist, vest carry, and yard watch in place. Now I'm working on my daily carry...and it's down to one of these two, based on my original reasons given above.

Anyone else have an opinion?

You're right Dave, I do need a camera....but like many other things going on in my life, would have little time to fool with it. Maybe in the near future......

Regards! Mark

Wearing out a nice gold-filled case thru daily carrying would seem a good way to destroy its value, so'd recommend the the Ball watch in a silveroid Ball case if you want to keep it correct.

Welcome back - Ed...

Agreed! Welcome back, Ed!!

Well, folks seem to like my movement choices, but not the cases they're in.

Well, I understand, and agree with the reaons, but I don't have either to replace these with (at this time, should I go that route), so I'm still stuck with the original question.

Until I do have replacement cases, what are the thoughts on the watches themselves?

Dave made some excellent points on parts availability and difference in difficulty in repair.

I've seen a couple votes for the Ball, and couple for the Hamilton.

Any other thoughts?

Regards! Mark

Those are both great watches. My initial thought was to pick the one that would be less traumatic to have drop on concrete. But then I realized that would be lousy either way and go with what is going to be the most fun to look at every day.

On that count, I personally like the look of the Ball a bit better.

Thanks Jim. I'm of the same mind myself, so I may be coming to a conclusion.

Regards! Mark

Since I am a bit of a Hamilton man myself, I would choose the 950B. There is however another reason for that choice and that is that it will probably be easier to get a replacement case for it if anything happened. A Hamilton A case is more common than a Ball case. That's my opinion and I'm willing to share.

Regards, Krister.

A sound reason, my friend. Thank you!

Regards! Mark

Mark, I would use the one that you consider has the most "WOW" factor. I know you as well as many of us would not pass up a chance to talk to anyone that asks about the watch we pull to check the time. That is where the "WOW" factor comes in!

Mark - Here is how I look at it - the movement will survive daily wear as long as it is not dropped, banged, soaked etc, etc.

However, I would not carry a watch in a nice gold case, on a daily basis, due to pocket wear.

For daily carry I would use a badly brassed gold case, base metal, silveroid or stainless steel. Silveroid and stainless steel keep looking good even when worn.

This may mean selecting one of the watches to switch out and put in a 'daily carry' case. Put the good case away and save it from wear and tear and for the future switch back when you stop carrying the watch daily.

anything in a nice polished silveroid case, coin or sterling silver case or the greatest tough case a stainless steel case. I like to keep my best movements in gold cases and with good gold cases becoming such victims to "melt down" why damage the ones left. If I wanted to impress people I would go with a Hamilton 990 or in the case of the Watham an earlier 16s Vanguard or Riverside Maximus for pure "eye-candy" impact. These earlier watch grades won't hang with the later exoctic metal grades in terms of accuracy but for eye pop impact they put the later ones to shame.

Hi Mark, my choice would be the Ball-Waltham. My reason being that the dials are the weakest link in the two watches. The one being porcelain and the other being melamine. We all know what happens to melamine in time. I have a 950b and for this reason it is not my EDC watch, but on the other hand the 950b has the WOW factor when looking at the movement. I wish I had your problem, because it sounds like you have two nice watches! I wish you could have given us an easier choice. Best Regards, Tim

I agree with Tim and wouldn’t carry any watch with a very good melamine dial on a daily basis, especially one marked 23 jewels. Using the 950B occasionally and the Ball daily is what seems logical to me.

RR

I cycle through several watches that I consider to be my favorites. One of them happens to be a 950B in #2 case with blind mans dial marked 23j. I use one of Eric's leather fobs to keep it nice and secure. I know the case wears but to me since I'm keeping it and passing on to my son one day, I don't care. I wear it 1-2 per week. Hopefully it wears a long time

I also have what I consider "the beater". Its a 21j 18s Vanguard. Its in an old beat up case and doesn't look great. But it keeps great time and I don't worry about brassing/dings. Its like the workhorse of my watches and sees the most pocket time.

Everyone enjoys these things differently. I love to carry it just as it would looked years ago and some love to put on display. Regardless, If we can't enjoy these watches why have them?

Anyway, the point I was trying to make is: I would alternate if you love them both! There will be less wear to them both that way. Just my 2 cents..

I always thought this;

You aren't going to take it with you and when you are gone you probably won't know it's disposition

So......

Wear the best that you have and see if you can wear that baby out

And as to automobiles

Drive it like you just stole it

Learn to enjoy life and make yourself happy, it's a one time deal

regards,
bb

I'd carry the 950 b since i've never owned one (yet)

I am with you on carrying the watches I own, i enjoy them more if I carry them. I don't carry the 18 sized watches though as I find them too bulky

Thank you all for your valuable input since I last logged in.

I, too, am coming to the belief of what was said so well by Buster to carry what you like, as you're not taking it with you.

What brought this all to mind was the discovery over the Holidays by a very close family member they had terminal lung cancer.

This close family member brought me a 992B I gave him to regulate, as he had always kept it in a safe and special place after I gifted it to him, only for him to come to the realization that all the time he had owned it, he had never actually enjoyed it. Now it was 'too late', and he wanted to get as much enjoyment and carry time as he could, WHILE he could.

Needless to say, that statement jolted me regarding what I was squirreling back in my watch box for the same reasons. I didn't collect these watches for investment or value building purposes. I got them because I liked them, and I USE them.

Once again, I very much appreciate the members input.

I believe my final decision is to take the advice of splitting the usage up and place the Ball on a vest chain for vest carry (I HAVE a vest chain with a dated link of 1913, so they'll be only 2 years apart in date of production!), and the 950B on a pocket chain for trouser carry. I do alternate between those styles of dress this time of year.

May as well enjoy them both equally.

Thank you all again. You helped me with all your throughtful advice.

Regards! Mark

Mark I am with Buster on this one. Yes the gold will wear but the stirrup bow case is so nice that I would carry that one and my heirs can have the Hamilton. Of course I like the 21j Hampden 16s New Railway I am carrying now, but yours are ok too!

Thanks Richard. I will!

Regards !Mark

Hi Mark, both watches are fantastic, I come from the 'use it or lose it' school. Like everyone else I seem to gravitate towards a select few watches in my collection to wear. Both of your watches are among my favorites and I'd split their daily duty evenly. Just take care of the melamine dial on your 950B like everyone else mentioned. Keep it out of the freezing cold and away from extended extreme heat... otherwise inside your pocket is just fine. enjoy them both.

Joseph, the dial points on the 950B actually puts it more in the con side of the decision, as I live in South Central Tennessee, where the humidity is awful in summer, and the winters are weird. A lot of shifts where I live in that regard.

Right now the dial is in fine shape, so I can control the temps and humidity stored in my watch box, but that said, I can do the same in carry situations, so it's a 50/50 proposition.

I think you're right. Maybe the Hamilton IS my best choice for parts, but with the dial situation, and it IS marked 23j, the Ball seems the right choice.

I was also concerned about using the stirrup bow, which is in good shape, but was assured by Leon Harris that he could easily rebuild it if need be, so that's no longer an 'issue'.

I wish the Ball was a better time keeper. It has been completely COA'd by Chris, but still gains anywhere from 6 to 10 seconds one day, then loses that amount the next! No real biggie, I know, but I like my watches to run close to spec, and 99% of the time they do too. The fact it's a Ball and keeping such weird time, it's almost blasphemy to even refer to it as being such!

That said, and considering what has been offered by my friends here and comparing the pros and cons, I believe the Hamilton is getting the nod. It's in my pocket 'as we speak'.

Thank you all for your input. I really appreciate it.

Regards! Mark

Hey Mark just tkink, when you carry that ball...you can TIME THEM ALL!!! just couldn't resist, had to get that one in.ENJOY,tim