Hey all! As you know, I recently became the proud owner of a 1911 Hamilton 954L 17j movement. Double roller, adjusted 5 positions. So it is a railroad grade watch. I am going to start looking around for a 4-foot dial and hands for this, and would like to hear your input. Regards, Brad

Well Brad I always liked the BM dials. I don't know if they ever came on these 954's or not. The one on Ebay right now does not have a big heavy marked dial and I have no idea if it is the original dial or not. I don't know enough about the hands to suggest any. I know what I like but that does not mean they were offered with the 954. Good luck and keep us posted.

Thanks Harry. I know I'm pretty much limited to a certain time period with the 4 foot dials. There are a few threads covering everything 3 foot on, but not much on these early buggers. Oh, by the way, the one on the bay right now is a pendant-set. Mine is a lever-set. Brad

Brad, The very early 4 ft dials were marked Hamilton Watch Co. in script. Then they were Hamilton in script, later went to 3 ft dials, then to block lettering. Depending on your SN I think any 4 ft dial is appropriate. The one I just purchased was sporting a 3 ft Script dial and was double sunk. I believe, others may differ, that either DS, or SS is appropriate. DS dials look better, but are more expensive to buy. I also have opinions about Roman Numerals vs Arabic Numerals. I think if not for railroad use that either is appropriate. You can usually find the RN dials a bit easier, or at least, less expensive.

Brad one way to find a 4 foot dial is to look for a 16s Hamilton movement with 2 screws holding the winding wheel and a serial number below around 850000 in my experience. Usually that means a 4 foot dial but it is not absolutely infallible. The Hamilton folks might have more information and Mike is right about the script. Good luck!

Check tis out . . .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1901-H...&hash=item3f13b26ae6

I love that dial David! The ad says it is a 14s. Brad

Brad, The SN says it is a 972 and that's what it looks like to me. It would be a nice SS 4 ft dial if the price is right. A pretty nice set of hands too.

Oh, I knew it was a 16s Mike. And this would be just perfect, except I'd be stuck with a 972 movement that I would have to deal with later. Brad

Brad,

I hate to say it but that's the game your playing here or you'll have to fight for a 4 footed dial by itself.

The 972 LS production figures are 35,642 (PS 11,375).

The 952 L production figures are 1,898

So now you need a dial that will cost more then likely the price of this whole watch as a donor. It a fairly low production watch so you rob the dial here.

Now to get your money back or most of it you throw out the movement on Ebay and try to get 30 or 40 bucks back and with the case you should be able to get another $50 bucks or so. Someone else has the problem and you have a dial for almost free.

The 954L IMO is about a $200 watch

That's the game, like it or not

I might add I'd keep the case too since your going to need one and throw the movement on Ebay for a rebate lol . Now no more than that movement will bring it would be a nice watch to do a COA on if you ever want to work on watches or you have a watch to rob parts for rarer models

That's the way this seems to work.

You're right Rick. I was thinking about it after I had posted. But, I would sell the case too, as I already have a nice one to put it in. Regards, Brad

Well, after checking my available cash, it seems I don't have the funds available to bid on that 972 anyway. So, I'll have to wait for another. However, thank you for the advice Rick. It is well taken. Brad

Well I bid that watch up to 102.50 which is way too much for a watch I don't need. If I win it send me your address though a PM and I send you the dial for your watch.

Hopefully Dave is right and it's 4 footed. With that being are early unmarked model he's probably correct.

Rick

Thank you VERY much Rick! I'm flabbergasted!
Let me know if you win. Tell you what, if you win, I'll buy the whole watch from you for what you paid. I'll have the money available in about a week. Would that be okay? Kindest regards, Brad

Well that didn't work. That's what I was afraid of posting a link on this board someone would pick it up. We tried, it went for 108.50 which normally you can pick these up for under 100 bucks all day long.

Really I was going to tell you save your money for a nice double sunk 4 foot dial. That's a low production watch and needs more than a SS dial with a hair lines but it would have restored it to carry.

I don't care what the watch book says it's worth with a little over 1800 watches made there some upside potential on watches like these. The watch book has this as ABP of $125 which is a joke since this was a rail road approved watch and the dial on one of these will bring around 100 bucks depending on condition.

Knowledge is key buy the Ehrhardt book there's a lot of cherry picking that can still be done. You don't know how many high dollar watch dials I've robbed over the years put on cheap low grade watches. I put on a hair lined dial and resell it for about the same money. This parting out watches makes you do things you don't want to do.

Had this been a 3 foot dial I could have helped you right off the bat.

rick

l8r

I've been out of the buying and selling for about 8 years now and just trying to get my sea legs under me again. See the watch book hasn't changed much.

Rick

Brad, here is a good example. A 975 with a nice DS dial just sold on Used Horological for $45. That would have been a very nice dial in my opinion. Keep looking!

Thanks Mike, and Rick. I'll be looking. One will turn up sometime, and I agree Rick, it would look extra sharp with a double-sunk. Regards, Brad

Brad
According to Halligan's summary of the 954 it was furnished with a DS dial and since the watches were fabricated between 1910 and 1914 the dial with the script "Hamilton" would have been the one used. Bob

Thanks Lin. I found one on a 975 that has "Richardson's Special" on it. I posted the bay link over in Pitfalls. I'd just about kill for that one. Regards, Brad

I'm all over it...like a hungry dog on a pork-chop!

I do not know where I got the info from, but I have in my notes that the Hamilton 4 foot dial is prior to 1911. For a 972 movement that would be somewhere in the 787401 - 788000 range.

My experience has been that any SN lower than the late 8xx,xxx have 4 foot dials. Never thought about SN's being assigned to certain grades.

Picked up another 954 yesterday. This one is a marked movement in a Hamilton case. PS/PW

Movement needs cleaned but seems to be a runner.

Very nice Mike! I'm beginning to think that the 954 is one of my favorite movements. So gosh darn pretty. Brad

Nice one Mike. Like Brad I like the 954. You don't see it everyday yet it is affordable. I have 4. Three PS and one LS. One of these days I need to get rid of two of the PS watches. Like Brad said they are nice watches.

Thanks, i like them too. This differs from my other one in that it is marked and a later SN. i do "NEED" a lever set

The lever set 954's don't seem to pop up as much for some reason. I have two fully marked 954 PS movements. They are identical except one is a 4 footed model and one is a 3 footed model.