I should never complain about getting a very good watch cheap ~$130 total but it does make me wonder at times.

On the big auction site in the cloud I found a Hampden sitting in lanquish land hoping for a bid. Decent pictures, early IWC Supreme case that looks to be more nickel than the later cheap base metal Supreme cases. The case had little to no wear the movement was a running Hampden grade 105 model 4 21j LS movement. The dial has a small chip just above the 7 but otherwise is a nice period correct DS dial. nice correct blue hand with no rust or damage that I can see. It has a glass crystal that should be replaced if you want to be picky.

If I unscrew the back I am looking at one of the cleanest movements I have seen in a very long time and I am being conservative when I say that. No scrapes on the plates, no rust on the chrome parts, all screws correct and undamaged, simply a beautiful, running, high grade RR watch in a good case for $130.

Again I have no room to complain but when you see a good RR watch like this go for little what it is worth makes you go "huh".

Yea, I'm on both sides of that equation... and it can get a little crazy.

On the buying side, it's great... on the selling side, it *****.

You see some auctions on watches and you almost laugh til your sides hurt because the price is so out of line and others like this Hampden 105 that was lucky to get a bid.

Good for you, Claude, I've made a few lucky buys, and a few not so lucky, I guess it averages out.
Gary

Maybe Deacon will chime in but I honesty have no problem spending the same amount of money on a good Hampden that I spend on an good Elgin, Waltham or Hamilton but there are many who consider them close to dollar watches and sometimes I get lucky because of it.

I was just so surprised when I took the back off since the pictures did it no justice.

Claude, I think you were in the right place at the right time on that one!Usually those No. 105's go for twice that amount and more sometimes.Even the non-RR 17J McKinleys go for more than that.The thing that still gets me as a Hampden collector, is if that had been a 992, there would have been a bidding war for it.I agree that a nice Hampden is worth the same as any of the others, but there will always be those that think they ain't!!Can you post some pics of it? Take care, Ted.

For roughly the same amount I bought an 18s and 17J Hampden with a fancy dial from a guy who said it was his grandfather's timepiece. Now, in the first place I thought it strange to be purchasing somebody's grandfather's watch, but if I didn't someone else would have because the dial was flawless, and like yours, the case and plates were in great shape. That happens. The other side of it is the silver-cased RR-grade Hampden that someone bought from me (story elsewhere) for, again, $130., and then had buyer's remorse!
So as Gary says, it averages out.

kh

Good catch Claude. The Hampden 21J grade 105 bridge model 4 is my most respected Hampden 16s movements. Sadly it lacks the collectible snobbery that it deserves for the workmanship that went into its finishing.

It's been said many many times, but Hampden's have NEVER received the respect they deserve. Sometimes you find a good one on the 'bay' because someone mis-spelled the name, Hampden.
They don't come up in a search.

Regards! Mark

Here is the movement (upside down to show the condition of the regulator)The area near S-F where the regulator star is normally gouged up from screwdrivers but this one looks like it has never been adjusted, if so it was with something that did not scrape that area. Jewels sets are gold and clean.

Spiffy!


kh

Dial has chip but I have some extra, so easy enough to fix that issue.

Case back that still has the tuxedo marks

That dial is easy enough to replace, Claude - as is the crystal, if need be.

kh

ps. I just learned a lesson in doing some things yourself - if you want it done right. I sent off two dials to a watchmaker acquaintance who said he had the missing hands needed for them. Just got 'em back today. The minute hand doesn't match the hour hand on the Hampden, and he put 1930s hands on an 1896 ds dial Hamilton. Brilliant.

I'll give some credit to this club for making me knowledgeable and exacting enough to recognize those blown calls.
Get a new dial, Claude. That one is hosed. And don't depend on anyone else for it.

Claude,
Very clean movement. Find a new dial and you will own a beauty.
Tony

Nice watch Claude!Thanks for the pics, Ted.

Here is a normal shot of the movement

With a better looking dial

Today's lesson: how to make a nice watch even nicer: put a Montgomery dial on it!Very nice watch...Ted.

This dial was on a 17j Hampden 108 so I swapped the dials. After bleaching and using denture cleaner on the other one the spot lightened up and is not as dingy as it was before. Since the 108 is a pendant set seeing this on a 105 is probably a lot more correct.

A nice watch Claude, much better in the gold font, I have one the same as yours and another in black font, the latter does not look as good. All in all a great score at the price.

Cheers,
Bila

When it comes to Hampden there are too many bad "urban legends" so people never give them a good look. If you are looking at "flipping" watches then I don't think other than Illinois or Hamilton are more guaranteed to win on the flip a higher percentage of the time, Hampden probably the lowest percentage. I collect all brands but mostly Elgin but there certainly isn't anything wrong with the quality of the build of a Hampden that I have seen.

Claude you have a fine watch and one designed to compete with the other great American made railroad watches. I do think that with proper maintenance they will keep time as well as Hamilton and Illinois railroad watches. I also think a higher proportion of Hampdens saw harder use as they were slightly less expensive than comparable Illinois, Hamilton and Elgin grades. That is just my theory from collecting Hampdens over the years.