Hi all, I had a Hamilton question.Does anyone know if ther's any difference ,other than the fancier damaskeen pattern, between the 990 and the 992? I've never seen a 990, I have a nice all original factory cased 992(model 6 W.G.F.)Was the 990 ever sold in railroad model Hamilton cases,or was it out of production by then.I assume 990's were not as common...Thanks, Ted Brown

The Hamilton 990 was a far better finished piece in my opinin. Here I compare my 990 to a WWII vintage 992B and you can easily see there was much greater time spent skillfully detailing the 990. They are rare and beautiful, and often ignored in the pell-mell rush to collect 992's. The trains and bridges are quite different, few parts will correctly interchange.

There were about 16,500 990's made as opposed to the 1m+ 992's, no doubt much was changed for the 992 model, but the mechanical artistry and sheer beauty of the 990 was left behind when the 992 went into production.
A better view of 990 watchwork details. Look at the Damaskeening patterns

Thanks again Dave,That is a beautiful movement, no wonder the cost was higher!I haven't seen many 990's advertized for sale....Ted Brown.

Theodore,
Your 992 sounds like a pretty nice watch, how about sharing a picture?

David,
I think that's the first 990 I have ever seen, and it's a super keeper! Beautiful!

Theodore, I agree with Sheila, please show us your watch. Also, at the time that Hamilton was producing the 990, they were advertising that you could take your present 16 size watch to your friendly Hamilton dealer and have a Hamilton movement put in your case. I am sure that some later 990's were Hamilton-cased, but at the time they were making these the ecomony was kinda tough, and so advertising had to be cost-conscious.

I expect that Lindell can reach into his history-making time machine and give us the exact date that Hamilton-cased watches started, and which models were so cased.

Thanks Dave & Sheila, unfortunately, as much as I'd like to,I have no way of posting pictures...maybe someday....Ted Brown.

It was this beautiful "artwork" of damaskeening that made me a collector of approx. 26' and earlier watches. it looks like Hamilton pulled out the stops on the 990.

Ted, if you have a photograph of anything you want to show here, many of us can scan that and send it to you for your records and posting as well.

Thanks, Dave I may just try that!Ted Brown.

I have to say, that 990 of yours, dave that has to be one of the nicest damaskeening patterns I've ever seen.I'd like to have seen the factory machinery used to do that...must have been very expensive to do, even in those days!I don't know if anyone would agree, but the 18s Elgin No. 349 also has not only really nice damaskeening, but also that beautiful gold lettering...I'm a sucker for Old English on a watch mov't...Thank you, Ted B.