Looks like a Hayden Wheeler unmarked Hunter, not a PL - missing a plate screw on the main bridge... Four foot dial... Heat and Cold on the Balance Arm

From the looks of the movement plate, this movement has a lock in stem. Does that sound right? Does this movement share the same gear train as a 974 or 975?

TIA

Jon, that is a very interesting watch, it falls into a series that was made for Hayden Wheeler & Co. However, Hamilton sold individual watches in the series to other wholesalers. The ledger page for sn76577 shows it being finished 12-20-1897 and sold as a 975 on 4-2-1900 to Allen & Co. Chicago. It is interspersed in the list with watches going to Wheeler & Co. and to other wholesalers. It is 'positive set' with the pendant retained in the movement. Other Hamilton '16' size watches made prior to 1900/1901 were actually 17 size with a larger pillar plate and dial diameter than the later 16s. I assume this one would be the same if it hasn't been modified to fit a standard 16s case. I don't have any information on the train but I imagine that it would be the same as a standard 975. I have attached the page of comments on these watches.

Robert,

Excellent information... Wheeler was a jeweler in NY, and it sounds like all the movements were originally made for him, but not sold by him "directly"? Also, the information you supplied has this one selling in Chicago, IL (AWESOME!!!) by Allen.

TP of 2650 of these special movements. Where they all given the basic stamp of - Heat and Cold?

Didn't know there was a possible pillar plate difference and dial size as well. Wonder if the dial feet location would be the same, just the overall diameter of the dial being different.

Thanks - Robert... Neat stuff!!!

Nice watch Jon, is it Running?

Thanks for the info page, Robert.
Here's another from that same run.
PL says J. Murbach Elyria O.
It is standard size 16 Positive pendant set.Serial # 76767
Early 975 parts fit as far as I know.

Face is damaged, but matches the movement.

I have seen three of these, and all were marked Heat & Cold.
Any info on when this one was finished?

Thanks
Steve

Steve,

Waiting to receive the watch. So, fingers crossed that the only thing amiss is the plate screw - MIA...

Attached a pic of one that sold on ebay this yr

It has a different plate design - open face

Jon, they made two movement styles for Wheeler. Yours is the 3/4 plate model. The open face one you showed is the bridge model which was unique to the Wheeler watches- no other Hamiltons had that design. They weren't all marked as Wheelers there were also some PL ones of both styles like the one Steven showed. The dial feet locations are the same on the 16 and 17 size dials only the OD changed. I would be interested to know which size yours turns out to be.

Steven your watch was finished or went to finishing 12-22-1897 (the ledger is not clear on what that column means since the heading is 'date bought') and it was sold 8-16-1902 to Wheeler & Co. New York. I have read that they probably weren't completely finished at Hamilton until there was an order and the PL ones would have to have the private label info added to the plates. It is interesting that your watch is a standard 16s. That could mean the Wheelers weren't 17s like the other Hamiltons of that era, which doesn't seem likely that they would have been producing 2 different size 975's at the same time. Or that some were modified to a standard 16s either before they left Hamilton or later. Certainly by 1902 all of the '16s' Hamiltons were being produced as standard 16s.

Thanks, Robert.
Since mine was near the end of the run, it was most likely 16s when it left Hamilton.

Jon, yours looks to be in a standard 16s case too.

Fancy typeface on the label.

Steve

Robert,

Will surely update with additional information and some better pictures once the goodies are in hand... Thanks, again!


Steve,

Was your movement cased when you acquired it? Like the script on the movement - neat stuff

No it was not, Jon. I'm still looking for a case for it. It was in a Parts lot I got from "The Original Watch Lady" ,all there, with a broken staff.
Anybody got a case?

Steve