Hi

Just picked this watch up off Ebay. The dial is what made me buy this watch. But after getting the watch in hand I discovered that the case is a Fahys Bristol 14kt green gold filled.

The movement of the Hamilton 990 #1083746 LS.

Kieth Congratulations on your find and your winning bid! I guess this stock market thing had a lot of us sleeping at the switch! Being finished in the 1914 - 1915 time frame according to Gelson's list, yours is a late run indeed.

It is interesting that while the 990 is one of the rarer (16,489 mvts listed as made from 1903 - 1919) and I think the most beautifully finished Hamilton RR grades it remains a sidline item for the collectors!

With such incredibly fine 5-design Damaskeened patterning, I believe these will grow in their recognition and collectibilty. Just look at the finishing work done on a 990 compared to a WWII 992B that is "valued" at almost twice what you paid for your 990!

David

Of the 16,489 movements made how many are lever set? Is the above dial & hands proper for this watch. Is a Fahys case also proper or would it be in a hamilton case?

Thanks

Keith, I have to separate these questions. First, the easy one. Regarding how many were lever set, in the production tables no reference is made to anything but lever set models. Also in the ad I show below it refers to "lever set only" in the description of the movement.

Second, About the dial and hands; Watch hands are something I would not argue the "correctness" of because they were changed like we do tires for our cars. I picture below two Hamiltons, a Factory (clamshell) cased 956 of about the same vintage as yours and with the same dial design sans the "monty" minute numbers. Below that my 990 that now resides in the correct 3-hinge factory case that the early ones were sold with (Thanks to Lindell). As both of these have "correct" dials and hands, you can compare them to your satisfaction that yours is just fine too.

Finally! As for the case question, I attach below a copy of a Hamilton Dealer ad published in the same time frame as your watch that advertises the 990 for sale as a "movement", meaning that by the time yours was on the market the case was a matter of customer choice.
Your case is very nice and has no other case marks than that of the 990 which tells me it was the first movement used with the case. That would be good enough for me.

A closeup of that 990 clip

hello everyone. I'm new to this so bear with me, but I have a 990 #356452 and I would like to know when it was made but I get a different year (or range of years) at every place I look. any suggestions? thanks

Hi Joe,
I can point you to the location where you can find out all you may need to know about year of production and more

On the main page of discussion, scroll down to:


Hamilton 992B Research Forum

click on Hamilton Movement Numbers and Hamilton Horology Reference Materials

And then Hamilton Movement Numbers by GELSON

Your serial number falls on Page 7, click on.
Now you will find serial number 356452 falls in a run that was produced in 1910
Gelson is the ONLY list I use anymore and its available to us thru Lindell Thanks!! I hope that helps
regards,
bb

thanks Buster

Wow Kieth! What a beautiful Hamilton.Does that have all gold train wheels?It looks like it does in the picture.I can see why 990's cost more when new, the finish work is unbelievable.Another one to add to the must have one list!

Theo I think is some ads the 990 was advertized as having gold train and a poised fork and sold at times from at the minimum of $4 to in the double digits more than the 992, it is/was a much better watch movement than the 992 from Hamilton's point of view and it was phased out in 1919 and that is when the pricing difference from the 992 was at the least amount. It also had a hunter variant 991 which is much more highly sought after and a bit more rare than the 993 (992HC variant). I have two 990's that I picked up for $180 or less and a 993 and a 992 and the 990 is a hands down winner in the beauty department.

Thanks Claude, just looking at a 990, it's easy to see that they really outdid themselves on the finish work!I hope to get one someday, also hope they don't take off in value before I do...Ted.