ANOTHER BALL WATCH

May 08, 2006, 21:51

John Arrowood

ANOTHER BALL WATCH

Here's one my Dad got 35-40 years ago. I've been told that it's a Hamilton-Ball.

May 08, 2006, 21:53

John Arrowood

18-size BofLE, dial has a repair at 6 minutes and there is a small scratch beside the 1 in 12.

May 08, 2006, 21:55

John Arrowood

Closeup of the BofLE marking on the dial.

May 08, 2006, 21:56

John Arrowood

The movement, difficult to photograph using the light I have avaiable.

May 08, 2006, 22:03

John Arrowood

Crop of the previous image. "Trade Mark, Official BofLE Standard, Adjusted, Ball & Co, Cleveland".

May 08, 2006, 22:11

Joel W. Sarich

Hi John:
This is a Hamilton - Ball brotherhood. It is a rare and valuable watch.
Cheers!
Joel Sarich

May 08, 2006, 22:12

Lindell V. Riddle

Great example John,

Joel is right, all Ball-Hamilton 21-Jewel Brotherhoods are very rare.

At your 170693 serial number a Ball-Hamilton will correctly carry the "Ball's Standard Dial, Patent Applied For" marking down low on the dial. By the way your watch dates to a 1901-1902 production run.

Everything about your B. of L. E. movement, correctly marked B. of L. E. dial and proper hands look right to my eye. The case may have held a previous movement but I'd try not to let that keep me up at night.

Did your Dad ever tell you what it cost to buy it way back when?

Lindell

May 08, 2006, 22:30

John Arrowood

I knew what he paid at the time, but I've forgotten. It may be written down somewhere. We both had notebooks that we used to keep track of what we spent back then. Maybe I will run across his sometime,

January 09, 2012, 16:27

Bill Kapp

Pretty watch.

IMO:

The watch left the Hamilton Factory June 1902 as an ORRS. The early Ball and Co line was discontinued after 170,400. Up till then Ball was still advertising the BLE and ORC Howard watches as available.

Much like the plugs found on 16 size watches, Ball ordered Barrel bridges marked with the BLE and ORC logo's for later sales. Your barrel bridge is one of these. It should have no serial number stamped on the underside. If it has any serial number, it was most likely added later as an "improvement". On earlier examples , a correct dial is imperative to be a credible Ball replacement VS a later collector/dealer substitution.

The dial has the pat pending inscription below the 6 hour markings. That was typical of dials made pre 1905ish. I am not sure of the exact time these dials ceased having this marking as I haven't paid much attention to watches post dating Ball and Co. This greatly increases the odds that Ball was responsible for the replacement barrel.

These dials and bridges surfaced decades ago in unsold inventory when the last remnants of the Ball Co were disposed of.

I don't believe anyone can tell when the replacement barrels and dials were installed. Whether or not Ball would continue to use a Ball and Co barrel bridge after 170400 would probably depend on whether or not he had Ball Watch Co 18sz replacement bridges. Not having studied these later watches, perhaps someone with A Ball Watch Co BLE could enlighten us.

happy hunting