Ball Watch Co watch enquiries

August 28, 2008, 06:29

Philip Bee

Hi - I have recently purchased two movements...
One is a Ball/Hamilton 16s (999)21j "Official Standard" S/N B609560. Does this movement date from about 1921?
The second movement is a Ball/Illinois (so I understand - see 'pics) 12s 17j "Commercial Standard" S/N B254227. May I enquire as to :
Date of movement?
Dial has hairlines - can I soak as for other porcelain Dials?
Is missing roller jewel (darn - no wonder they said 'balance spins freely' on Ebayyy!) Will a 12s Illinois roller fit?

Thanks for your guidance...really enjoyed the 'YouTube' Ball presentation - what about those Ball/Hamilton 16s dials!!

August 28, 2008, 12:05

Lindell V. Riddle

Hello Phil, and thanks for your kind comments!

Just yesterday we had our IHC185 Debut on You-Tube further providing free instruction to the world.

Your 16-size Ball-Hamilton number B609560 is from a run consisting of B608001 through B613000 during 1924-1925 production. We use the Gelson Listings for Hamilton and Ball-Hamilton watches, do not rely on "guesstimates" those are the correct numbers directly from Hamilton factory records.

On your 12-size Ball watch, we got into them in some depth in a previous topic titled "Ball-Illinois and Ball-Waltham 12-size Specifics" in this very forum. There we established production numbers for the 12-size Ball-Illinois and 12-size Ball-Waltham watches listing and commenting on them. The first Ball 12-size watches ever made were Ball-Walthams in 1910 and 1911 production, the Ball-Illinois 12-size came along in the 1920s when Ball had finally depleted their earlier inventories.

As you may have begun to realize from this narrative your 12-size is not a Ball-Illinois but rather a Ball-Waltham number B254227 which is from the second run of 1,000 in 1911 consisting of B253701-B254700 inclusive. (Source: "American Pocket Watches" published in 1993 by Heart of America Press.) See that previous topic I referred to above for additional information on these fascinating watches.

By the way I have Ball-Waltham 12-size number B254387 in my collection and of course it is from the same run as yours. Those stylish Breguet hour and minute hands on your watch are entirely correct, the seconds hand is a mismatch but easily corrected. Your porcelain-enamel dial is cleaned without difficulty, just be very, very careful as it is a correct, original example.

The jeweling issue will have to be addressed by someone else, my guess is with Waltham parts.

Hope this is of help,

Lindell