Hi,
It's been a while since I made a post with pictures so I hope I get it right.
Recently I have bought several of the earlier 992's with the dials pictured below. I have several questions concerning these dials. (1.) I think the dials with the block "HAMILTON" on the dial are the 436 dials but dials with script like these are they considered 436 script dials?
(2.) The numbers in the second sink (Red Circles) on the earlier movements are positioned different and have different font styles than later dials of the same. I have seen three different configurations of these numbers in the second bit. Did they change at any certain date?
(3.) I have and have seen several 992b's with 536 dials that have the clipped ten but the one I just bought (left picture) looks to have a clipped ten (blue circle) as well. Are they very common and are they call a clipped 10?
Thanks,
Donnie

Donnie,

1. Yes

2. Seconds bits did change throughout the years on the #436. I’ve also noticed differences in the seconds bits on BM #576 dials. I’m not certain when dials second bits had changed and at best an approximate range could possibly be determined.

3. The only Hamilton dials I’ve heard of referred to with a clipped 10 are the RWS 536 dials. There were variances in the manufacturing process and as long as the dials fell within some sort of specifications they were good to use. As you’re noticing there are many subtle differences in dials of the same description.

Looking at the two dials you posted the one on the right has a red 30 that’s upside down. That dial is the earlier of the two and illustrated in the 1910 Hamilton timekeeper catalog shown below.

Here is a link that has an illustration of several other early 992 dials: Pre 1924 992's

RR

1910 The Hamilton Watch

Richard,
Thanks for all the information. You are exactly right about the upside down red 30, I had not notice that 30 being upside before but the dial on the right is a four foot dial from a 1908-09 movement and the dial on the left is a 3 foot dial from a 1919 movement.

Very interesting and amazing info!

Thank You,
Donnie T.

Sorting out the diversity of varieties and variants in dials and other parts of these watches and the history of how they changed through the years is one of the most interesting things about this hobby.

I'm moving this topic to the Hamilton forum, which is where it belongs.

Richard,
Does it look to you like the case screw heads of that 1910, 992 you posted above are cut. If you zoom in on the case screws the heads look like they are cut to me!

Does it look like it to anyone else?

A post made earlier about "Screw Head Cut In Half "

Donnie

Donnie,

Yes the case screws look cut to me. I went back and looked at the source, The Hamilton Watch, and the majority of watches have cut case screws. Also, they are all in the same style case. The cases look to me like they're SB&B and they simply screwed the bezel on the back. Probably someone used those case screws in order to change the movements in and out of the cases quicker. On the 974 it looks like they left a case screw out altogether.

I agree with Lindell in his post on October 26, 2010 15:06 and think the screws in question were altered and used in order to speed up the process of making the catalog.

RR

Thanks Richard,

It just looked odd to see cut screw heads in a Hamilton catalog.

We talked at the beginning of this post about the upside down 30 on the earliy Hamilton dials. I recently found a 1910, 992 (7693xx) that I was considering making an offer on and I noticed the 30 was right side up like the later movements. (I kinda thought a Hamilton 4 foot replacement dial?) As I am almost sure I have seen dials from a later date with the 30 still upside down. Do you have any idea when they turned the 30 right side up?

Donnie T.

Donnie,

I don't know when Hamilton changed the dial #436 red 30 from upside down to right side up. The 1911 Hamilton catalog is still showing the 30 upside down on a 990. The next catalog is 1914 and the 992 is showing a "Numerical Dial" and no 16 size watches are fronting a #436.

The 18 size watches have a dial that looks the same as the #436 and the 1910 catalog is showing the 30 upside down and the 1914 catalog is showing the 30 right side up.

That's the best I can narrow it down for now.

RR