Internet Horology Club 185
082 dials on WW II era 992Bs

This topic can be found at:
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/254108073/m/2881000623

November 07, 2008, 22:17
William Thomas
082 dials on WW II era 992Bs
This may have discussed before. Were the 082 dials (single sunk, as found on the 2974B) supplied on the 992B at the factory during the war years? I have seen several model 10s, all with serial numbers around C60000 to C65000, with this dial.
December 07, 2008, 11:05
Lindell V. Riddle

Hello William,

Sorry about missing your post earlier, the answer is most definitely yes and apparently that was brought on by wartime shortages as they ran out of dials. For a while they even ran out of cases! I have seen a few watches like you describe and have also found several wartime 992B examples with the 2974B style 082 dial and matching baton hands just like they were set-up on the 2974B military watches during that time period. Others still will have an 082 dial with conventional spade and whip style hands.

The earliest watch I have owned or am consciously aware of with that 082 dial was an immediate pre-war 1941 (which is the year shown on the 082 dial design patent) production 950-Elinvar that also had dual-time-zone hands. To my eye this one represents a very good looking combination in a properly marked Hamilton Mainliner case as you will see in the image below this post

Some watches that look wrong at first glance may indeed be right!

Lindell


An 082 dial looks good on this late 950-Elinvar...


December 07, 2008, 21:07
William Thomas
Thanks for the very likely explanation, supported by the examples that I have seen with the wartime serial numbers.