July 10, 2011, 13:22
Lindell V. RiddleWilliam and Robert,
Just to flesh it out a bit, according to Hamilton catalogs the 950 was indeed available as a movement only through 1936 and when the 950 Elinvar was introduced for 1937 they were then shown as factory cased only.
The introduction of the 950 Elinvar in 1937 was as the "Hamilton 950 Mainliner Elinvar" and they were sold that way through 1940 but interestingly we have found boxed examples with other cases. During the late thirties we also find Case 2 and Case 8 housing the 950 Elinvar then in the late 1940 catalog which introduced the 992B we see the 950 Elinvar shown in a Case A and fronting a "23-Jewels" marked dial just like the first 950B watches would be sold beginning in the following year.
Click here for "Mainliner Elinvar" discussions which provide more information on them.
Going back to Bill's original question, the Hamilton 950 produced through 1936 could have been cased and timed by the retail jeweler in a case of the buyers choice from sellers inventory at time of sale. However collectors will always prefer a 950 in a marked as Hamilton case and I think it fair to say the vast majority of 950 movements were cased at the factory.
Click here "Hamilton Movement Numbers" for in order to look up production years.
Lindell
