Incredible journey of a Hamilton 939. Take a look at the following Hamilton 939 movement. I purchased this as a parts watch with another watch for less than $50. This watch was in terrible shape. It was missing the cock and complete balance assembly. The DS dial was decent with a couple of edge chips and a few hairlines. The RR track dial is not worthy of a 939 but would be fine for a 924 0r 925.

Look at the photo carefully. The 939 is fully service and repaired. Can you see the two issues with this 939. I can fix one issue but not the other. The regulator arm, regulator spring, regulator linking arm, and the hairspring cap bar are all copper colored. Now how did that happen? The cock is off a SR 927. Matches pretty well doesn't it? Well the 939's are DR's. So the SR bad balance staff was replaced with a new DR balance staff.

So I could not beg, borrow or steal a cock for a 939 so I improvised. Not ideal but to save a rare high grade RR movement you have to do what you have to do. Ruined the value of the 939 but it is worth a lot more now than when I started.

I will change the regulator parts to the proper gold color. I have a near mint DS RR track Roman Numeral dial and a set of hands. I have not decided what type hands to put on this yet. I will mount this in a near mint GF hunter case and I will be finished with it.

The copper color is most likely faded gold flash.

I'm moving this topic to the Hamilton forum.

Thank you Ed.

Nice job Harry!It's better to save a nice movement like that, even though it may not be 100% original, you still will have a nice early Hamilton.Can you post pictures of it cased? Take care, Ted.

Yes Ted I should be casing it within the next day or so. Thanks

Thanks Harry!

Harry,

Assuming everything works, this is a remarkable feat of restoration. Taking a page from Mr. Meggers' book, I suggest you document everything what was done on an index card and make that a permanent part of the watch's provenance. That way, any future buyer will be able to know exactly what they will be getting.

Thank you Ed I will take your advice. It has been running strong for about 15 hours now. I am trying to fit it into a very nice case but I am having to alter a winding stem to try and get this Hamilton to work with this case.

The Story behind this restoration.
This 939 came to me for next to nothing as a parts watch. It was missing the balance cock and balance assembly. Since this 939 is so hard to find I had never seen one and this one is not marked and is 17 jewel. I wrongly assumed that it was a single roller since it was not marked as a double roller and it is so old (1898).
I thought I would ask to see if I could get a 939 cock. No luck. I got a Hamilton 927 cock that matched pretty darn well and the complete single roller balance assembly out of a Hamilton 925. I'm thinking just put the 925 balance assembly into the 927 cock and put on the 939. Wrong. Still not knowing the 939 is a double roller I send it off to a more knowledgeable person.
I got call and was told I sent a SR but the 939 was a DR. Crap! Not to worry my friend had all the parts to covert the SR balance assembly to a double roller balance assembly. The parts needed were a DR roller table, a safety roller table, a double roller staff, and a different jewel in one side of the cock or foot (not sure which) because the DR staff is longer than the SR staff. Add a C.O.A., new dial, new hands, and a new case and here is the finished product pulled out of the parts trash pile and into another 100 years of service.

Front

Back

Inside back cover

Dust cover

Movement #1

Inside dust cover.

Movement again.

Dial

Close up

Looking good!

Thank you Dave.

Great work and great looking watch Harry.
Its all about restoring and enjoying.

Thank you Peter.

Really nice Harry! Glad to see you used full-head case screws.You did good! ....Ted.

Thanks Ted yes I use the full head case screws whenever I get a chance I hate the other ones.

Watch looks great..Good job Harry..

Thanks Gary.