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Incredible 939 Journey (New Pictures of Finished 939) "Click" to Login or Register 
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
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. Smile

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Vice President
Pitfalls Moderator
IHC Life Member
Picture of Edward L. Parsons, Jr.
posted
The copper color is most likely faded gold flash.

I'm moving this topic to the Hamilton forum.


Best Regards,

Ed
 
Posts: 6696 | Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: April 19, 2004
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Thank you Ed.
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1110
posted
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.
 
Posts: 1322 | Location: Lebanon, Connecticut USA | Registered: March 28, 2008
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Yes Ted I should be casing it within the next day or so. Thanks Smile
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1110
posted
Thanks Harry!
 
Posts: 1322 | Location: Lebanon, Connecticut USA | Registered: March 28, 2008
IHC Vice President
Pitfalls Moderator
IHC Life Member
Picture of Edward L. Parsons, Jr.
posted
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.


Best Regards,

Ed
 
Posts: 6696 | Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: April 19, 2004
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
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.
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
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.
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Front

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Back

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Inside back cover

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Dust cover

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Movement #1

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Inside dust cover.

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Movement again.

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Dial

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Close up

 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
Picture of Dave Turner
posted
Looking good!


Dave Turner
 
Posts: 1979 | Location: Wilson, North Carolina in the USA | Registered: November 15, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Thank you Dave.
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
Picture of Peter Kaszubski
posted
Great work and great looking watch Harry.
Its all about restoring and enjoying.
 
Posts: 4395 | Location: Arizona in the USA | Registered: July 23, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Thank you Peter.
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1110
posted
Really nice Harry! Glad to see you used full-head case screws.You did good! ....Ted.
 
Posts: 1322 | Location: Lebanon, Connecticut USA | Registered: March 28, 2008
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Thanks Ted yes I use the full head case screws whenever I get a chance I hate the other ones.
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
IHC Member 1613
posted
Watch looks great..Good job Harry..
 
Posts: 2006 | Location: Chesapeake City, Maryland in the USA | Registered: September 27, 2011
IHC Member 1610
Picture of Harry J. Hyaduck Sr.
posted
Thanks Gary.
 
Posts: 3850 | Location: Georgia in the USA | Registered: September 22, 2011
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