How did Hamilton's Wadsworth case makers produce a solid white gold case ?

I have a correctly marked and numbered solid white gold 1930's wristwatch case where the back appears to have started out as rose or yellow gold, then been plated in white either gold or rhodium - is this likely ?

Now you might say it is gold filled - but even a 20X microscope exam shows no trace of a sandwich construction, and all 3 case numbers match - and the back-stamp clearly says 14K Solid Gold, with no trace of an alteration or over-stamp.



Dan.

Dan,

I can't speak much for Hamilton, but Gruen did rhodium plate their white gold cases, as well as their sterling and nickel cases.

Gruen had a close relationship with Wadsworth, their main plant in Dayton, KY being only a few miles across the Ohio River from Time Hill in Cincinnati. I would imagine that what Wadsworth did for Gruen, they would also do for Hamilton.

Gruen used the rhodium plate to provide a harder, brighter polished finish for white gold, and to provide tarnish protection for nickel and silver. That said, their white gold cases are still definitely white, not appearing yellow when the plate is damaged or worn. Those white gold Hamilton's I've had never showed anything like what yours displays either. Is it possible that yours has been repaired and then plated over the repair? I've had that happen sometimes.

Regards,

Cary

Nope - there is no sign of any repair on the back even under a 10x microscope exam, and the inside of the back has the patina of age.

Gold-fill watches with three piece cases have the center section machined out of solid metal, while solid gold cases have the center section hollow, probably made of stampings soldered together, thus to save on gold usage.

My case center section is of the latter, hollow interior, solid gold style, and bears the last 4 digits of the back number - so these parts left Hamilton together - the front section also has the correct numbers.

So I have a solid gold case - but as my pic shows has color in it. Unless Wadsworth plated the white gold with copper then rhodium - or ran out of white gold so used any color they had and again rhodium plated ?

Dan

I once owned a Hamilton Square B in white gold which had a very small spot of yellow color at one of the lugs. I thought that the materials had not completely mixed when the alloy was in a molten state and it hardened that way.