Here are some photos of an old Hamilton watch that my dad gave me years ago. It is serial number 4010085 and the movement is stamped with 987, 17 jewels. It looks similar to the Medwick but it doesn't have tubular lugs and the case is rounded at the sides. To me it looks like the Harris but I thought the Harris had a 987A movement. Can anyone assist me in identifying this watch? Thanks, -Bruce

This is the movement. Serial # 4010085

This is the dial side of movement. Note double rectangle lines on face.

Here is a side view of the case.

Here is a page from the 1938 catalog (obtained from ihc185 website).

The movement is 24.4mm which I believe is about 11L. Here is a zoom of the Hamilton catalog showing the Harris.

Your movement is a 1928 serial number, the case has a bit more detail than the Harris as shown in the 1938 catalog. Could be a predecessor to the Harris.

Even though this watch looks to be original, heart transplants on these early 987 watches is about the first thing a novice wanna be watch guy learns how to do.... long before they learn how to repair and keep them original.

If you search "Hamilton Harris Watch" on eBay, then select the filter to "completed auctions" you will find one example of the Harris. It is a much less detailed example on a very similar frame.

There is a possibility that what I'm seeing as detail work around the crystal, could be a bad glue job under the crystal... I can't tell from your photo.

Paul, thanks for the info. The detail work is around the crystal is along the top and bottom and extends briefly along the side, kind of like a bracket [] only oriented on top a bottom. The detail is very ornate - art deco. The crystal is original and the watch hasn't been maintained in 60 years (just sitting in a box). Everything is original. I'm thinking about having a professional clean and lube the movement. -Bruce

Here is another photo of the face of the watch. I'm still learning how to photograph watches and apologize for the poor previous photos.

Bruce,

On the inside case back. Does this watch have the Lancaster stamp and perhaps L&K? Much better photo, thank you. I take most of my photos with my cell... it helps to go in to settings and select "macro".

The catalogs in the library skip a few years. This watch is also similar to the Lawrence, Reagan, Scott... I think of it the same way as I do post war automobiles... every year, they changed the headlights, taillights and grill just enough to know one years model from the next.

I figure this is a factory case as opposed to a "jobber" case.

Surfing through the Fat Book, it looks like this model is from the 1928-1930 era... immediately before they started naming the cases. It would have been marketed as something akin to "square case engraved"... Or "square case B"... up through this time, cases were named for their shape and attributes rather than named.

Interesting watch. These little guys are how I got started.

I probably have a new crystal for it. Give me the north-south/east-west measurements of the crystal in millimeters and I'll check through my tray.

Paul, thank you so much for your reply and information. The inside of the back of the watch has
"9167M" scratched into the back (not engraved). It also has the following stamped into the back:
" * 10.K RGP Bezel" and then "5691870" in an arc below it. I'm new to watch collecting and learning everything I can. I am taking the Time Zone watch school class and have done the ETA 6497 and 2801-2 movements, but feel I need a lot more experience before touching the Hamilton. I will be practicing on some bulk movements I bought from e-bay. I did buy a Hamilton 987 movement on e-bay for spare parts.

I measured the crystal from the outside of the watch and found the N-S at 16.56 and the E-W at 19.56mm. If I should have done it from the inside face, please let me know. If you have a crystal, I would be happy to pay you for one.

Again, thanks for all the information Paul.

Aloha from Hawaii, -Bruce

Bruce,

I started tearing in to 987's with this book, a movement holder, magnified light, a set of tweezers and screw drivers... and this book.

https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...6090143/m/8341002122

Being retired navy, it is written in language I could easily follow.

I murdered more than my fair share of 987's and 982's before I found the club here at IHC185.

Paul, that book is a great help! Thanks for bringing it to my attention, a super find.

Bruce,

Hopefully, you are not too deep in to this watch. It took me a long time to learn to avoid wrist watches with brassing at the high points. They are impossible to recover your investment from. It took me a long time to embrace the advise here to buy the best you can afford and avoid snapping up the "good deals".

Something else I did not catch earlier is the "RGP" stamped in the case.

If gold plate is measured around 20 microns, RGP is 50,000 and gold filled is 200,000. (don't quote these numbers. They are from memory and I can't find my reference).

Rolled gold plate is pretty thin. Unless a case is otherwise spectacular... I generally avoid RGP.

Paul, I have a lot to learn and I really appreciate your sound advice. Thanks, -Bruce

The good new is that you have a "guilt free" watch to work with. You can do nothing but improve the watch and it will always be worth far more to you in training value than intrinsic value.

Don't be afraid to open it up and cook book your way through the restoration. Even if you destroy the movement, you can find another one to replace it for a few bucks...

Next thing you know, you'll be shopping for a chronometer to restore!

I just ordered a 987 complete (but not working) movement on e-Bay for spare parts. So now I'm ready to clean, oil and restore the Hamilton. Thanks again.

Bruce,

I do not have your crystal on hand. I took a mental break at my desk and floated around in the auction house for a bit.

The trick is to plug in search parameters that get you close... Hamilton watch crystals... or watch crystal 16.6, or watch watch crystal 19.6... and then start opening and surfing the listings until you get to narrow it down even further.

If you get real lucky, sometimes you can find a seller with a link to the catalog and then surf along until you can find a part number.

I found two part numbers that should be close enough for you to finish fitting the crystal with some 400 to 1200 grit automotive sand paper on a block.

These should get you close enough cement them in with some GS-Cement (readily available for a few bucks.)

GS-PMX313-12 = 19.8 X 16.5
MR-250 19.0 X 16.8

The "M" in the title indicates "military" which is a gentle curve in both directions, but otherwise flat and uncomplicated crystal.

Paul, thanks for the info. Will start looking.