Amazing Solid Gold Hamilton Square

February 03, 2004, 17:49

William J. Hansen, Ph.D.

Amazing Solid Gold Hamilton Square

Here is an example [eBay 2687051536] of a very poor listing of a remarkably rare watch. Hamilton never had a watch in their catalogs with a second chapter at 9:00. The Illinois Watch Company is much more famous for that look. Nevertheless, Hamilton did produce a number of early wrist watches with the second chapter at 9:00. This is one of them. Hamilton bought the Illinois Watch Company in 1928, as they needed a rectangular movement to produce the long, narrow watches that were starting to become popular.

Rene Rondeau, THE experet in Hamilton wrist watches, provided the following thoughts about this watch:

"I've seen perhaps a half dozen in all, a couple in gold and a few in fill. I had one in green gold but it was not engraved. I ended up keeping the one I have now, even though it's gold-filled rather than solid, because I much prefer the enamelled bezel. All of the sub-seconds at 9 watches are rare, but the Cushion is the one that turns up most.

Best regards,
Rene"

Has anyone seen a solid gold Hamilton with a second chapter at 9:00?

Bill Hansen
IHC# 198

August 03, 2007, 20:15

Dan Mitchell

Bill said, above -- "Has anyone seen a solid gold Hamilton with a second chapter at 9:00?"

No, and I suspect just as rare is this --- a secs.@9 Lady's ribbon watch.

Dan.

August 03, 2007, 20:41

Joseph W. Robinson

Well the link above only takes you to "This listing is unavailable or Invalid Item". So I assume it was an error in copying the auction address or the listing was removed.

Joe

August 04, 2007, 04:39

Dan Mitchell

The link in the first entry was given in 2004, see date at top of entry. My new 2007 entry was to draw attention to the discovery of another unusual secs@9 watch, never before seen in a lady's watch.

(links only last 6 months or so)

Dan.

August 04, 2007, 10:04

Lindell V. Riddle

Very interesting Dan, it also shows they were moving out previously made stock for ladies watches as well. After all, they never threw anything away!

For those unfamiliar with this configuration, any watch with the seconds at 9 uses a movement that was originally designed as Open-Face, pendant at 12 and what they did was finish dials like those seen in these two examples so they could then use these leftover movements in wristwatch cases.

Some manufacturers removed the fourth-wheel (seconds) pinion and then there would be no seconds shown, just hour and minute hands.

Thanks for sharing this very unusual example!

Lindell