Bill, you have a good memory. I hadn't noticed that the one on eBay from last month was also lacking the inner bezel... but then again I didn't know to look for it at the time, as I have become a Flintridge owner only in the last 10 days.

That makes at least 3 examples I've seen without the cushion-shaped inner bezel.

It would be interesting to take these watches apart to see how exactly how the crystals are set into the body of the watch.

Very interesting discussion.

Mine has the inner bezel. I've sold a few Flintridges over the years, but not many and I'm afraid my memory isn't clear on whether or not they had such a bezel. Like Will and Bryan, I wouldn't discount the possibility that Hamilton made them both ways. I found one extremely curious note in original records listing case purchases for grade 979 cases that reports orders to S&W for Flintridge cases on 4/7/30, 4/26/30, Jan. '31 -- and 7/22/38 and 12/28/39! Special orders at the end of the 30s? Apparently. No indication was made of quantities, only the cost of the cases ($30 for these late ones versus $28.50 in 1930/31). Odd things happened at Hamilton from time to time.

Hamilton strongly promoted the concept of using the cover of the Flintridge for fancy monograms.

Here are examples they suggest in the letter.

Will Roseman graciously provided me with this blueprint of the Flintridge dial.

Certainly a very educational thread.

I have a theory , actually a guess, remember I am new to watches so be gentle

I was looking thru the book, 100 years of vintage watches and on page 154 saw an ad for the Flintridge among others. Part of the text refers to two different grades , the 979 and 987 movements. It also mentions case designs for both grades are of 14kt yellow or white

Anything is possible, but how probable would the case design without the bezel going with the 987 movement - hence the lower price ($125) and the bezel with the 979 going for $150.

I would assume a dealer would do what is necessary to sell a watch especially in the early 30's, so you could have a mixed case and movement.

No one has posted pictures of their movement - maybe this would help further the discussion or eliminate this newbie's theroy

Just a thought

Gary

Hi Bill,
Love your Flintridge. What an unusual watch!
Thanks for yet more education on a great wristwatch! Your ad is cool too! Interesting the steep prices on this wriste back in the 1930's.

Bryan G.
You sure would get my attention had you popped open and closed your Flintridge had I seen it!

Thanks for a great thread guys!

Hi Greg:

It appears that everyone has their "thinking caps" on and if ever this conundrum is to be resolved, I have little doubt that it will be resolved shortly thanks to the many Hamilton brainiacs we have on this site.

I believe however, that the $25.00 increase in price is directly attributed to the inclusion of the premium 19-jewel 979 movement as opposed to the 17-jewel 987 movement. But wouldn't it be a treat if Greg's notion was so - 979 with the bezel and 987 without the bezel! It would be the first time (pre-1936) that Hamilton would have differentiated style features as an indication of movement quality (usually the 979 was reserved for Hamilton's premium models i.e. Piping Rock, Meadowbrook, Captain Rice, Glenn Curtiss, etc., or their solid gold models).

I know that the Flintridge that Bryan referred to without the bezel has a 979 but Bill, perhaps you could let us know what your Flintridge has - a 987 or 979?

Regards,

Will
PS - Stephanie, I wish you never would have mentioned that to Bryan as he will now surely be "popping" his Flintridge all over the great state of Texas. I know that women already find him irresistible - can you imagine him now with a Flintridge? Women Beware!

My Yellow Flintridge has the 17 Jewel 986A movement. This doesn't have a second hand at all, which only adds to the mystery. This watch has the Bailey Banks & Biddle dial.

The white gold Flintridge with the "missing bezel" that was recenly on Ebay has the 17 Jewel 987 movement.

I could offer the serial number for the 986A, and get the number for the 987 if that would help.

Bill:

I was wondering what happened to the second hand on your Flintridge. I thought that perhaps Bailey Banks & Biddle may have snipped the post on the seconds wheel to fit their dial. But the fact that your Flintridge has a 986A may in fact answer some questions. And we can draw on two posts for clues - one from Bryan and another from Rene.

Let's start with Bryan. Some time back, Bryan submitted a post that spoke about 10K gold-filled Cushions. These Cushions may hold the key to your Flintridge for the following reason:

The Cushions from 1922 through 1926 contained the 986 and the 986A and these original Cushions were either silver, 14K solid gold or 14K gold-filled. They were not 10K gold-filled. Bryan's post discusses the geneses of these 10K gold-filled Cushions and although we are not certain as to why they were made, we are certain that they were made during the 1940's. Like Bryan, I believe that these Cushions were made from inventoried movements in an effort to save money and or "to circumvent wartime restrictions on consumer watch production." Either way, early Hamilton records show that the Cushion was not the only resurrected model sold during wartime.

Like the Cushion, your Flintridge (sans the bezel), many be an example from a post-Flintridge era. Hamilton obviously had extra 986A movements and perhaps they had an extra(s) Flintridge case but did not have the bezels any longer so they made some without. This brings us to Rene's post. Rene posts that Flintridge(s) were ordered (or perhaps sold) in 1939 - obviously a post-Flintridge era.

I would be interested in seeing the case numbers on the Flintridges themselves to evaluate if there is a pattern that equates to a particular variation i.e. early Flintridges with the bezel; late without. It would be good to know the movement numbers as well although movements being interchangeable may not let us date the watch with certainty (but they can give us a hint).

In the end, I am sure that once Bryan has the opportunity to examine the different variations, he will surely come to a conclusion.

Regards,

Will
PS - you can see a 10K gold-filled Cushion by clicking on this link on my Hamilton site:

http://www.vintagewatch.info/Cushion%2010K%20-%20Yellow%20GF.htm

Will, This is EXACTLY what makes Hamilton Watches so remarkably exciting.

YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN

Inside the case back of my yellow gold Flintridge is the serial number: 150814

Under the inside of the lid is stapmed the Number: 814

The Movement is 986A (no second hand) 2138297


Now, The white Flintridge recently on Ebay, also "missing" the bezel has the following markings:

Inside the back of the case is the serial number: 152729

729 is stamped on the inside of the lid.

The movement is a 987F Serial Number: 4259732


Rene Rondeau's yellow gold Flintridge has the serial number 152600 on the inside of the case back.

I thought that the Hamilton wrist watch researchers would enjoy seeing close up photo's of the Flintridge that Rene Rondeau discussed earlier. I've tried to capture the serial numbers, but can provide them if it isn't clear.

2

3

4

5

6

7

Nice watches boys, keep up the good work!!!

It is my great Honor to welcome Mark to the IHC

My hope is that Mark will tell this group about himself, and without any shyness, describe his interest in Hamilton Watches.

I don't want to give away too much, but while Rene Rondeau is often called the "Dean of the Hamilton Electric", Mark is the "King of the Hamilton Wrist Watch". (I gave him that title).

Mark, Bryan and Will are the "Big Three" in the "manual wind" Hamilton Wrist Watch world, according to me, William Hansen, the Court Jester.

Please, join me in offering a resounding welcome. It just doesn't get any better than this!!!!!!!!!

Mark

I would also like to extend a welcome as well.

As someone new to watches and Hamilton in particular ,I am looking forward to your input on Hamilton topics here at 185. I have visited your website a "time or two" - it is wonderful.


Gary