Hamilton Model 23 Serial Number Question

June 08, 2009, 21:24

Tom Brown

I did a buy it now on Ebay last week for a Hamilton Model 23 for $99.00, I couldn't pass it up.

I had a question about an approximate year for the serial number. I let my membership expire to the NAWCC so I can no longer access the Hamilton ledgers. Could some one give an idea to the year.

June 08, 2009, 21:25

Tom Brown

The watch runs great so far, I have never tried to service one of these so it might take so time before I build up the nerve.

June 08, 2009, 21:26

Tom Brown

The serial # is P8198.

Thanks
Tom

June 08, 2009, 22:33

Mike Sandell

Nice watch Tom real good price I am a member but they changed there web site tried to get on and it will not let me to look at the legers I will post at another military forum and see if some one knows there.

June 08, 2009, 23:07

Tom Brown

Thanks Mike I appreciate it.

Tom

June 09, 2009, 08:25

Mike Sandell

Tom here is the data base but it say's it's a wrist watch I did a 992B serial no just to see if it could do one right.
http://www.nawcc-ch149.com/db_resch/hamilton_506.html

June 09, 2009, 08:58

Tom Brown

Thanks Mike, I have tried that database before & it works for some pocket watches but not the model 23, if you enter my serial number it comes up as a 6/0 wrist watch.

I haven't found a list yet that has the "P" prefix.

Tom

June 09, 2009, 09:11

Mike Sandell

Tom I don't know how we missed this some told me about a old post here that has some production date's for the model 23
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/f...0103944/m/5511012123

June 09, 2009, 11:27

Tom Brown

Thanks Mike, that chart doesn't really pin down the dates that I can tell. Just that they had made 25,291 by 1948. Thanks though for finding that. I am guessing that it was perhaps made the 1st year in 1943 being 8198.

I thought about renewing my NAWCC dues but all I used it for was to get access to the Hamilton ledgers. There are no chapters within an 8 hour round trip drive from me so I decided I really didn't get much out of my dues.

Tom

June 09, 2009, 14:10

Lindell V. Riddle

Tom,

Look closely at the watch David posted in the previous topic. There you can see "SERIAL NO. AF 42" which pretty much nails down 1942 as year of production. So far as I have been able to determine most if not all the Hamilton Model 23 Chronographs seem to be from the 1942-43 time frame.

The main reason that "As of December 31, 1948" appears on the page David posted from the Ehrhardt Hamilton book (Page 12) is that in 1948 Hamilton did a tally of everything produced up to that time. So I have doubts as to whether that date is material to this discussion.

If there were later ones then they would bear numbers above P25291 and of course yours does not. Since yours has a comparatively low number P8198 then I should think yours would reasonably fall into that previously mentioned 1942-43 time-frame.

Congratulations, you made a lucky buy of the most complicated Hamilton Pocket Watch ever made.

Lindell

June 09, 2009, 20:13

Tom Brown

Thanks Lindell

I did forget to mention the back is engraved with;
AN5742-1
MFR'S Part No. 37292
SERIAL NO. --7206
HAMILTON WATCH CO.

June 12, 2009, 05:35

Mike Sandell

Tom
Some one at another forum got this for you from the legers 1/31/1944 finish and sale on same day and sold to 64-14740 has to be the gov contract.

June 12, 2009, 07:35

Tom Brown

Thank you very much Mike, I guess I was guessing wrong with the serial number being so low, I guess they didn't finish these in order.

Tom

June 12, 2009, 08:42

Jim Hester

Or they could have finished them in order but there were no big orders for them from the Army Air Force until late in the war.