I don't know for sure if the AF version was ever double-boxed, but mine was issued as a 2-part assembly.
-This is the cardboard box that contained my watch.

My watch's caseback s.n. 216.
-Hamilton's "WAR USE" productions totals sheet that is reproduced in Whitney's book indicates that only 420 were issued to the Army Air Forces.
-However, Gerd's caseback s.n. 1061 seems to contradict that number.

I'm thinking that the serial numbers included the gimbaled Model 22's as well. That is the only way to account for the serial exceeding the boxed numbers. Also, there is a Model 22 on Ebay now that has a 1943 contract number which is not described in Whitney's. Whitney only lists a 1941, and two 1942 contracts.

Army Airforce examples are no doubt rare. Great image of an original box. The odds of owning an original box are close to a miricle...wow.

Ron and Matthew,

thank you very much for sharing your images and thoughts. Do you know if there are empty wooden boxes around for such an Air Force Mod. 22?

Regards
Gerd

Hello Gerd,

I do not know where to obtain an empty case in this AAF configuration.
-In February 2005, an empty AAF box sold on eBay for $210.00 (seller: webbmutt1, buyer: man-of-gears).

You might check website www.shipsclock.com
-He builds quality cabinetry. I am very happy with the boxes he built for my Hamilton Model 21.

Good Luck,
Ron

Hi,

I just bought a Model 22 at our regional. It seems to be in great shape; the movement is very clean, showing no obvious signs of wear or abuse. The back of the movement has the appropriate U.S. Navy stuff; it has a fairly early serial number. It's gimbal-mounted.

But there's no engraving on the brass tub the movement is in. According to Whitney, both the tub and the bezel are supposed to be engraved with the serial number and some other Navy wording.

Any idea what this means for my watch?

Thanks.

I can think of three possibilities:

1) It could be an undelivered watch sold as surplus after the war and mated up with a non-military version bezel and tub. The excellent condition of the watch you describe might support this possibility.

2) At some point after the watch had made it into private hands, someone either replaced a damaged bezel and tub with civilian parts that may have been available from Hamilton, or if it never had these, they could have been added to make the watch more functional for private use on an owner's boat.

3) This was the way it was made and somehow it made it out of the Hamilton factory and was inspected by the Navy and neither noticed the missing serial numbers and contract information. I think this may be the least likely possibility.

Thanks.

Given its fairly early serial number (2F4939), I would think that it clearly was delivered during the war. I was thinking that perhaps this is one that was converted by the Navy from pocket-watch form to gimbal-mounted form, and that the tubs used for this weren't engraved.

Also, while the movement is very clean (like my Model 21), the face clearly shows much use, so I suspect that this watch saw honest employment for some time in its life.

Whatever, it's keeping absolutely perfect time (after I regulated it; it has the most usable adjustment mechanism I've ever seen), and I'm quite pleased with it!