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Hamilton World War II Military Timepieces... "Click" to Login or Register 
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

This is one of my personal favorites. From World War II the fascinating Hamilton Model 23 Chronograph. This highly complicated Chronograph is an exceptionally accurate watch with 12-hour dial. It also includes a fully independent thirty-minute elapsed time start, stop and re-set to zero timer.


Hamilton Grade 23 Chronograph has many interesting features...


 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

As you can see this is a very complicated movement. 19-Jewels, Adjusted to Heat, Cold, Isocronism and Positions. A beautifully designed precision instrument.


Model 23 Movement Number P13970 is a fascinating study...


 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

Close-up of the amazing Grade 23 Chronograph movement...


 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
Picture of Stephen L. Russell
posted
Looks like a fancy swiss watch Eek on the inside.
...and machine built , right?

Amazing.
 
Posts: 849 | Location: Victoria, British Columbia Canada | Registered: December 05, 2003
IHC Member 234
Picture of Jim Cope
posted
...a thing of beauty!!!a delight to the eye!!!thanks Lin...


Jim
IHC#234
 
Posts: 872 | Location: Kingsville, Ontario, Canada | Registered: April 16, 2003
Life Achievement
Military Expert
Picture of Greg Crockett
posted
A great Hamilton Model 23, Lin. According to Marvin Whitney in his book, MILITARY TIMEPIECES, pg.348; these were issued to the US ARMY AIR CORPS, NAVY BUREAU OF AERONAUTICS and the AIR COUNCIL OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.

To the US Military it was known as the Type AN 4752-1 (the AN stands for Army-Navy combined stores). The military called it a “navigational stopwatch”, though it is in fact a chronograph, given that it combines the functions of a regular watch with the functions of a stopwatch.

Whitney depicts this watch mounted in an octant, which is an instrument used for air navigation. Given that your example is exactly like those shown in the book, but without markings, I would assume it was made for govt. service but somehow the markings were overlooked. It may have been supplied to the United Kingdom where the markings were not applied because it was never issued. The US Govt markings would appear on the outside back of the case and would include, AN 4752-1, the serial number, contract number and so forth.

Best regards,

Greg Crockett
 
Posts: 2015 | Location: East Lansing, Michigan USA | Registered: November 24, 2002
posted
My model 23 has no military markings on either. Every one I have ever seen has lacked the military markings. Who knows why?
 
Posts: 767 | Location: Los Osos, California USA | Registered: December 12, 2002
Life Achievement
Military Expert
Picture of Greg Crockett
posted
Now that you mention it, Jerry, I have only seen one with military markings. All of the others have had blank backs. The markings noted above are per Marvin Whitney’s book.
 
Posts: 2015 | Location: East Lansing, Michigan USA | Registered: November 24, 2002
Picture of Sam Williamson
posted
I have my late uncle's Wakkman (Breitling) navigational/stop watch that is the Swiss counterpart of the Hamilton Model 23,but with 18 jewels. The dial is identical in colour and layout. I could watch the accumulator mechanism for hours-and have,when I first got into pocketwatches,trying to figure out how this little jewel worked. In fact,this watch is the reason for my addiction! Mad Big Grin Big Grin Big Grin .I will post a photo if I ever receive the adapter for my new lenses Roll Eyes The clean and functional movement is a true work of art for the machine age...Oh yes,it has the full military markings.


Sam Williamson

 
Posts: 618 | Location: Northwestern Florida in the U.S.A. | Registered: November 27, 2002
IHC Member 376
Watchmaker
Picture of Samie L. Smith
posted
Here is another Hamilton Model 23... I bought this one at the Chattanooga Tennessee Regional on Friday...

These are a very interesting movement, this one P3259 is from the first year, no government markings on the case back.

Hamilton Model 23
 
Posts: 3208 | Location: Monticello, Kentucky U.S.A. | Registered: June 24, 2004
IHC Member 376
Watchmaker
Picture of Samie L. Smith
posted
close up

Hamilton Model 23 close up
 
Posts: 3208 | Location: Monticello, Kentucky U.S.A. | Registered: June 24, 2004
posted
My grade 23, which bears no military markings is serial # P8334. None of the lists I have show dates for P serial numbers.
 
Posts: 767 | Location: Los Osos, California USA | Registered: December 12, 2002
IHC Member 376
Watchmaker
Picture of Samie L. Smith
posted
these model 23,s are not real easy to recase,they are 16 size but the stem has to be removed before the movement can be removed from the case..
most standard 16 size cases would not work on the model 23 because of the stem.
 
Posts: 3208 | Location: Monticello, Kentucky U.S.A. | Registered: June 24, 2004
posted
My model 23 at serial P12541 has the military markings on the case-back. It also has the original box as well as some interesting military extras from the original owner.

If I can manage a decent photo I will try and put it here later this week.

Fred
 
Posts: 2020 | Registered: December 31, 2002
posted
I think that Jim's thought that unmarked ones may be post-war selling off of never delivered surplus production or maybe post-war continued production for civilian sale makes some sense to me. The U.S. military was (still are) a real stickler for having everything marked, especially things that had some value. There are several reasons including keeping things from being sold on the black market, inventory control, being able to know what kinds of spare parts to order, etc. No military markings on something like a watch indicates to me that the case at least, and maybe the whole watch was never sold or delivered to the military.
 
Posts: 873 | Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA | Registered: September 20, 2004
IHC Life Member
posted
I do not have a Hamilton 23, but I do have a new old stock porcelain dial. Does anyone know if white dials were ever used on a 23?

Larry
 
Posts: 661 | Location: Wisconsin in the U.S.A. | Registered: December 07, 2002
Life Achievement
Military Expert
Picture of Greg Crockett
posted
Hi Larry,

Was the dial in the original package? Well, that would be too easy, if the package had military markings. I have not seen any examples of this watch in a military case with a white dial. Otherwise, I could only speculate.
 
Posts: 2015 | Location: East Lansing, Michigan USA | Registered: November 24, 2002
IHC Life Member

Picture of Fred R. Hougham
posted
Larry,
I asked the local military expert ( my father) and he told me that he has indeed seen model 23's with the white dial, but they are very uncommon. Its just a guess, but after the war Hamilton experminted with selling their military clocks and watches in the retail market. I suspect that maybe the white dial was used for that purpose. The thought being that the white dial would be more eye appealing than the black military dial. ( the military specs on this watch called for a black dial with white hands & numerals )
Fred
 
Posts: 324 | Location: Daytona Beach, Florida USA | Registered: November 29, 2002
Picture of Wayne Hanley
posted
Here is a picture of the optional dial for the model 23.

 
Posts: 370 | Location: Northern California in the USA | Registered: November 10, 2007
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