I have a Hamilton watch and am trying to find out more information on it. I have read many of the posts on this and other forums and have learned a lot but still have questions.

My watch has the following on the outside back of the case:

AN 5740
STOCK NUMBER (blank)
MFR'S PART NO 33106
CONTRACT NUMBER
DA-36-038-ORD-9702
SERIAL NO. AF-52-6051
HAMILTON WATCH CO

Inside the back of the case is the following:

KEYSTONE (in a banner)
Base Metal
K0940054 (in a semi-circle)

There is a hand scratched number that starts with: 94A and then becomes illegible. There is also a handwritten number in pencil that I cannot read.

The markings on the movement are:
HAMILTON
WATCH CO.
U.S.A.

4992b
22
JEWELS

ADJ TEMP
AND 6
POSITIONS

4C103288

There are no government markings on the movement.

The face appears to be the same as the “standard” faces I’ve seen on the internet: black face with white lettering, white hands, 24 hour markings with second markings on the outer ring and “G.C.T” in the center.

My questions are:

What is the difference between the 33106 and other watches?
Does the fact that the movement is marked 4992b and the case carries the manufacture part number 33106 indicate the movement and case have been switched at some point?
Does the Government s/n “ AF-52-6051” indicate purchase by the government in 1952 as some forums suggest?
Using the serial number lookup table on NAWCC Chapter 149’s website, the suggested production date is 1943, is this an error?

Does anyone have any suggestions on an appraiser or technician who can appraise and clean the watch in either the Kansas City area or the New Hampshire seacoast region?

The overall condition seems fairly good to me. The crystal is very clear and appears to be plastic; the case has a few dings but is bright and shiny except for the back, which is mostly worn down to a brass colored metal.

Any other information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Sandy Walker

Hi Sandy,

You have a high grade and very collectable Hamilton 4992B military pocket watch.

Your watch is a perfectly normal example as far as I can tell based on your excellent detailed description. The manufacturer's part number of 33106 on the back on the watch is part of the ordnance markings which should not be confused with the grade 4992B. Some other on this forum may be able to tell you more about these markings or you can look them up in a book on military watches.

Great watch overall. Post some pictures if you can.

John

Aloha Sandy

Q. What is the difference between the 33106 and other watches? A. The Part # 33106 Is for the complete Assembly. Case, Movement,Dial and hands.

Movement-Model 4992B = Military PN 33005

Dial- PN 50-079

Hands - Hour -- PN 33042
" - Minute-- PN 33043
" - Second-- PN 33044

Case-PN 33051

Assembly Unit Part 33106

Q. Does the fact that the movement is marked 4992b and the case carries the manufacture part number 33106 indicate the movement and case have been switched at some point? A. Yes and No. That is to say it may have been switched at depot level maintenance. It does not mean that it is not correct

Q. Does the Government s/n “ AF-52-6051” indicate purchase by the government in 1952 as some forums suggest? A. AF-52 indicates a 1952 contract

Q. Using the serial number look up table on another website, the suggested production date is 1943, is this an error? A. I would say yes

Q. Does anyone have any suggestions on an appraiser or technician who can appraise and clean the watch in either the Kansas City area or the New Hampshire seacoast region? A. I send my 4992Bs to Chris Abell in Texas for maintenance
http://www.abellwatchmakers.com/

Aloha Scott

The AF-52-6051 serial number is saying that the contract from the Air Force was issued in 1952, however it may have been manufactured and delivered in 1952, or 1953, or 1954, or even later. 1952 is the earliest the watch would have been manufactured and delivered, but depending on how the contract was negotiated they may have had several years afterwards to make and deliver the watches under this particular contract.

If the movement's serial number dates it to 1943, I agree that one possibility is the serial number reference you are reading has errors, but the simpler explanation is the movement and the case do not belong together and are a marriage. Such a marriage could have happened while the watch was in the hands of the Air Force and some Air Force timepiece repair station might have put the movement into this case to make a working timepiece, or it could have been done any time after it left the hands of the Air Force up to the day before you purchased it. There are large numbers of movements with badly damaged cases and cases with badly damaged movements, and just plain orphaned movements and cases and dials and such from many military timepieces in the stocks and storerooms and dusty back shelves of old time watchmakers. With the recent rise in interest in military timepieces, many of these parts are being dusted off and married up into timepieces to sell them.

Lindell,

I beieve Sandy's example matches perfectly. This example currently on eBay, predates the example that Sandy has, both in movement serial number and watch serial number: Hamilton G-4992B serial number 4C102548, serial number AF-52-2169.

Some other numbers for you:

I have in my collection, Hamilton G-4992B with serial number 4C128149 in a case with serial number AF-58-13127, no inner caseback serial number.

This one just sold on eBay: serial number 4C120913 in a case with serial number AF-58-7712, inner caseback serial number R828672. These two matche the timeline very nicely.

Another to add to the record that sold recently: 4C102809, AF-56-818 and 4C131884, AF-59-18476.

These have relatively high serial numbers:

Hamilton G-4992B serial number 4C142944 on eBay currently, with inner case serial number of P118695. Caseback has been polished unfortunately.

Hamilton G-4992B serial number 4C143017 also on eBay, with inner case serial number of P118761. Non-typical (at least to me) case back with Stock # DAAA25-67-C0565.

Best,

James D.

Thank you everyone who has replied; I have enjoyed learning more about my watch.

Sandy Walker

I have one. Finally found this forum. Will try to post some pics. Mfr's part # 33106