SEE THIS RELATED TOPIC:

"Hamilton 974 WWI Navy Watch?"

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Now . . . another topic. Given that Hamilton made the 2974 "Comparator" piece by "hacking" a 974 movement, (The two watches shown below)

And given that the particular c.a. 1914 Hamilton Model 974 pictured next to the 2974B Comparator also has engraved on the back cover
U.S.Navy
n 2115
S.S.

Coud it be these two watches are both Hamilton US Govt Contract Comparator watches, for WWI and WWII and the only difference is . . .

The 2974B "Hacks", and

and the older 974 does NOT Hack. Any comments?

David, I trust you noticed the only similarity between the 974 & 2974B is both are 17 jewels & adjusted to 3 positions. The movements are different.

Before WWII, comparing watches weren't required to have a hacking feature. According to Marvin Whitney, the Navy added hacking to its comparing watch requirements in Feb. 1942. However, Whitney also says that 2974B production started in 1941, so apparently they didn't wait for the official requirement.

At least some 974 type Navy comparing watches did have a hack feature. In his book "Military Watches" Whitney shows the 974 comparing watch from the submarine Squalus (sunk in 1938, raised in 1939) SN 2,547,949, which had a hack feature added by the Naval Observatory, apparently before the accident. Also of interest, the dial & hands of that watch are the same as those of the 2974B.

Norman

Per your reference, I studied Whitney further and discovered (to my amazement) on page 384 Whitney states categorically;
"Trial records show that a myriad of (watch)makers submitted torpedo boat watches . . . The majority of these watches were purchased by the U.S. Navy during the years from 1906 - 1922 (which) proved to be excellent timepieces, and during WWII many were repaired at the Naval Observatory and returned to service. Such watches are highly collectible and easily identified by the naval observatory circle(d) "N" or U.S. Navy followed by a serial number . . . hand engraved on the back of the case!"

The same markings as described above and shown by Figure 9 (Whitney pg. 385), are on the back cover of my incredibly accurate (after I cleaned serviced and timed it) 974. The cover has "U.S. Navy" above the circled letter "N" and serial number 2115, and subscribed with an S.S.!
HOLY MOLY, I have a major collector!

If you notice, the movements are completely different.The 2974B is a 17 jewel version of the 992B. The parts of the 974 and 2974B will not iterchange.Some of the 2974B parts are the same as 992B parts.
Nice,nice watch.

J Smith

At this point, the comparison to a 2974 is irrelevant. I rather suspect this 974 that Hamilton delivered to the Naval Observatory in or after 1914 was "tweaked" way beyond Hamilton's "normal" timepieces. My Mumford says the "Beat Error" of this 974 is less than .2 Milliseconds, and that explains why it is steady as a rock. The deviation from 18,000 BPH settles to <0.2 counts in a 30 "tick" average in six positions (meaning 17,999.8 - 18,000.2). I have yet to see 1914 vintage 992's or the eminently stable 940's that I have measured be that good.

I have a pre-WWII USAAC Hamilton Type A-9 with a Grade 974 Special. I believe it to be an experimental watch based on its caseback markings. It has an external sliding hack lever similar to the type on the Longines.

Thats Interesting as the Model and Spec# are identical to my Longines (also per your reference) I got from a Texas country boy who also had a "large watch in a grey tin can".

Excepting the Longines has a 24 Hour Dial, Sweep Sec Hand, and Wind Indicator. I guess those were thrown in exclusive of USAAC SPECIFICATION #27783 for an A-9 Navigation Master Watch

The movement is a beauty, but the Longines "ad hoc" hacking feature requires a plow wrench to move. It works easily and well, but it is stiff! Interesting, the s/n dates the Longines to 1938, just before the "hostilities began" in the "European Theater".

Fortunately the Hack Slide is huge, as is the cased movement @54 mm Dia.

It´s an old thread, I know, but seeing David started one here, well two actually 974 Hamilton I´ll just add my Hamilton 974 here.
Fahys case, engraved U.S. Navy NO (Naval Observatory) No. 2355 S.S.(Ships Service)

DAVID AND WERNER ; YOUR WATCHES ARE BEAUTIFUL!! DAVID, DO YOU HAVE AN EXTRA LONGINES 16S MOVEMENT WITH A 35 SIZE DIAL AS IN PICTURE? THANKS,TOM

#2 MY LONGINES US NAVY N/O CASE WAITING FOR THE ABOVE MODEL MOVEMENT AND 35S DIAL