Briefly, the 4992B's were originally made with black 24-hour dials and white hands. This watch is a postwar 12-hour conversion with refinished hands and dial.
Best Regards,
Ed
Posts: 6696 | Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: April 19, 2004
Aleksandr, From the little I know of these watches Hamilton was supposed to have made some for the military with the 12 hr dial. I have a link to one identical to yours but cannot copy it to the forms. Send me an email and I will send you the link. Ed
Posts: 1488 | Location: New York State in the USA | Registered: March 04, 2008
IHC Vice President Pitfalls Moderator IHC Life Member
posted
Edward,
The watches Hamilton made for the military during WW2 with 12-hour dials were the 2974B, the military 992B, and the 3992B, but NOT the 4992B. Those were all originally made as 24-hour dial watches.
The 12-hour 4992B's you encounter today are all aftermarket conversions of one kind or another, that's why you can't find them in the watch books.
Best Regards,
Ed
Posts: 6696 | Location: Southwestern Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: April 19, 2004
It's a fake dial. The U.S. Army Air Force was created on June 20, 1941 with the U.S. Army Air Corps as a subordinant unit, then the residual Army Air Corps was abolished as an organizational unit on March 9, 1942. The serial number on the back of your watch is 1943.
Posts: 873 | Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA | Registered: September 20, 2004
Hi Jim The watch movement has same marking as dial.I can not make out ser.no.If you bring up Topic Evolution Of 4992B I think the movement & dial are correct.The case could be any thing that was aviable.Jim H.has same watch with pic.I would like to have.I could be a holy graile,If ser.fall in right spot.
Posts: 132 | Location: Warren, Oregon in the USA | Registered: May 28, 2008
It is in remarkably excellent condition. The lack of a serial number or an order number indicates that it was never sold to the military or used by them. Perhaps it is one that was assembled from unused parts sometime after the war ended?
Posts: 873 | Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA | Registered: September 20, 2004
It is in remarkably excellent condition. The lack of a serial number or an order number indicates that it was never sold to the military or used by them. Perhaps it is one that was assembled from unused parts sometime after the war ended?
Sorry, but I have no information about this watch. This pictures from Skinner auction.
Sometimes one can find "New Old Stock" parts of watches and assemble them into a working watch. I do not know if that is what this may be in part or in whole, but it is another possibility given the lack of the serial and order numbers
Posts: 873 | Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA | Registered: September 20, 2004
Aloha my O'hana This particular watch is curious in the fact that we do not see ADJ TEMP. AND 6 POS. UNDER THE CENTER SECONDS BRIDGE as we do on other early examples of the 4992B's Additionally I would expect to see U.S. NAVY BU. SHIPS,with a BROAD ARROW and or U.S.GOVT. in BLOCK FONT on a 3992B I will therefor say that it is as Jim postulated To be "assembled from unused parts sometime after the war ended?" Just my 2 cents Mahalo Scott
Posts: 293 | Location: California City, California USA | Registered: May 05, 2005
When I worked at Waltham Precision Instrument Co. there were a lot of people left over from the watch factory. On their breaks and at lunch time, they were always playing around, and putting watches together. They had boxes full of old Waltham Watch parts.
Posts: 1857 | Location: Epsom, New Hampshire USA | Registered: December 14, 2002