BS: Old Pocket Watches

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 10:48 PM

Oh should say this 992b is a perfect carry watch, it is not a good collector example as it is cased in a KEYSTONE Elgin case. should be cased in a hamilton case .. it should also have a melamine dial but it has an enamel dial ... I prefer the enamel as they don't break up like melamine will. In any event it is a 992b and a perfect runner

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 10:32 PM

Oh its in a 10K gold filled keystone case

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 10:23 PM

Hamilton 992B nice runner dead nuts on
200 bucks if anyone wants this one. perfect carry watch

front

back

movement

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jan 13 - 04:16 PM

Q, reset cookie.I was the guest with the Longines.

Just had Windows 7 professional installed by my daughter. My xp got buggered in some way, and she tells me that it will no longer be supported by microsoft after this year.
Probably be weeks before I get it figured out. All my files on a LaCie and afraid to transfer them.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 09:25 PM

Will Fly's Wittnauer (Longines-Wittnauer) reminded me of my high school graduation watch, a Longines in that rectangular case style, rose gold. It still keeps good time (1941).

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 05:50 PM

That's a nice sidewinder, Dan - sweet face and hands to it. Gold as well, eh... sigh...

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 05:10 PM

Just picked up this nice Elgin , only 15 Jeweled movement but very nice condition. Case is Gold
Elgin

elgin

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 03:46 PM

I found out that Mahlon who owns a zillion watches doesn't have a 992b
he has been doing so much work for me that I am going to give him a mint one. It will be tough because he is one of those guys that does the giving and is not use to receiving. When I bought him the Microscope I had to pull the I am older routine, ya gotta respect your elders . use the Amish thing against him to get him to accept it LOL ...

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 03:37 PM

Mahlon won't make a glass back on a case that is not either scarred up or initialed. My 996 has on the back some guys name and on the inside is with love from Ethel ... so I have no issue making a glass back. However if you find a nice watch with a nuts up back, then a glass back is the way to go. I mean watching the movement run is wonderful and the damaskeen is a work of art. It is a shame to hide them in a case actually since we don't work on the RR or have to worry about damage.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 02:11 PM

That's a great idea, Dan - I've been thinking of doing that for one of mine...

Problem is - all the existing cases are sweet!

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 11:56 AM

I am going to make a glass back will for the 996. That movement is just to pretty to cover up.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 11:49 AM

Wow Will, now wittnauer are hard to get here in the states, the older ones that is. what beautiful watches and boy they are superb runners

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 09:08 AM

Bit of thread drift here - hope no-one minds...

As I slowly shed and sell my battery-driven watches, I've been picking up the odd Art Deco-style wristwatch from the 1940s/1950s. Here's a picture of two Wittnauers and a Hampden - all from that period. Lovely to look at and to wear, and keeping great hand wound time.

Wittnauer/Hampden/Wittnauer

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Jan 13 - 04:05 AM

Dan - that is something, isn't it? What beautiful work!

And thanks for the center wheel - you're always there when needed...

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 20 Jan 13 - 06:19 PM

Will the 996 looks just like a 992 but it is 19 jewels and has what I think the finest damaskeen work that Hamilton ever did
996

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 20 Jan 13 - 06:14 PM

Will my brother, no problem, I have a center wheel that works for it that I gave him. He will make it purrrrrrrr

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Jan 13 - 06:10 PM

Don't think I've ever seen a 996. I've recently been wearing the 978 that Mahlon cleaned and mended for me - it looks good and it's going good! He did a great job on it.

Now I'm hoping he can sort out the 4992B and its missing centre seconds wheel...

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 20 Jan 13 - 05:17 PM

Wow I found a Hamilton 996 size 16 pocket watch. You see a lot of Hamilton 992's but not a lot of 996's really cool I get a picture. It need cleaned the oil is really grungy.

Q
My friend I thank you so for the case. I put together a really nice 992b carry watch with it. I had the movement just not a case and since this one is for me to carry it works perfect. Thanks again my friend

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 07 Jan 13 - 10:13 AM

Just sold the 992b for near 400. If anyone wants a 992b mine have been going 100 over what I been quoting my friends.   I have one more I want to sell for 275 and its perfect

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 05:57 PM

Oh and the 4992b does not have the stop watch and double dials

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 02:40 PM

From a user standpoint, I would rather have a 4992b for carrying ... this one I won't because I will never ever find parts for it. 4992b parts all over the place which makes it a great watch for carrying for sure.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 02:33 PM

Will
the model 23 is a bit rarer other than that I couldn't tell you. The 4992b's were made up until the 60's I believe. The model 23 I think they made only 1000 or 1400 something like that. 4992b is 22 Jeweled, the model 23 is 19 jewels.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 02:08 PM

So, Dan - what was the functional difference between the Model 23 and the 4992B?

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 01:37 PM

Oh and don't be confused by Korean war, they used the 43-44 run up till then. mine is first run ..

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 01:34 PM

Model 23 some more info ... They were only made from 43 to 44 ...

"The Hamilton Model 23 Chronometer was used by all branches of the armed forces but predominantly used by the Air Force during WWII and into the 1950's Korean conflict. The Model 23 Chronometer had several uses.
· It could be used as a traditional "Ground Speed watch" which would help the Air Force navigators correctly determine the ground speed while in flight. This is important for so many reasons such as properly determining where you are for navigation, safe drop speeds for paratroopers, fuel consumption and obtaining correct speed for bomb drop trajectory.
· It could also have been used for artillery drills and on U.S. Naval vessels and submarines or any other circumstance where an accurate timeframe was needed to be measured.

However, the Model 23 was most often used It was also used by the US Army Air Force during WW II in conjunction with the Mark III, Model 5 Octant or Pioneer (BendiX Aviation Corp) A-5 or A-7 sextant for navigational purposes while in flight over water where landmarks were not available.

A sextant or octant was used to measure the "altitude" of a celestial body above a horizontal line of reference. ("Altitude" in this case is a special use of the word describing an angular measure, not a distance in feet above sea level.) A mariner can use the horizon as this line of reference, but when an airplane is flying above the clouds or flying at night, its navigator can't see the horizon. The bubble sextant or octant solves this problem by providing an artificial horizon. It takes its name from an air bubble in a liquid-filled chamber that functions like a carpenter's level, indicating when the sextant or octant is aligned horizontally.

The navigator would look through the eyepiece of his sextant or octant and locate a star. With a drum on the side of the instrument (like a camera's focus ring), he would adjust the angle of a rotatable prism until the star showing in the eyepiece is aligned beside the bubble. The prism and drum are geared to circular scales, marked off in degrees. From these scales he could read the star's "altitude".

But just as importantly as knowing a reference star's "altitude" the navigator had to know the exact time that the reading was taken. To do this, before taking the "altitude" reading, the navigator would start the Model 23 at some specific time, say 12:34:00 GCT. Once he had the star aligned beside the bubble in the sextant or octant, he would depress the pendant and stop the sweep hand and record the time of his observation along with the "altitude" reading from the circular scales. Since it was difficult to take a reading on a bouncing airplane, several reading of the same reference star were taken and averaged. To obtain a "fix" usually required observations of three different stars."

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 12:46 PM

This one I would sell for 300 because I have more into it than that. It is perfect ... Original 992b bar over crown, case is near mint. Melamine dial is mint ... complete serviced and dead nuts accurate.
bar over crown

back

inside

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 06 Jan 13 - 10:54 AM

froggy ... Yup ... they were used in WWII on the B-17 ... they would look through the sextant, check the map and then look at the time. They were also used when they fire the ordinance, time the bomb drift and speed to impact ... This one model 23 is use for Navigational purposes over water mainly. If the watch was off just a little bit, it would put them in real problems. The model 23 is one of the Hamilton grails that people want

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: frogprince
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 06:47 PM

Dan, do those two inset dials run 30 seconds and 60 seconds, or ? Stop watch function, or ? Why both of them ?

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 06:19 PM

What a great looking watch Dan! The one I'm sending to Mahlon on Monday has a black dial, white hands and centre second sweep hand - but it's got the 24-hour dial and "G.C.T." (Greenwich Civil Time) markings. It's also missing its centre seconds wheel which should sit on top of the movement, next to the centre seconds bridge and pinion - but I'm hoping Mahlon can work his magic on it for me!

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 05:18 PM

just saw one posted on ebay that isn't as nice as mine for 1600 bucks ... wow

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 03:16 PM

and its rare very early serial number dates to first run in early 1940's   P14144

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 03:05 PM

inside

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 05 Jan 13 - 02:31 PM

Well it cost me 3 hamilton 992b's and some very skilled work from my watchmaker but this is the result.

A mint perfect all original Hamilton Model 23 Chronograph WWII Navigational watch. All serial numbers match, absolutely perfect. There is camera flash in my photo's

Hamilton chronograph

back

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 11:17 AM

Sorry, my mistake, it was even worse, they deleted the 1000th post, thus rendering mine obsolete. Oh well, I suppose they can't read every thread ;)

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 11:13 AM

Nice to have my 1001st post edited out by a clone who obviously doesn't understand that there used to be a carpet cleaner called 1001, and what I posted was their ad slogan. Still if you don't understand something, just delete it. Why don't you!
Pleb.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: DebC
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 09:31 AM

Saw this thread and thought you all might be interested in a story that appeared in the Boston Globe this morning

Debra

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 31 Dec 12 - 09:16 AM

Cleans a big big carpet, for less than half a crown.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 30 Dec 12 - 02:43 PM

The 992B represented the best in technology of the time hence favored by collectors for its reliability and its accuracy. Also it is not rare, they made a bunch of them and parts are easily obtained to keep them running unlike many of the earlier Hamilton watches where parts are scarce.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 30 Dec 12 - 11:58 AM

992b Will is regulated to 6 positions as the 992 is 5 positions. The 992b uses a Ball regulator that was modified and re-engineered for accuracy. The 992 is a beautiful watch that keeps time that makes little difference. The 992b was just the most modern and accurate ever made because of the later engineering.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 30 Dec 12 - 04:05 AM

I can recommend Dan's 992Bs - got one some time ago and it's a beauty.

As a point of interest - what's the technical difference between the 992 and the 992B? I'm just looking over the 992 I got recently - also a beauty.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 29 Dec 12 - 09:47 PM

I have 10 perfect Hamilton 992'b. These are the best RR watches ever made. All have had full COA's done to them and every one keeps better than RR time. If anyone wants one 250 bucks which is a steal for a superb 992b with a full Coa done on it ... I have steel cased and a couple with the bar over the crown. All original every one.

Thank you Q for the beautiful watch case you sent me. It is wonderful

anyone interested just PM me

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 02:31 PM

I am jealous Will, that is the one I been after for years LOL
but I will find one eventually ... awesome job

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 11:12 AM

I've found a company in the US that has a 4992B second sweep hand - so I've ordered it today. Don't worry, Dan - if it doesn't work OK, I'll be relying on good ol' Mahlon again!

Let's see when it gets to me. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 11:06 AM

Awesome Will,
Mahlon has lots of parts for the 4992B ... that is a 22 Jeweled beauty so no worries if it needs work

great find

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 06:47 AM

Post 992 - Hamilton's rule - yeah!

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 06:45 AM

Forgot to say - there appears to be no second hand - but I'll deal with that when I get it.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 06:42 AM

Well, I just grabbed a US Navy Hamilton 4992B GCT pocket watch at an online auction this morning. The rear casing's a little hammered but the dial's good, and I'm hoping the movement's OK. (It was paired with a 1917 military compass).

Well, we'll see when it gets here...

Hamilton watch (and a compass)

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Will Fly
Date: 18 Dec 12 - 04:04 AM

Hey Dan - that 925 you sent is accurate as accurate can be! I set the time yesterday to exactly 11am after winding, using an atomic clock website - and this morning a check reveals it's absolutely accurate.

Wonderful. I hadn't realised that the 925 was Railroad approved either.

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: olddude
Date: 09 Dec 12 - 09:04 PM

just PM'd you chaz
thanks

Subject: RE: BS: Old Pocket Watches
From: Neighmond
Date: 09 Dec 12 - 08:39 PM

Olddude if you pm me your email address I'll send some pictures your way

Cheers!
Chaz