Hamilton 926 Pocket Watch marking question

[Pat L.]

Hello,
I have an 18 size Hamilton 926 pocket watch that is stamped "924". If you look in the s/n list, it was made in a block of other 926 watches. The damaskeening pattern and "Hamilton" script is typical 926 style. It is also stamped "Adjusted" like a 926 should be. But it is stamped "924" at the right-hand side of the mainspring barrel plate in the normal way. Here are a few questions:
1. Did the factories make occasional mistakes marking watches? It seems like that must have happened once in a while.
2. If the watch is mis-marked at the factory, would the entire run of 926's be marked in the same way? or just until someone noticed?
3. Could it be that if a 926 watch couldn't be adjusted close enough to qualify as a 926, that the factory would just mark it "924" and sell it as a factory second?

I've had this watch for a long time and always wondered how this could happen. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. Or if a picture and the serial number is needed, I can do that.

Thanks.

[Pat L.]

Hello,
I have an 18 size Hamilton 926 pocket watch that is stamped "924". If you look in the s/n list, it was made in a block of other 926 watches. The damaskeening pattern and "Hamilton" script is typical 926 style. It is also stamped "Adjusted" like a 926 should be. But it is stamped "924" at the right-hand side of the mainspring barrel plate in the normal way. Here are a few questions:
1. Did the factories make occasional mistakes marking watches? It seems like that must have happened once in a while.
2. If the watch is mis-marked at the factory, would the entire run of 926's be marked in the same way? or just until someone noticed?
3. Could it be that if a 926 watch couldn't be adjusted close enough to qualify as a 926, that the factory would just mark it "924" and sell it as a factory second?

I've had this watch for a long time and always wondered how this could happen. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know. Or if a picture and the serial number is needed, I can do that.

Thanks.

[Wes]

Any way you can post a SN of the watch movement?

I am sure there has to be some contradictory information out there on Hamilton lists, as there is on other lists and ledgers.

[rrstd]

Pat,

I have seen a number of grade 924’s and 925’s with the 926/927 damaskeening pattern and markings (including the word “adjusted”). I have not checked the 924’s, but the 925’s I have checked all seem to come from a single run. The story I have been told (which seems logical), is that Hamilton made a conscience decision to sell off inventory on hand as 924/925’s rather than setup and run additional movements.

In any event, from the description you give, it sounds like you may have one of these watches. They do show up from time to time and make for an interesting variation. To verify that your watch is one of these, you can check the serial number on the back side of the barrel bridge. It should match the serial number on the rest of the movement.

[terry hall]

ditto what rhett said, pull the barrel bridge and check the numbers....

[Robert Sweet]

How many serial numbers are there on most Hamilton pocket watch movements other than the one that is visible?

Robert

[Tom Huber]

Robert, To my knowledge, the SN is on the pillar plate under the dial, underside of the barrel bridge, underside of the balance cock, and on the balance wheel. Anybody know of any other places?

Tom

[Robert Sweet]

Tom,
Thank you. This information is very much appreciated.

Robert

[Don Dahlberg]

Hamilton records say that in:
1914 50 were changed to 934's
1916 and 1917 1,400 were changed to 924's
1923 35 were changed to 926-G.T. (gold trimmed)

No reason was given for these conversions, but the records are in both the 924 and the 926 sales data.

I am going to give a theory. Hamilton watches were "fair traded", that is, the prices were fixed. If they had too many 936's and too many orders for 924's, they could not just have a "sale" on 926's and sell them at 924 prices. So they changed the numbers to 924 and sold them at 924 prices to meet that demand. My only problem with this is that the last thing that would be done to the watch is adjusting. If they are marked "adjusted" meaning adjusted for temperature, then they better had been checked and corrected for temperature errors. Why not forget the adjusting, and do not mark them adjusted if they are marked 924 and sold at 924 prices?

If you look at the production of 926's by year, you see that production outpaced sales up through 1912. In 1913, they cut production to 304 (plus 313 936-GT)and did not produce any 936's from 1914 through 1917. This is when 936's that were being held in the production line were completed as 924's.

Non of you gave me any serial numbers. It would be interesting to see if these watches went to the finishing department as 926's and left as 924's or if they were diverted earlier.

Don

[Pat L.]

Thanks for all of the comments that have been given so far. The s/n of the watch is 946735. I will remove the barrel bridge and check the s/n under the bridge. I believe that was done when I received the watch many years ago, but will do it again later today.
Thanks again,
Pat L.

[Don Dahlberg]

Numbers 946001-947000 went to the Finishing Department on 4/20/12 and 7/25/12 as 926's. At least some of them left some 4 to five years later as 924's. Interesting.

Don

[Pat L.]

Dan,
Thanks for that bit of information. The s/n under the barrel bridge is the same as the s/n stamped into the movement backplate: 946735.

Thanks again,
Pat L.