Hamilton red letters

[Don Dahlberg]

Several people in the past have asked about the red letters stamped in the inside back cover of late Hamilton watches. Tonight was Guild night and I remembered to ask a former Hamilton employee what these letters meant.

The answer is that they were a code for the date that the watch was cased. This was used when the watch was returned for service to see if it was still under warrenty.

Now you know.

Don

[Fred Hansen]

Very interesting and thanks for posting Don!

Now it's time for Terry, Charlie, Robert, Jim H., etc. to crack the code ... :o

Fred

[RON in PA]

Thanks Don, did you get the info from Gordon?

For the cryptologists in our midsts I have an 945 (no s/n) in a Hamilton Star gold filled case with the s/n R975097. The red ink stamping is N-9. I believe this watch was toward the end of production (1969) as there is a 1970 dated presentation inscription engraved on the back.

[Robert Sweet]

Don,
Thanks for revealing more interesting Hamilton information.

If it is ok with Don, This would be a great place to post all the different case codes that have been detected.

Robert

[pocwatjim]

Don & Robert,

Thanks for the information on these red "codes".

I believe they started using these in the later years. I don't recall seeing any on 40's or 50's watches. Is this your opinion also?

I had thought that the code was a simple one (Ex:A=January and the Year) , however A three figure code was posted recently that throws that opinion out.

[Robert Sweet]

Jim,
I agree, from research, it appears that the codes were only in the cases near the end of production, i.e. late 60's.

Do you have have any codes that you would care to share and what is the 3 digit code that was recently posted?

Below are a few codes that I was able to locate.

Robert

"Courtesy, *** 185"

D-9---G-6---H-9---M-6---N-9---P-9

[Don Dahlberg]

Robert,

I think you need to match the codes with the movement serial numbers and the case serial numbers. Together, they make some sense. Of course, now that I know about the codes, I shall be keeping an eye out at the NAWCC Library and Research Center for a code sheet.

Ron, yes Gordon was the source, as he so often is.

Don

[Robert Sweet]

Don,
I have tried for some time now to decipher the codes, but no luck.

It must be a very sophisticated date code with only two digits and now Jim informs us that recently a 3 digit code was posted.

For example, P-9, assuming, A= Jan. etc, P exceeds the 12 months.

If we consider, A to Z= weeks, the 26 letter alphabetic is not enough.

With respect to the (year), the "9" could very well the the year (1969), since we only see these codes in the late 1960's.

If someone could post a coded case, with a "known" purchase date, and all the info. i.e. case and movement serial numbers, maybe the "codes" could be deciphered.

Robert

[Robert Sweet]

It was mentioned earlier about a 3-digit code, here we have one for someone to decipher. Have fun with this one.

Robert







http://farm1.static.flickr.com/127/389053771_12b893631b_o.jpg

[Don Dahlberg]

I think you are looking in the wrong place. You need to talk to wristwatch people, particularly presentation watches. These are dated on presentation, so you know approximately when they were sold. If you get the code and presentation dates, you may be able to figure it out. Hamilton was big on presentation watches near the end. It was a major source of income then.

Don

[Don Dahlberg]

I have put a request on the Wristwatch board for some help. We have one response so far. We have a 21-8 code on a 1968 watch.

Don

[crsides]

D-9 is a late 4C# finished as a 992b, in the original box ... but no date.
4C 144552
Model #17 case

[crsides]

Another 4C 992b is 4C 144920
R978551 is also a #17 case Star case
Code F-9
NIB - price sticker on back of case.



950b S19237
R803162 model #17 case
M-6
case looks new, but may or may not be original


model #15 stainless Steel case # R573310
Code G-6
loose case... no mvt.


May have access to one more.

[Robert Sweet]

Here is my first deciphering thought:

First Digit= 2 week intervals, i.e. "A" first two weeks of Jan, "B" second two weeks, and etc. We have 26 letters in the alphabet and 52 weeks in a year.

Second Digit= year, i.e. 6= 1966, 9= 1969, etc.

As for the 3 digit code, no thought.

Robert

[John Nagle]

Don,
Was that the central pa watch guild?where do they meet now? Did Gordon ever tell you how he got his job at Hamilton? Interesting story from a really great guy!

[Don Dahlberg]

Yes, the Central PA guild. It meets the second Wednesday of the month in the Ephrata Diner in Ephrata, PA. Yes, I think I have heard all of Gordon's stories several times. Gordon also volunteers at NAWCC most Friday mornings.

Don