Hamilton 992L (What does the L signify?)

[Submarine Chief]

I hesitated to post my question in the 992B forum since this isn't by
B. I just purchased this 992L Ser. No. 2562280. When I bought it, I believed it to be a garden variety 992, but with two hour hands (one red, the other black). When I ran the ser. no. it says it is a 992L. I haven't been able to find any info on the "L" in Shugart Price Guide.

I would appreciate any information on the watch concerning the two hour hands, the "L" designation, the originality of the dial, hands, case, etc. I
Have looked for one of these in this condition for a while, but an not too
checked out on the real specifics yet.

P.S. I have been reading the threads on the Hamiltons and I have been overwhelmed by the amount of info and data in the members heads.

Thanks,
Don Evans

[rrstd]

The "L" designates Lever Set.

[Robert Sweet]

Hello Don,
The "L" referred to "Lever Set", which mean you must remove the bezel and pull out a lever to set the time.

Your movement was made in the 1929-30 timeframe and resides in a Hamilton Factory No. 6 case which was made by "Fahys".

The No. 6 case was introduced, Aug. 24, 1929 to the Hamilton "Wholesalers" as seen in the below letter.

Robert

Introduction Letter

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/204/460856755_2fa849048a_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/224/460858716_7d5867ed1d_o.jpg

[terry hall]

Your watch..
Model 6 case, but the crown has been replaced.

the time zone hands are always 'interesting'

do you have the case serial number?

[Don Dahlberg]

Terry referred to "time zone hands". Your watch is a railroad grade watch. Learn about railroad grade watches at http://www.pockethorology.org/Railroad/Railroad.htm

When a train passed from one time zone to another, the watch would be off by an hour. The two hands allowed the engineer to see the time in both time zones. The blue hand might be Eastern Time and the Red hand Central Time. Not everyone used them, because you still had to remember which hand to read. It is just as easy to remember to subtract an hour in one zone and not in the other. So these hands are not very common.

The batch to which your watch belongs went to the finishing department on 12/21/29 and 1/21/30. Your watch was probably completed and sold withing the first couple of months in 1930.

Don

[Submarine Chief]

RRSTD, ROBERT, TERRY, AND DON,

Thank you guys so much. You pretty much covered it. I am really and truly enjoying NWACC membership. I got started a little late (almost 70) and
have a long way to go to get to amateur. But it one of the most enjoyable
pasttimes I have ever had.

Terry, the serial # is: 728414

Don Evans

[Robert Sweet]

And here is the No. 6 as advertised in the Hamilton 1931 Catalog.....

Robert

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/183/460926806_cf67f2c10a_o.jpg

[Submarine Chief]

Thanks Robert,

It just keeps getting better. Now I have something to look for; an original
crown.

Don Evans
Submarine Chief

[Robert Sweet]

Don,
Thank you.

A little additional information.............In Sept. 1931, Hamilton introduced the new Hamilton 992E (Elinvar) movement. This movement has the monometallic balance wheel and Elinvar hairspring.

About ten years later, the Hamilton 992B was introduced in Nov. 1940.

This info. is slightly off topic but good info to know if you are thinking about collecting these two fine movements.

Robert

Below is the 992E as displayed in the No. 8 case.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/237/460946870_db3aba383e_o.jpg

[Kent]

Regarding the dual time zone hands:

Courtesy Larry Buchan
C.P. Rail
Calgary, Alberta
December 9, 1982

File 035
Bulletin No. 384

Railway Grade Watches
...
Employees operating in two time zones must have their railway grade watches equipped with double hour hands, one red and one black to reflect both time zones.