Boys, I don't think I'm a happy man...

[Dbailey]

but that depends on what you tell me...I bought this watch thinking it was a NOS 992B special edition/presentation watch with papers and mahogany box, etc...these pics will tell you what I received instead! What the hell is it? Swiss made reproduction apparently...it IS absolute NOS however and my father a watchmaker said it was a well made movement, in fact he said he never saw a balance run so perfectly...but the paper said it was a re-creation of the Hamilton Railway Special, no. 992 and yet this mvt has only 17 jewels....does this watch have ANY value for a collector?
Dennis B

[Cary Hurt]

Dennis,

This link (http://www.nawcc-mb.com/bbv2/bbBoard.cgi?a=viewthread;fid=3;gtid=227676;pagenum ber=1) is to a long discussion on the merits of another modern production Swiss Hamilton pocket watch, the "Lord Hamilton" model from the early 1980s. Your watch was contemporary to that, and differs primarily in that it is a stylistic copy of the 992, while the Lord Hamilton was an original design, not a reproduction. The movement is the same Unitas 6497, made by ETA, which is owned by the Swatch group (formerly SMH) which also owns Hamilton.

Your watch has some value, but not to a collector of Hamilton railroad watches. I'm sure that their relative merits have been discussed, so a more diligent search may bring even more results. I just remembered this particular thread.

Hope this helps,

Cary

[M. Cross]

Well, the good thing about it is, you have one fine carry watch there. The Unitas movement is a fine one, and they still make parts, so you'll have no problems getting it serviced.

I'd put it on a chain and put it in your pocket if I were you. It's not original by any stretch of the imagination, but it's one that will serve you well on a day to day basis!

Regards! Mark

[Don Dahlberg]

As said above, Swatch owns the name Hamilton and 992B and everything else Hamilton ever made. They think they are still Hamilton.

There is little similarity with this and the original 992B. The 992B was 21 jewels, adjusted to five positions, Hamilton's Elinvar Extra hairspring, micrometer regulator, and I am sure I can come up with a few more things that this watch does not have.

The UT6947 is a good workhorse of a movement. It has one modern advantage over the 992B, that is shock resistant jewels on the balance. It will never keep time like a properly adjusted 992B. Of course, most 992B movements are no longer properly adjusted.

You purchased a fiberglass Ford Cobra body with a modern Ford 4 cylinder engine in it.

Don

[Dutto11]

Very nice looking movement But not being an expert I can't add to the learned gentlemen's advise above.
I would love to get one just like it as a everyday carry watch and keep my good Railroad watches for special outings.
Gary

[Rick Alhadeff]

Dennis, my concern with this is that you thought you were buying a NOS 992B. Is that how it was sold to you, an actual Hamilton 992B or was it sold as a reproduction of a 992B? If it was sold as the genuine 992B I would think you have a legitimate complaint against the seller. As far as a collector of Hamiltons is concerned, I would think it would have little or no value.
Aloha, Rick :cool:

[Wes]

but that depends on what you tell me...I bought this watch thinking it was a NOS 992B special edition/presentation watch with papers and mahogany box, etc...these pics will tell you what I received instead! What the hell is it? Swiss made reproduction apparently...it IS absolute NOS however and my father a watchmaker said it was a well made movement, in fact he said he never saw a balance run so perfectly...but the paper said it was a re-creation of the Hamilton Railway Special, no. 992 and yet this mvt has only 17 jewels....does this watch have ANY value for a collector?
Dennis B


Yes, the consensus is that this is not much of a value to most of the antique collectors. However, in my opinion, when compared to the most modern pocket watches, it is quite nice.

They sure seemed to have spent more time finishing your watch than most of the new pocket watches.

Apples and oranges (comparing antiques to new pockets)