Complete Hamilton 992E Bakance assemly

[Robert T. Raucher]

Hello...I need one of the above. Good Condiition. Any help appreciated. Thanks. Robert T. Raucher Chico, Calif. email rraucher@maxinet.com

[Robert T. Raucher]

Hello...I need one of the above. Good Condiition. Any help appreciated. Thanks. Robert T. Raucher Chico, Calif. email rraucher@maxinet.com

[4thdimension]

Hi, Frei&Borel has them NOS but I believe
they were asking about 55.00. They're in Oakland(I was there this A.M.)and can be reached at(510)832-8148. Tell'm Springtime
sent you!
-Cort

[Robert T. Raucher]

Hi Cort...thanks for the imfo. I will followup. Robert Chico, Calif.

[drtime]

Robert,
one of the real Hamilton experts would have to have the final say on this but I don't believe that the 992B balance complete that they have at Frei&Borel in Oakland will help you very much. The 992E was not a friction staff and it had the dyed blue ELINVAR hairspring. If memory serves me correctly it also had a bimetalic balance that was not cut. The 992B balance won't look correctly in your 992E (or fit correctly either because it was designed for a completely different bridge as well). That 992E balance complete might be a little hard to come by.

You Hamilton guys can jump in here anytime. I might be totally wrong.

Sincerely, Richard Rogers

[Rick White]

I don't think a 992B Complete balance will fit the 992E.All my catalogs show them to be different. Do Frei&Borel have 992E balances in stock??

------------------
Rick White
Pocket Watches Moderator

[4thdimension]

Probably just the "B". It might be worth
asking though. I've turned up a lot of long
lost stuff there.
-Cort

[Steve Maddox]

The only two things 992E and 992B balances have in common are that they were both made by Hamilton, and they are both vibrated to beat 18,000 bph. The staff dimensions are different, the hairspring studs are different, the roller tables are different, etc. In short, you'd just as well try to fit a complete balance from a BW Raymond into a 992E, as one from a 992B.

For what it's worth, the 992E model DOES use a friction fit type staff, but it's not the same one that fits 992B models.

------------------
Steve Maddox
VP, NAWCC Chapter #62
North Little Rock, Arkansas

[Robert T. Raucher]

Well, I certainly am getting an earful. Still do need a source for a 992E Balance assembly. Anyone? Robert T. Raucher Chico, Calif.

[Steve Maddox]

Robert,

I wish I had some helpful advice about where to locate a complete balance for a 992E, but I really don't. As I'm sure you know, of the three primary 992 models (992, 992E, 992B), the 992E models are by far the least common. Ditto for the 950E, and equivalent Ball models. Balances for those would interchange with your 992E, but they would be even more difficult to find.

SM

[Kent]

"Original Refit" ?

Ed and I have recently heard from a person whom we respect quite a bit. He said, <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I recall being told in a conversation many years ago (during the 1970's) with a local watch inspector or maybe with a Santa Fe watch inspection official, that when a Elinvar watch gave timing problems, it was a common practice to retrofit the watch with an Elinvar Extra hairspring and 992B balance fitted with E hub and staff. I think that whoever told me also said that on the Santa Fe the watches were sent to Topeka (where the time service headquarters were - Kent)to have the work done. All this is based on memory, and probably shouldn't be published without confirmation by another source.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, I don't consider repeating this on this BBS to be publishing it, but - you have the statement that this is an old memory, not a confirmed fact. Its part of a longer discussion which isn't part of this topic, but it may explain why some 992E's are seen with white hairsprings, and it may suggest an historical solution of hairspring/balance replacement. Personnaly, I don't recommend going this route.

Good luck,
Kent

[Robert T. Raucher]

Hi Kent...thanks...probably will not try. Robert..

[ckeithjohnson]

TSubj: 992E
Date: 10/29/01 8:39:50 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: CKeithJohnson
To: k_singer@knology.net

Hi Kent, I was interested in the comments about the 992E being fitted with a white hairspring and an uncut balance as I have just such a specimen number 2 647326. I think this puts the watch in one of the last runs of 992Es. Is it possible that a transition to the new features took place in advance of the 992B production?
Thanks , Keithhis was an Email to Kent S:

[ckeithjohnson]

As a PS to my post: I just noticed a thread on the UBB under Hamilton by Mikeh that posts a picture of a 992E, serial #2634132 with what looks like a white hairspring and and uncut balance as well. Maybe all so equipped 992Es were not the product of a watchmaker trying to regulate a watch?

Keith

[Julian Smith]

Hello,
The 992E came with an uncut balance wheel. The early springs were blue, but later they may have been left white.
If Hamilton made up some 992E balance assemblies after they started using Elinvar Extra they probably left them white.I wouldn't think they would use plain Elinvar when they had a better product.IMHO

J Smith

[mikeh]

All,

This has gotten a little of the target that Robert started, and I don't mean to make it worse, but I had some related questions in this thread (http://www.nawcc.org/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000921.html) a while back. It may be of assistance.

Robert - If you do happen to run accross some of these, I would appreciate it if you let me know. I wouldn't mind picking up a couple to sit on! But then again, who among us wouldn't! :smile:

Regards,
Mike

[Kent]

All:

Here's a detail picture of S/N 2,629,075's Blue Hairspring & Uncut Balance (http://www.knology.net/~ksinger/992e_2629075_blue_hairspring_detail.jpg).

So, maybe its time for those who have white hairsprings (and uncut balances) in their 992E's to post the serial numbers and we can try to find a pattern.

Kent

[This message has been edited by Kent (edited 10-29-2001).]

[Steve Maddox]

In his reply above, Julian is correct; ALL 992E (and 950E, 998E, etc.) models originally came with uncut mono-metallic balance wheels. The only question is the color of the hairspring, and I think most of us here have seen them both ways. Some are blue, some are white.

The purpose of a cut compensation balance is to compensate for temperature errors by expanding and contracting the diameter of the balance rim. Of course, since "Elinvar" is short for "elasticity invariable," it goes without saying that Elinvar springs don't require compensation balances.

SM

[Robert T. Raucher]

Mike...I guess a Hamilton 992e Complete balance assembly is unobtainum. But should I find some to "sit on" for you.. I will let you know.By the way..I am STILL seeking ONE or more. All leads seemd to have dried up. And that is a shame. Robert T. Raucher Chico, Calif. email rraucher@maxinet.com

[Tom Huber]

I was told a number of years ago by an old watchmaker that when Hamilton came out with the 992E, The idea of the white metal hairspring was not readily accepted by the watch trade nor the buyers. Just too much of a change, I guess. Their solution was to color the elinvar hairsprings a blue color to boost sales. I guess it worked. After the initial shock wore off after a couple of years, they didn't see the need to blue the hairsprings, so they began selling them with the white ones. Sounded plausible to me.

Tom