950B and gold jewel settings

[J. Tell]

I know that Hamilton changed early (between S4000 and S5000 serial #, if I'm not wrong) from gold train wheels to composite train wheels in the 950B's, but, around what serial # was made the change from gold jewel settings to composite ones?

I have not been able to find this information and I would be grateful if someone of you can help me with this.

Thanks and regards,
J. Tell

[J. Tell]

I know that Hamilton changed early (between S4000 and S5000 serial #, if I'm not wrong) from gold train wheels to composite train wheels in the 950B's, but, around what serial # was made the change from gold jewel settings to composite ones?

I have not been able to find this information and I would be grateful if someone of you can help me with this.

Thanks and regards,
J. Tell

[doug sinclair]

Hi,

According to Art Zimmerla, the gold centre wheel was discontinued in 1949. Did the 950B ever have gold jewel settings?

[J. Tell]

Hello Doug,

Originally posted by doug sinclair:
...
Did the 950B ever have gold jewel settings?
Well, really I don't know, but I deduced that from what was said in this thread:

old ref::http://nawcc-mb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/43160...121032631#6121032631

[doug sinclair]

It would appear as though there is no definite indication as to whether the 950B ever had gold jewel settings. Yellow, yes, but friction fit. And settings that were quite a different color from the jewel settings in the 950 (for example) which were gold, and held in with screws. Unless someone can identify some actual Hamilton advertising or some other anecdotal evidence that stipulates that the 950B was ever available with gold jewel settings, I, for one, can only conclude that the 950B was never available with gold jewel settings. I'll bow to whover has conclusive evidence that I am incorrect.

[Robert Sweet]

Doug,
The "excerpt" below is from the Hamilton (1941) Time Book. It doesn't mention the jewel settings, but does mention the "Gold Train Wheels".

Robert

Terry Hall gets credit for the Time Book excerpt.

http://static.flickr.com/27/100073701_1f44f4a5ca_o.jpg

[crsides]

Just a point to note.

The change over from the full gold train is in the S3800 to S4000 range.

[terry hall]

gold center wheel....

doug... I believe Art Z is referring to the 992B in his notation.....

But from observations of watches, the serial number range for the change on 992B 'gold' center wheels is in the C117000 to C118000 range which from most references is earlier than 1949....

Charlie has the range correct for the 950B... but we see some examples with a mixed train also...

still don't answer the setting question... ones i have seen have a luster to them that a composition setting does not.......

Maybe Don Dahlberg can come up with some notes....?


.

[J. Tell]

Hello, gentlemen.

Thanks for your comments and corrections. This question is interesting for me.

Edit:
Oh, one question more: in the excerpt posted by Mr. Robert, I have noticed the claim “All parts completely interchangeable”, for both the 992B and the 950B. Mean this that the 992B/950B parts were interchangeable between the two models, that is, that you could use, lets said, a 992B mainspring as replacement for a damaged 950B mainspring?

[terry hall]

i 'believe' it means interchangable within the model....

a 23j watch has a different mainspring requirement than a 21j watch...

some of the gears, jewels, and some other parts "may" be interchangable between the models... some evidence of this is the known exisitance of "S" prefix very late 992B movements sold near the end of hamilton's exisistance.

[Robert Sweet]

The excerpt below is from a "992B Technical Bulletin", dated 1946, (Courtesy of Terry Hall).

It mentions the "upper setting" as being gold.

Since the 950B was a more expensive movement, I would "assume" its "upper setting" would be gold also.

Robert

http://static.flickr.com/42/100415019_2476c0c909_o.jpg

[Don Dahlberg]

There were many parts that were the same in the 992B and 950B. This includes the train wheels and pinions. Clearly the plates are different and the mechanisms relating to the barrel are different. The mainsprings were the same, and most of the jewels were the same, except the extra two in the 950B, of course. The hairsprings were essentially the same, but the 950B had a hairspring that passed better thermal standards. The jewel settings were the same as well.

A question that I get a lot at the museum is "what is the composition of the gold wheels in a gold train?" The answer is brass. They were 24K gold plated.

I have never checked the composition of the gold settings.

Don

[J. Tell]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Don Dahlberg:
...
A question that I get a lot at the museum is "what is the composition of the gold wheels in a gold train?" The answer is brass. They were 24K gold plated.
...

Don </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Hummm... That have some logic for me, because wheels made of solid gold would be too much soft for the mechanical work and would wear very fast.

Thanks for the details, Mr. Dahlberg.

J. Tell

[Don Dahlberg]

I was looking at some of the Hamilton blueprints today. The jewel settings were also gold plated. Some drawings showed 24 Karat and others showed 8 Karat gold plate. The dates ranged from 1942 to 1956. I did not have the time to examine everything carefully to see if there were any trend with dates.

I need to explain that they often modified their designs. They then issued a new drawing and added a modification date. You have no way of know what the modification was unless you had the previous drawing. They made sure that the drawing books that were out in the plant were up to date. You did not want someone accidently using an old drawing. In the basement we have some files that contain the older drawings, but it would be a great deal of work going through and figuring out what changes were made and when. With my workload, I no longer have that kind of time.

Don

[terry hall]

Don,
You are to be commended for the work thus far!

Thank you!

th

[Robert Sweet]

Don,
I also appreciate your hard work and dedication to the NAWCC membership as a volunteer at the NAWCC LIBRARY.

You have "uncovered" information about the 992B and other movements that would not have been revealed otherwise.

Robert

[J. Tell]

Mr. Dahlberg,

You have elucidated that the 950B had “gold” jewel settings at least between 1942 and 1956, and this is enough close for me.

Thank you very much for your dedication.

J. Tell