Early Hamilton 992

[rrwatch]

Jim Haney's thread on a very early 992E inspired me to show what I believe to be the 25th 992 made, S/N 302125. It is is engraved "Adjusted" and is a single roller, 4 dial foot movement.

 

[Jim Haney]

Ed,
I got this one from eBay about 15 years ago from Sherry, Roy Ehrhardt's daughter.

The 5th one made. Serial # 302106

 

[terry hall]

thank you both, i can only dream at this point.... these can be fairly elusive.

 

[musicguy]

Thanks Ed and Jim, very cool.

Rob

 

[Rhett Lucke]

Here are 302156 and 302181

 

[grtnev]

The early Hamilton damaskeening on 990’s, 992’s, 971’s, 993’s et. al. is so much more aesthetically pleasing, at least to me, than the more simplistic patterns that followed.

One of the reasons that most of my modest collection dates between 1890 and 1915. A beautiful damaskeen pattern on a movement is a work of art - thanks for sharing.

Richard

 

[Nigel Harrison]

Great finds guys and this thread could not come at a better time as I picked up 992 sn. 302137 in the last week which I was very happy with as they are hard to find this first run of 100 and have been looking sporadically for some time for one. Then I was wondering which ones have been sighted in this first run of 100. Great to see these. The dial is the same as Jim's.

 

[Nigel Harrison]

Here are 302156 and 302181

View attachment 475457 View attachment 475458

Hi Rhett,

Great photos, I just noticed your 302181 movement has a later style pallet bridge, that is interesting.

 

[DeweyC]

The early Hamilton damaskeening on 990’s, 992’s, 971’s, 993’s et. al. is so much more aesthetically pleasing, at least to me, than the more simplistic patterns that followed.

One of the reasons that most of my modest collection dates between 1890 and 1915. A beautiful damaskeen pattern on a movement is a work of art - thanks for sharing.

Richard

Richard,

I have been collecting an evolution of 992s since I discovered it was first introduced as a single roller about 20 years ago. I like how this documents the takeover from watchmakers like Cain to the engineers like Drescher by the 1940s.

I would call Rett's and Jim's reference pieces. The cap jewels are often bunged up pretty bad. I have one from the second run which is in nice condition. Again, no timing screws on these. Gotta get up to the archives and do some reading on how Hamilton accomplished timing in the early days. The only thing I can think is that they had a nominal weight for the balance, checked it as an oscillating system and then moved weights around to achieve positional adjustment.

 

[Nigel Harrison]

Hi Rhett,

Also the gear train on your 302181 has been upgraded as well which I didn't see at first. I wonder if this one was an unsold one at the factory and left in stock and received some later 992 upgrades, gold centre wheel and pallet bridge etc. Or one of those 992's returned to the factory for upgrading...does it have a double roller in it would be interesting?

 

[Frank N]

Any thoughts regarding when Hamilton made the change from single roller to double roller on the Hamilton 992 model?

 

[Robert Sweet]

Any thoughts regarding when Hamilton made the change from single roller to double roller on the Hamilton 992 model?

According to the Halligan notes at serial number 308,701 in 1904. As usual, there probably have been exceptions observed.

Robert