Unusual serial number

[butlercreek]

Have you ever seen the case screw drilled thru the serial number?

 

[Fred Hansen]

That is a renumbered Hamilton, originally serial #700 but renumbered to #30700 by Hamilton to disguise that it was older inventory.

Some great info on these can be found at this link …

Initial production at Hamilton started in late 1893 with four models. These early models were the 17Jewel grades 936 and 937 and the 16 Jewel grades 932 and 933. As with the majority of 18 size Hamilton’s, these first watches were all 18 size, fu

 

[Fred Hansen]

Hamilton did this with a number of Grade 936 and 937 movement from within the first 2000 serial numbers that were remaining in inventory after a few years, adding 30,000 to the original number to renumber them into the 30,001-32,000 range which was then not used for other production. This made the watches seem more in line with the serial numbers of their current production. Approximately 20% of the Grade 936 and 937 production in the first 2000 serials was renumbered in this way.

It was a decent plan to disguise aging inventory, but aesthetically the open faces didn’t come out as nice looking due to the location of the case screw causing a need to split the placement of the added digits as seen with your watch.