40s Hamilton Donald 14K advice

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nkb

·Dec 18, 2020

Hi everyone,

I have this circa 1948 Hamilton Donald with 14K case and M982 manual wind movement that has been offered to me for $445US.

I dont know if this is a good price or not?

The seller has no service history to report, so I would need to factor in a service to the overall cost.
The case and movement condition looks quite good and it comes on a Champion leather strap.

The dial looks original to my (untrained) eye although there is some lacquer loss at both the top left and right-hand corners (with some loss to the minute track).
Do the members think that the dial condition is okay?
I am also concerned that it may look too small on the wrist, I am not used to 22mm (without crown) dials.
Despite all this, it looks like a lovely watch!

Any comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

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amcclell

·Dec 18, 2020

These are small but lovely watches from an era when good watches were made in the usa. The dial looks correct and the price is reasonable for a solid gold watch. You can sometimes get these with the iveroid case.

 

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TexOmega

·Dec 18, 2020

about $150- 200 too much

gold value + $100 for the movement/hands/crown but dealers gotta eat, too.

appears heavily worn/polished

better to buy completely junked 22mm watch and try it on for a few days/weeks

The Donald was a top model, nicely designed dial/hands/markers excellent movement.

Hard to say if refinished because they were done all the time back then, I'd vote no with these pictures.

 

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X350 XJR

·Dec 18, 2020·Vintage Omega Aficionado

Price is high for a personalized case and a mediocre dial.

These are not hard to find.

 

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X350 XJR

·Dec 18, 2020·Vintage Omega Aficionado

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ME...=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

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SkunkPrince

·Dec 18, 2020

Dial was refinished but a bad refinish can be improved. I wouldn't.

 

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Deafboy

·Dec 18, 2020·His Holiness Puer Surdus

I think the price is too high. The one in the ebay listing has a nicer dial.
Hard to say if case is overpolished.

Here's mine.

 

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Deafboy

·Dec 18, 2020·His Holiness Puer Surdus

amcclell

You can sometimes get these with the iveroid case.

Not sure what you mean; what is iveroid?

 

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Waltesefalcon

·Dec 18, 2020

I think it's overpriced. You can probably find a better example for less.

 

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connieseamaster

·Dec 18, 2020

Deafboy

Not sure what you mean; what is iveroid?

Silveroid, but spell check had it's way

 

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amcclell

·Dec 18, 2020

Deafboy

Not sure what you mean; what is iveroid?

Iveroid is a man made plastic like product that is cream in colour and looks like ivory. Hamilton watches aften came in these.

 

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noelekal

·Dec 18, 2020·Home For Wayward Watches

Wonder if they'd come off a hundred dollars?

Men did manly things back in the 1940s wearing watches that size. Sometimes it's gratifying to go against current fashion and indulge in wearing a vintage mens' watch that is smaller than a manhole cover. Seems more manly somehow.

 

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nkb

·Dec 19, 2020

Deafboy

I think the price is too high. The one in the ebay listing has a nicer dial.
Hard to say if case is overpolished.

Here's mine.

The condition of your watch's dial is what I aspire to! Congrats!

 

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nkb

·Dec 19, 2020

noelekal

Wonder if they'd come off a hundred dollars?

Men did manly things back in the 1940s wearing watches that size. Sometimes it's gratifying to go against current fashion and indulge in wearing a vintage mens' watch that is smaller than a manhole cover. Seems more manly somehow.

Good point, I think I would like to try a watch of that size. Since I started buying and getting into vintage watches , 35 mm dials are now the norm !

 

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nkb

·Dec 19, 2020

There is love for vintage Hamilton here, wow I didn't expect so many responses!

If anyone has a similar 14K Hamilton in a acceptable condition that you are willing to sell to me , please PM me!

 

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amcclell

·Dec 19, 2020

Here is an image - it is celluloid in a cream color made to look like ivory. Hamilton's from the 1940's and 50's often came in these cases and there are still lots of them around.

 

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gatorcpa

·Dec 19, 2020·ΩF InvestiGator

Dial is an older redial that has not aged well. Redials for Hamilton are not as frowned upon by collectors as for Omega or other Swiss brands, but they have to be done properly. This one is not.

Price is not ridiculous for a near-mint example. Again, this one is not.

For a little bit less, you can get a Brock (also 14K, with same 982M movement).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HAMILTON-B...-/254806256165?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

This one has original dial and no engraving. Maybe you could negotiate lower on price? I think it will clean up nicely.

You can find the plastic Hamilton boxes on eBay for $20 or so if you are careful. Not a big deal. Make sure they are 10 inches long. The smaller 8 inch ones are for ladies watches. They look almost identical in eBay pictures until you try to fit a man’s watch in one.

Good luck with your search!
gatorcpa

 

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Deafboy

·Dec 19, 2020·His Holiness Puer Surdus

amcclell

Iveroid is a man made plastic like product that is cream in colour and looks like ivory. Hamilton watches aften came in these.

I understand now. When you first mentioned it with the word "case" I thought you meant the watch case, and not the presentation case.

 

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Evitzee

·Dec 19, 2020

Is the watch running? Balance staffs often broke in use and are somewhat difficult to come by today. Price is probably $100 too high. These are small watches but that's how men rolled back then.

 

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Widows Son

·Dec 24, 2020

Those tank style hamiltons from this era make great dress watches. So nice to see them bring worn again instead of hockey pucks strapped to the wrist. I have my dad's graduation watch from the early 40's, I not sure of the model, may be a brock. I'll be wearing my 1950 lambert tomorrow, it's on a red strap, Christmas is the only day I can pull that one off!!!!