Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck · Jan 15, 2026

The pocketwatchdatabase info on the Hamilton grade 940 snagged by @ghce . Introduced circa 1900. Looks like about 110 years old. With any luck at all, a strip & clean, and maybe a mainspring will return it to health.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/526944

TexOmega · Jan 16, 2026

My pinnacle 12s:
1928 23j Hamilton Watch Company
Grade: Masterpiece
18kt White Gold Hand carved case
Sterling Silver dial with raised, 18kt yellow gold numerals and 18kt yellow gold hand-set.
No engraved Presentation

Canuck · Jan 16, 2026

Exquisite! In 1995, a friend and I visited Seth Atwood’s Time Museum at the Tower Clock Resort, in Rockford, Ill. Considering the museum was dispersed after Seth Atwood’s death, I am so glad I was able to see it. There was a Hamilton Masterpiece in the collection, and I may have seen it, but that was (after all) 31 years ago. The museum was huge, and we were only there for a few hours. This watch is shown on page 168 in Donald Robert Hoke’s book, The Time Museum Historical Catalog of American Pocket Watches. The serial number of this Masterpiece is a bit earlier than the one shown by @TexOmega . The case on the museum example is 18 karat yellow gold, although the information posted above indicates the case could have been green gold.

I have seen Hamilton 922 models of which there were numerous produced.

Edited to add. The Time Museum example could have been Masterpiece model “B” which was produced in white and yellow gold.

TexOmega · Jan 16, 2026

ghce
With all the talk of Hamilton 940 PW's the last couple of pages one came up in my auction watchlist that my wife had added without my knowing but luckily (or not) I spotted it a couple of hours before the auction was due to close, pure luck as I haven't been watching many auctions much with health issues taking my attention away from the very pleasurable activity of watch collecting and in this case Railroad Grade Pocket Watches.
Long story short many others wanted it too as these are a rare item here in NZ ( US RR ) but in the end I snared it at a reasonable price given it is not in working order currently.

I've stated here before that I am not a huge fan of Faux train imagery on PW's but of course this IS a RR Grade without doubt and its very well used casing probably means very much a work watch even though in a Sterling Silver case.

Serial number 526944
Haven't yet got it in my hands yet so unfortunately just the sellers poor pics.

Great example......these are the extra cool "swing-out" cases but I cannot read your info.
Mine is a 4oz coin silver case made by American Watch Co. (later Waltham) and seems to show the graphics shown on your case back, just less worn.

American Watch Co circa 1888
Grade: Appleton Tracy & Co. "finely adjusted to heat, cold and position"
Morning Glory Handset

ghce · Jan 16, 2026

TexOmega
My pinnacle 12s:
1928 23j Hamilton Watch Company
Grade: Masterpiece
18kt White Gold Hand carved case
Sterling Silver dial with raised, 18kt yellow gold numerals and 18kt yellow gold hand-set.
No engraved Presentation

I took one look at your post and did a double take with the thought that this wasn't a Hamilton but an Illinois! Realising of course here was the very reason for Hamiltons takeover. Then I read you literature in the post and of course Illinois was attributed.
What a gorgeous Illinois Hamilton you own simply the best but of course I would prefer to see the other name on the dial. I'd call dibs if I could afford it!

ghce · Jan 16, 2026

TexOmega
Great example......these are the extra cool "swing-out" cases but I cannot read your info.
Mine is a 4oz coin silver case made by American Watch Co. (later Waltham) and seems to show the graphics shown on your case back, just less worn.

American Watch Co circa 1888
Grade: Appleton Tracy & Co. "finely adjusted to heat, cold and position"
Morning Glory Handset

I do love those 1883's my favourite Watham, I have a couple 😀 full plate movements are great.

With quite a bit of peering at the poor photo I managed to work out C.W.C CO or Crescent Watch Case Company. Don't know what the silver weight is but doesn't look as heavy as your superb case.
Unfortunately the gold inlaid detail has rubbed away but of course that all adds to it's history in it's subtraction lol.
The dial on mine looks a bit beat up but hard to tell how bad it is, I suspect a new thick glass will make it look very presentable.

TexOmega · Jan 16, 2026

ghce
I took one look at your post and did a double take with the thought that this wasn't a Hamilton but an Illinois! Realising of course here was the very reason for Hamiltons takeover. Then I read you literature in the post and of course Illinois was attributed.
What a gorgeous Illinois Hamilton you own simply the best but of course I would prefer to see the other name on the dial. I'd call dibs if I could afford it!

Hamilton was producing the grade 922 for 4-5 years and in 1928 they named it grade: Masterpiece

The Illinois in the above literature reference grade 400 which indeed came from Illinois but nothing associates it with Hamilton's Masterpiece.(or anything Hamilton)

Hamilton bought Illinois Watch Co. in 1927

ghce · Jan 16, 2026

TexOmega
Hamilton was producing the grade 922 for 4-5 years and in 1928 they named it grade: Masterpiece

The Illinois in the above literature reference grade 400 which indeed came from Illinois but nothing associates it with Hamilton's Masterpiece.(or anything Hamilton)

Hamilton bought Illinois Watch Co. in 1927

As close as I can get from my collection is this lovely Illinois grade 405 from 1926.

TexOmega · Jan 16, 2026

Nifty Illinois.....I will continue to enjoy your postings.

Waltesefalcon · Jan 16, 2026

TexOmega
My pinnacle 12s:
1928 23j Hamilton Watch Company
Grade: Masterpiece
18kt White Gold Hand carved case
Sterling Silver dial with raised, 18kt yellow gold numerals and 18kt yellow gold hand-set.
No engraved Presentation

Dibs.

bobertdob · Jan 17, 2026

Waltesefalcon
Dibs.

In a word ' Fabulous'

Canuck · Jan 17, 2026

TexOmega
My pinnacle 12s:
1928 23j Hamilton Watch Company
Grade: Masterpiece
18kt White Gold Hand carved case
Sterling Silver dial with raised, 18kt yellow gold numerals and 18kt yellow gold hand-set.
No engraved Presentation

Many of the U S watch manufacturers had models in the same league as the Hamilton Masterpiece. The two that immediately come to mind were the 23-jewel Waltham Premier Maximus, and the 23-jewel Edward Howard by the Keystone Howard company. The 18-karat Premier Maximus was offered for sale for $500.00, about 100 years ago. I’m sure others may be able to add to this list.

TexOmega · Jan 20, 2026

Rockford 12s Iroquois circa 1909
Grade 350 Model 1
Cool 3- finger bridge and gold gilt
Uncommon

ghce · Jan 20, 2026

Well the Hamilton 940 from last page arrived in this morning with both good and bad news.
The condition overall of the watch and case is better than expected but the balance staff is toast.
However it's a very worthy candidate for repair and bringing it back to Railroad standard but that's going to be a no go locally here in NZ.

Fresh photos as of 10 minutes ago.
Still detail in the train gold inlaid that wasn't apparent in the seller pics.

The Sterling case weight is far more than I thought it would be so it makes this 18s a nice chunky PW weight which I like very much.

Not sure what the gold gasket in the bezel assembly is about? Sealing? Can some one enlighten me, not come across this before.

The very thick lens glass is a little bit scratched up so needs either a replacement or to have the light scratches polished out which would probably cost more than a new glass however it's a flat fronted glass so shouldn't provide any problems to polish flat again. Would be nice to retain the original.

Canuck · Jan 20, 2026

Balance staff broken! Is that because of parts supply, on nobody around to do the job? Or objection to the cost of doing the job? How are the jewels? It is not uncommon for a fall or a blow to break balance staffs, but also jewels. As to the balance staffs. The 940 balance staff is interchangeable with grades 941, 944, and 946. If parts supply is your main concern, let me know and I’ll see what I can do for you.

ghce · Jan 20, 2026

Canuck
Balance staff broken! Is that because of parts supply, on nobody around to do the job? Or objection to the cost of doing the job? How are the jewels? It is not uncommon for a fall or a blow to break balance staffs, but also jewels. As to the balance staffs. The 940 balance staff is interchangeable with grades 941, 944, and 946. If parts supply is your main concern, let me know and I’ll see what I can do for you.

Cost isn't the problem it's more a case of competent watchmakers who understand what a Railroad grade watch repair and service entails.
As you say I worry about what the jewel condition will be, I know availability here in NZ for Hamilton PW's is zilch even for the common things like mainsprings which I feel for this one must be replaced. Then you get to minor things like the crown which in the ideal world you would probably want replaced etc. A case of too many road blocks for an NZ repairer and even had they the parts there is not the understanding of what needs to be done to keep the RR spec.

TexOmega · Jan 20, 2026

Service and regulation to RR time should be pretty standard for a trained watchmaker. It’s nothing tricky or mysterious.

Duracuir1 · Jan 20, 2026

TexOmega
Service and regulation to RR time should be pretty standard for a trained watchmaker. It’s nothing tricky or mysterious.

A colleague once said “train time is anytime, watch your backs” during a K9 search for a criminal that led us near some CN/CP tracks.

ghce · Jan 20, 2026

TexOmega
Service and regulation to RR time should be pretty standard for a trained watchmaker. It’s nothing tricky or mysterious.

You'd think , sigh.

I am afraid here in NZ most watchmakers doing PW's would say it's within a minute a day, superb.
Zero, none, nada, zip appreciation of what RR means and can do as it never was a thing here in this country.

Canuck · Jan 20, 2026

Potential as to keeping railroad time depends on the work that will be done to the 940 in the future, but also the work done on it in it past 100 years of existence. It is not always a simple matter to return an old watch to 30 second per week accuracy.