I saw this watch several months ago at a local jeweler so I went back today to get a closer look. According to my observations and research, it's a circa 1950 Hamilton Railway Special 992B Model 5 with a #15 SS Hamilton case...the Bakelite box is really nice although I'm not sure if it's original to the watch. Service history is unknow. This jeweler purchased this watch along with other items in an estate sale. Upon looking at the movement, is there a screw missing at about the 1130 position? It sure looks like it to me...but I don't know jack. Dial appears very clean. Case has minimal wear and appears to be unpolished. The jeweler is asking $785...so I was wondering what you people thought about that price. @Fritz...thoughts? Also, I saw another circa 1950 992B w/ a chipped Bakelite box listed on the bay for $750. This watch is giving me some serious wood. Thanks in advance regarding inputs.
checked my own 992B & 999B, yup there should be a screw there. I forget why but that screw was often blue instead of bright polished like the rest of the screws. I would ask the jeweler about having it replaced. They made 550,000 992Bs, so parts are out there. Other than that the movement looks beautiful. As for the price, I haven't looked at these in a while but last time I did they were at least $700, and I can't see this high grade railroad stuff going down in price. Double sunk dial looks nice, if it isn't cracked those things last forever looking like new as they are basically glass. Illinois did an aluminum case about the same as the Hamilton bakelight case, story goes its was sized to hold a pack of Camels! Maybe the Hamilton box was good for that as well. One of those bakelight boxes is on my wish list. Case looks mint but those cases still turn up NOS, so the original may have been replaced, not uncommon as railway watches lived hard lives and were shipped uncased from the factory to be cased by the jeweler anyway. So... just what is an original RR watch case? whatever its living in this year! If it sets and winds well and is running properly it might be worth taking the plunge and then hunting down that screw. the 999B was "just" a 992B hot-rodded by the nice folks at Ball... Good luck with that one, let us know how you do.
http://vintagewatchforums.com is the place to ask about that. I think those boxes make Hamilton and Illinois nuts swoon.
I have about half a dozen 992Bs that I have collected over the years. Most I EVER paid was $450.00 (Cdn.). I usually pay around $250.00 to $275.00 (Cdn.), and these usually have had the double-sunk vitreous enamel dial at that price. I doubt there's any rush to buy it. At that price, it's been there a while, and it will be there a while longer. Maybe make him an offer of about half that! Even at that, I wouldn't be interested.
I would offer $450.00 if I really wanted the watch then I would go to $500.00 tops. On the negative side it's a watch that will need a good service plus that missing screw issue that may be a simple matter of purchasing the screw or the hole could be stripped out or buggered up. Watchmakers do not work for free. I figure you will have to add $200 plus or minus a few bucks for the service. Last time I purchased the same model and box you posted. I told the seller I have no interest in the box you can keep that and I offered the guy $250 for the watch only. He took my offer. A lot of collectors want watch boxes papers etc. Speaking for myself with vintage watches I could care less about the box. Only time I care about items like the box is when I purchase a new high end watch then I want all the goodies. I figure the box can be worth as high as $200.00 in an auction. The watch $300.00 tops that is how I added up the sum of the items and came up with $500.00 tops and that would be a out the door cash sale. Good Luck Just a tidbit of info the 992b you posted should have a melamine dial not an enamel dial Here's a pic of a 992b that is close in the ser# range if the missing screw on the movement you posted is the blue screw "shipper lever screw" on the movement I posted that is the set lever screw If that is the screw I would try winding and setting the time on that watch I can't really tell from your picture if that is the screw you mention is missing or it just appears missing in the picture do to the color of the screw
I have several 992Bs that are in the General serial number range, some a bit older, and some a bit newer. These all have the double sunk, vitreous enamel dial. I suppose the subject watch might have had either a dial swap, or a case swap. Too much money!
Follow the link Here is a good read on Hamilton dials/cases http://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/254108073/m/1743914067 Here's the case and dial on the movement I posted Model A case & melamine dial I have several 992's however when I collected them I tried to keep my collection of 992/993's with serial numbers in or below the 500.000 range
If I remember correctly the blued screw is to keep the movement in the winding position while out of the case. It can not be adjusted accurately out of the case since it will go into the setting position with out the stem. And I agree the jeweler is asking way too much.
UPDATE: I had to have it...the box was just too much and I couldn't resist! I was able to get the price down to $600 from $785...but that was it. I 'made' the family purchase it for me for Christmas. Also, the blue screw was present...my 'captain craptastic' photo skills somehow made it appear as if it was missing. The 992B is keeping excellent time (about +5 seconds per day)...and man, I love that box! File pics:
5 seconds a day! Dude! Too much! Gotta get inside 4 seconds to be acceptable (30s/wk actually) get on that micrometric regulating screw man! half the fun of owning these old railway pieces is how stupidly accurate they are. push it!
I hear ya! I've been able to get my 992 and 992E to about +1 second per day...and I totally agree, a lot of the fun is manipulating the micrometric regulating screw to achieve super hot accuracy!
So just why do people buy new watches..... I can't figure it out. I guess I should just lay low and enjoy the fact that I can buy a super accurate chronometer quality timepiece for well under a grand if I buy an old Hamilton.... Shhhhhhh...... 999B, 992B, 922.......
The best I can get is about 5 sec/day on my circa 1908 992. I really need to get the regulator spring and screw.
Mine only came in a cardboard box . Can't take pics yet until I get home next week. Seller's shot. For USD$288 I'm happy though.
