Hamilton “Martin”

Hamilton seemed ambivalent about its 987 line of 17 jewel movements in 1938. The company seemed headed in a new path paved with the 14/0 980-982 movements. By 1937, Hamilton improved the 987 model to include friction jeweling, Swiss Elinvar Extra hairsprings and a monometallic balance. This was the ultimate movement of the time, dubbed the 987A, and had the last improvements Hamilton would make to the 987.

Observers were puzzled to see the  “Martin”. It combined the wider face of the earliest Hamilton designs with “fancy” lugs of the contemporary cases of the 1937-41 period. It was a new design in a model series people though Hamilton was phasing out of.

It’s larger than most Hamilton watches from this period with dimensions of 34 x 27 millimeters.
This timepiece pictured here has raised applied gold hour markers and hands. The second hand is in the six o’clock position with a cobalt blue color. This is an unusual combination and probably means the watch was assembled from parts by the seller.  Hamilton didn’t use “Dauphine” style hands. In fact, Hamilton watches of the period used “Index” and/or “Lazenform” style. Hamilton produced the original  Martin dial with their Butler finish, a silver-oyster color. 

Updated 10-31-2012.