This is an unusual 19 Jewel Hamilton “Ross”. Considered one of the Company’s most stylish wristwatches, they only produced 3,500 units pure year while in production. Notice the case is rectangular and has extensions on the top and bottom to hold the band. The Art Deco period continued in the US until 1939 unlike France which officially ended its Deco period in 1929. The Ross maintained the style using sweep back lugs, a curved back, multi-toned copper dial or a standard Butler finished white face. It had an indention at the six o’clock position for the fourth wheel second had. The inset portion of the dial is a silver-oyster color Butler finish. The rim is pure highly polished copper. Like other Hamilton wristwatches of the period, the Company used 18K gold applied hands and inlaid Roman numerals.
It’s a rare piece for a couple of reasons. The first one? The dial on this watch came with “White” gold cases. You can see this in the cut-out below from the 1940 catalog.
Secondly, It normally came with a 982-19 Jewel movement. Whoever owned this watch placed a 982 Medallion movement in this timepiece, which one would consider unusual since Hamilton only used the Medallion movement in its solid gold cases. Hamilton touted the 982M as the height of accuracy noting its cap jewels on the escape wheel bearings and Elinvar (“Elasticity Invariable”) hairspring. Additionally, people considered that the movement provided increased durability at the time, which predated the incabloc shock absorbing mechanism.
Here’s another variation on the dials available in the catalog.
This is a collector’s item. It’s a Hamilton Ross with a copper dial and 18K applied “Arabic” numerals as found on the butler finished dials. The company produced this as a one-off dial. I have only seen one.
Welcome to the world of Hamilton.
Hamilton shows the “Ross” in its dealers catalogs from 1938 and into 1941. Ross dimensions are 24mm x 37mm. It’s small across and has about an average length for a vintage Hamilton rectangle.
| From Hamilton’s 1940 Catalog |
Estimated fair market retail value for this watch in 2012 is $495. Original cost was $52.50 in 1937 which adjusted for inflation equals $846.27. The average inflation rate per year is 3.78%.
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