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| Hamilton Ross |
Hamilton brought the Ross to market in 1938 and it became one of their most iconic watches. The model pictured above came with a 19 Jewel 982 movement. Considered one of the Company’s most stylish wristwatches, for some unknown reason, Hamilton only produced 3,500 units pure year while cataloged.
In the photo above, notice the rectangular case and short swivel lugs. The Ross depicts a classic Americanized Art Deco style.
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 fancy curved back, multi-toned copper dial or a standard Butler finished white face.
Hamilton used a recessed dial at the six o’clock poisition for the second hand. Unlike other Hamilton wristwatches of the period, the Company used 18K gold applied hands and inlaid “Roman” numerals.
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| The Medallian |
This two tone dial does not belong in a gold case. That makes this model customized. Jewelers often modified Hamilton watches to suit a specific customer’s taste. The dial on this watch normally only came with “white” gold cases. You can see an examle of how the company shipped the watch in the cut-out below from the 1940 catalog.
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| From Hamilton’s 1940 Catalog |
The watch also normally came with a 982-19 Jewel movement. Whoever owned this watch requested and paid for a 982 Medallion movement (or someone simply replaced the original movement with the more expensive one.)
We would consider this an unusual request since Hamilton only used the Medallion movement in its solid gold cases in 1938. Hamilton touted the 982M as the height of accuracy noting its cap jewels on the escape wheel and Elinvar (“Elasticity Invariable”) hairspring. Additionally, Hamilton promoted the 982M movement as having increased durability, which predated the incabloc shock absorbing mechanism from Switzerland.
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| Here’s another unusual variation on the dials available from Hamilton. This is a collector’s item: 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 showed the “Ross” in its dealers catalogs from 1938 to 1941. The Ross measures 24mm x 37mm. In 2012 terms, the Ross seems small.
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| Two Tone Dial in Yellow Gold Case |
Normally, the estimated fair market retail value for this kind of vintage watch in 2012 is $495 retail. Original cost was $52.50 in 1937 which adjusted for inflation equals $846.27. The average inflation rate per year is 3.78%.
Now, given the variation as shown here, grab one. I don’t believe bidders on eBay have a clue about this information.
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