I just want to suggest you take extra care when reading a sellers description. In my opinion, this one is ridiculous. The remaining buyers in the market should easily recognize this. Just in the event you don’t here’s a bit of help.
The seller’s title for this beat-up Martin is: MENS VINTAGE HAMILTON WWII MILITARY WATCH 987A MECHANICAL 17j 10K GOLD FILLED
$89 opening bid.
What’s wrong? It’s not a Keystone case for one thing. It’s a gold filled case that Hamilton marketed between 1936-1940. OK. The movement is a 987a and Hamilton sold 400,000 of those movements to the US Military, but not in this case. Also, if it is re-cased – then it’s not a military watch. It’s a Franken-watch.
Note: [Oh, by the way – I wear a Martin as my everyday watch. ]
The US never issued Hamilton Martins for military purposes. Their watch was based on the Endicott’s specifications. The only thing salvageable about this watch is the movement and its price should run about $20-$40. That’s what I pay. You’ll find some parts that are not worn, but I can only imagine the balance having a chance.
What makes sellers blind? I can only guess, but here’s my correspondence with the seller.
Me: Can you provide any documentation showing this to be a military watch?
Seller: I cannot provide any documentation. All of the original information/research indicated the 987A movement was military issued. Although most military watches showed indications of the branch they were issued, some did not. Also, this particular movement was issued to officers and the branch was not indicated on the watch. Although my research leads me to believe this was a military watch, I have come to learn that most of the military watches had a screwback case. This one does not. After further investigation and numerous emails, I have identified the watch as a Hamilton Martin. I have corrected the listing to avoid any future confusion. Thank you for your concern, and again I apologize for any confusion.
Wow. Could we stretch the facts a little more? Try this: No ordinance marking and a snapback looked nothing like this. World War II watches did not indicate the branch necessarily, but it always had an Ordinance Designation that went something like OD, OD 1 or OD 2 and so forth. They were stamped. Finally, I’m in a bit of confusion. Why would the US Military issue Hamilton Martins to officers? Well maybe – and I’m spitballing here – because the case was gold filled instead of that nasty chrome and base metal gray things?
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| World War II Military Watch |
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| World War II Snapback |
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| Martin Back |
Military watch? $89 starting bid? Sad
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| The Endicott design was the basis for the US Military Watch |
If The US Military wanted to issue gold watches to their officers, then they might have picked up some of these shinny Endicotts. I think the enemy would have loved to see the reflection off a gold watch with a polished glass crystal.
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