August 2013

The Official State Inspector’s Report on the Great Kipton Train Wreck What is the importance of this? This may well be one of the most important documents in the history of American Watchmaking. The Kipton Train Wreck became the main event in Webb C. Ball’s purported interview by the New York Tribune in 1910, entitled […]

First Wristwatch Movements The Hamilton Watch Company had little experience with wristwatches. In 1917, people knew them as the world’s premiere pocket watch company. The built the business and their reputtion as the most accurate and reliable watch ever build. When they finally ventured into the “strap” watch business, they had the mentality of putting

Second Generation of Wristwatch Movements: 987 Caliber 6/0986 Caliber 6/0 — Cushion Plain without the second hand Hamilton produced these models under the concept of geometric design. The company didn’t change these offerings until 1927, so the title of this article should be Hamilton Wristwatches from 1924 – 1926.  The design lacked originality, but they

  Hamilton’s established a policy in 1929  of placing their highest grade movements in their solid gold cases. Thus, the company offered 19 jewel 979 movements and  987 17 jewel movements in gold-filled cases. Executives set the policy to establish Hamilton as the finest watch in the world, not just American. The policy worked. Hamilton

Hamilton introduced three wristwatches in 1928: Piping Rock, Hastings, and Meadowbrook. With the release of the Piping Rock, the company shifted away from naming their wristwatches after geometric shapes. Many observers believe that the wristwatch design group (of the newly acquired Illinois Watch Company) influences all wristwatch design. Hastings Meadow Brook Hamilton manufactured approximately 26,000