Hamilton World War Two Wristwatches

When the United States entered World War II, the government ordered civilian watch production stopped. Hamilton became the first watch manufacturer to begin shipping timepieces to the US Military. For Hamilton, the war years became another distinct era in the company’s life span.

The Hamilton Watch Company of Lancaster, Pennsylvania went through several generations of management and chapters in its history. The first era belonged to the railroad industry. The second belonged to consumers, sportsmen, explorers and pilots. Next came the Depression of the 1930’s and then the Second World War.

If you wonder how the company maintained its resilience through those different periods, consider its culture. Hamilton operated under a code of excellence. They made the best products, they innovated, they perfected the American System of Manufacturing and they always made money and lots of it.

When the the US went to war, Hamilton put their 987A and 987S movements in military cases. The company was excellent at making movements and didn’t make cases. It was an easy transition from gold cases to base metal and chromium ones.

( Hamilton Military Watches – what’s for sale now).

When the war called for more sophisticated timepieces and solutions, Hamilton was the defense contractor of choice. The company had the best engineers – perhaps the only engineers – and an ability to collaborate with other contractors to meet the demands of the war.

When the Allies needed Naval chronometers, Hamilton was the only manufacturer that could fill that need. Of the eight US watch companies asked to build a chronometer, only Hamilton could. The company started from scratch as only the Swiss and German made naval chronometers before the war.

The company sustained its corporate culture and DNA and never compromised regardless of how many administrations came and went. That allowed them to help the good guys win the war.

The timepieces the company made during the war years ranged from those needed by soldiers in the field, doctors and nurses, officers, commanders, synchronized weapons systems, navigation, Naval and Air Force operations and top secret systems such as those for divers. When a pilot looked at his instrument panel, a Hamilton clock allowed him to know the time and calibrate his flight plan or link up with an armada.

How did the war effect the company economically? Hamilton made more money during the war years than in any other period of its existence. Let’s look at some of those watches, clocks and other timepieces.

The best collection of military watches can be viewed at Photobucket. It’s a personal collection shared on other sites.

You can also read more about the company during World War II in an article entitled: Article on Hamilton watches in World War II called How Hamilton Watch Co. Won World War II.

If you cannot read the charts listing of the watches Hamilton provided the Allies they are: 987A Army ORD OD 2 piece “snap” case; 987A Army ORD OD screw case; 987A Navy 27023 R88-W-800; 987A Navy BuShips…..

987a ORD OD Screw Back

Bunship Canteen

Bomber Simulator

987a

…987s BunShips Canteen Divers Watches; 987s Navy 39108 R88-W-800; 2987 Navy 39103 R88-W-800 or FSSC 88-W-800; 2987 USMC 39102 R88-W-800 or FSSC 88-W-800; 987S USMC 39108; 987A 1946 ORD ; 980 “Bomb Timer” for the Fairchild Gun Camera ;

987 S

Hamilton began producing a watch with a center or sweep second hand for civilian use before hostilities broke out. They mounted the movement in several military watches. The civilian watches released in 1940 were the Secometer and the Sentinel. Those models carry 987S movements.  The Hamilton models with a sweep second hand (another military watch) were produced from 1940 to 1948. The 987A and 987S were fitted with Elinvar Extra hairsprings when they became available.

Hamilton also provided watches for Russia (which they do not acknowledge):

Hamilton Watches were part of the aid Americans contributed to the Soviet Union during World War II. The Russian War Relief Fund, a non-profit organization, purchased Hamilton watches like the one pictured below.

The translated inscription says:

World War II Hamilton OD -1 Military Watch issued to Russia – USSR

Another North American Country used watches with 987S movements for their Air Force – the RCAF.

Greenwich Civil Time or GCT.

The Hamilton GCT chronometer is a clock that is precise and accurate enough to be used as a portable time standard. It’s basically a 992B.   

Hamilton GCT – size 16 Model 4992N, 22 Jewels AN5740-1 is a navigation master. Used as a time indicator, for example, in airplanes – as a reference timepiece.

Each branch of the U.S. military had their own Hamilton size 16 Model 4992N.

Hamilton solved a major problem for the allied military effort.  In particular, the U.S. needed a source of of marine chronometers. Unfortunately, the producers of chronometers were Germany, Switzerland and England. US manufacturers didn’t make Marine Chronometers.

The US military solicited bids from eight American watch manufacturers, but Hamilton was the only watch company to build a working model. The Navy deployed the Model 21 immediately and it became the only chronometer used by the allies in World War II.

Hamilton received accolades for its achievement for producing the finest marine chronometer ever made.