The United States economy began its steady climb after the recession ended in June, 1939. Officially, the United States embraced isolationism. England toyed with the idea of letting Germany have the whole of Europe as long as they let left Britain alone. Roosevelt laughed at the American ideal of Isolationism and began preparing for war. Employment rose.
GNP rises 7.9 percent; unemployment falls to 17.2 percent.
The United States emerges from the Depression as it borrows and spends $1 billion to build its armed forces. From 1939 to 1941, when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, U.S. manufacturing shot up a remarkably 50 percent.
The wave of economic growth affected the Hamilton Watch Company. The company refined its 987 size 6/0 caliber movement far beyond the state of the art. While fitting 6/0 size cases, it had very little in common with the earlier 987 models. The company also released a new 987S movement for watches with sweep second hand – perfect for military field operations.
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Hamilton Sentinel
sentn-el: noun: a soldier or guard whose job is to stand and keep watch.
The Sentinel with exclusive second setting feature. Hamilton advertised it as a 17 Jewel Grade 987S and said:
It’s easy to set – right on the second! Pull out the stem as the sweep second hand reaches twelve position. The watch stops. Set to correct time . Push in stem and it starts – correct to the second! Sturdy and dependable. For Doctors, radio technicians, Laboratory and research engineers, and others requiring split-minute performance. 10K gold-filled, with dial shown only – Available October, 1940
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Between 1939-41 Hamilton released the models under “Gallery” below.
Hostilities in Europe and the Pacific were on everyone’s mind whether they espoused isolationism or declaring war. Roosevelt navigated closer to the conflict and shut off all shipments of oil from the US to Japan. The writing was on the wall and Hamilton released this:
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The Lexington came with a 17 Jewel Movement and retailed for $42.50. This was a civilian watch even though the Ad says ‘for military use‘. This is a much finer quality and less rugid watch than those made for and issued by the military. It also uses a 980 movement rather than the 987A and F series the US military requisitioned.
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Gallery
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