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Hamilton Yellow Gold Filled Enamel Dial Railway Pocket Watch, 1917 — view 1 of 6
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Pocket Watches · Pocket watch

Hamilton Yellow Gold Filled Enamel Dial Railway Pocket Watch, 1917

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Hamilton (maker)
Date
1917
Country of origin
United States
Object type
Pocket watch
Materials / technique
gold, enamel
Stock no.
Product 1942
Credit line
Dealer listing, WatchMuseum.org shop (product 1942)
Catalogue title (original)
Hamilton Yellow Gold Filled Enamel Dial Railway Pocket Watch (English)

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Record summary

Catalogued by WatchMuseum.org shop (stock number Product 1942), this is a pocket watch by Hamilton, made in United States, dated 1917. The Atlas places it in the Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking period (1900 – 1945) of its Pocket Watches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: gold, enamel. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — WatchMuseum.org shop

The Hamilton Yellow Gold Filled Enamel Dial Railway Pocket Watch from 1917 is a testament to the storied legacy of the Hamilton Watch Company, which was established in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892 with the mission of producing high-quality, American-made timepieces. Renowned for their precision and reliability, Hamilton quickly rose to prominence by addressing the critical need for accuracy in the nation’s railroads and supplying watches to the US military. Known for their exceptional engineering and elegant design, Hamilton watches became a symbol of dependability and style, propelling the company to become one of the largest watchmakers in the world by the 1940s. Throughout World War II, Hamilton continued to innovate, providing the military with some of the most accurate navigational chronometers and pioneering new technologies for military use. Although the company faced challenges in the 1950s with the introduction of their first electric watch, which ultimately led to their decline, the legacy of Hamilton’s craftsmanship endures. This exquisite pocket watch, crafted in 1917, reflects the enduring quality and precision that Hamilton is celebrated for. Its yellow gold-filled case and enamel dial are not only a nod to the elegance of the early 20th century but also a lasting tribute to Hamilton’s unwavering commitment to excellence. Despite the company’s eventual downfall, Hamilton watches remain highly regarded and sought after, with parts still available and the potential to last for centuries with proper care. This pocket watch is a beautiful example of Hamilton’s dedication to superior craftsmanship and precision, making it a cherished piece for collectors and enthusiasts alike. The Hamilton Watch Company was founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892 with the aim of creating high-quality, American-made watches. In response to the critical need for accuracy on the nation’s railroads, Hamilton quickly became a leading manufacturer of pocket watches and supplied watches to the US military. Hamilton watches were known for their exceptional engineering and design, and were both elegantly styled and dependable. The company was one of the largest watchmakers in the world by the 1940s. During World War II, Hamilton again supplied watches to the US military and produced some of the world’s most accurate navigational chronometers, in addition to developing new technologies for use in military watches. After the war, Hamilton continued to innovate and introduced several new watch designs for the future. In the 1950s, Hamilton made a poor executive decision by launching their first “electric” or battery watch before ironing out all the issues, leading to many failures. At the same time, Bulova launched their version of the electric watch called the Accutron, which did not fail, ultimately leading to the demise of Hamilton as a company. Despite their downfall, Hamilton watches still live on. Parts are available, and the average Hamilton, with only average care, can last hundreds of years. Hamilton’s commitment to excellence has never been surpassed by any other watch company, making their watches still highly regarded and sought after today. This elegant pocket watch is a true representation of Hamilton’s dedication to craftsmanship and precision. Creator: Hamilton Style: Modern Place of Origin: Switzerland Period: 1910-1919 Date of Manufacture: 1917 Condition: Good

Historical context

Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking (1900 – 1945)

The wristwatch displaces the pocket watch; waterproof cases, self-winding and grand complications.

The pocket watch reached technical maturity and then began to give way to the wristwatch after the First World War. Complicated watches for collectors such as Henry Graves Jr. and James Ward Packard, railroad watches, and slim Art Deco dress watches are characteristic.

Read the period in the timelineMore pocket watches from this periodEarlier: Industrial Revolution

Atlas type guide

Railroad and railway watches

Timetables made accurate timekeeping a matter of safety. After a fatal collision at Kipton, Ohio, in 1891, American railroads adopted strict standards: open-face watches, lever setting, at least 17 jewels, adjustment to temperature and five positions, and a performance within 30 seconds a week, inspected regularly by approved watch inspectors. Waltham, Elgin, Hamilton, Illinois and Ball made railroad-grade watches in large numbers.

European railways issued service watches to guards, drivers and station staff, often engraved with the railway's initials and a staff number. Such watches link industrial timekeeping with the standardisation of time zones (Greenwich Mean Time adopted by British railways in 1847; North American standard time in 1883).

What to look for

  • Open-face cases with the crown at 12 and lever setting under the bezel.
  • Montgomery dials with every minute numbered, or bold Arabic numerals.
  • 'Railroad grade', '21 Jewels', 'Adjusted 5 positions' on the movement.
  • Railway initials and issue numbers engraved on the case back.

Dating clues

  • American railroad standards: from 1891–93, revised c. 1908.
  • Serial numbers of American makers allow dating to within a year.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

Read next:Detached lever escapement

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