Hamilton Ladies Pocket / Pendant Watch 26032-14

 It doesn't happen very often but occasionally I come across a "Hamilton" watch that makes me wonder if it's legit or not.  There are fake Hamiltons out there for sure but that's not too common with vintage models.  It's not unheard of with modern Hamiltons though so you have to be aware of what you're looking for when it comes to buying a modern Hamilton from anyone other than an authorized dealer.

I was recently asked my opinion about what appears to be a ladies pocket watch, or perhaps a pendant watch.  What is your impression?

The Rococo-themed case is very ornately engraved and even the dial is overly embellished.  Still, it doesn't look quite right to my eye.  Hamilton's dials are always very well done, their engraving is crisp and exact.  This watch looks like it's trying to be something that it's not.

What's really interesting is it's actually very small.  In the photo below it's compared to a Secometer B and you can see it's considerably smaller.

The inside of the case back is stamped 26032 and 14.  The number below that is the serial number for the case.  It doesn't say Hamilton inside the case back.  What's more, the inside of the case doesn't even say what the case is made out of.  I do not think it's solid gold.  That a big red flag.  Hamilton always has their name in their case and will denote what the material is, whether it's solid gold or gold plated.

The movement inside is a Hamilton 26 caliber.  It's based on an ETA 2512.  It looks familiar and that's because it's also known as the Hamilton 680.  I don't have a good handle on ladies models from the 1970s or later but that would be my guess for when this watch was made.

The case is a three piece design with a case back, a bezel, and the center case that holds the movement.  Two screws secure the movement to the center case and once the stem is removed the assembly comes out the front.

The dial is held in place by two screws on the side of the movement.  Loosen those and the dial will lift straight off.

Although it's about the size of a nickel, this movement is obviously an ETA design and looks a lot like it's larger siblings.

Everything is carefully disassembled and cleaned.  I have to take extra care with a watch like this because the parts are extremely small and very easy to lose track of.

The most difficult task with reassembling this movement is to get all four train wheels to line up in order to get the train bridge in place.  There is no room for error - everything nests together or the train bridge won't fall into place.  Then the second most difficult task it to get the click spring back on.  It's tiny and likes to flick away and hide.  It's amazing how far a spring can travel with the slightest flick.

Now the reassembled movement is ticking away with a brisk motion.  This caliber has a beat rate of 21,600 beats per hour - noticeably faster than the typical 18,000 beat rate most earlier calibers have.

It's running nicely.  I'll see if I can slow it down a smidgeon and fine tune the beat rate.  That's easier said than done on such a tiny movement.

That's a little better.  It took quite a few attempts and I decided to call it here... 16 second fast per day.

The dial goes back on and then the movement can go back into the case.

These hands are called "open moon" hands.  It's the same style many ladies watches from the 1920s were outfitted with.  I aligned the hands at 12:00 and the watch is ready to be closed up.

The finished watch looks pretty much the same as what I started with.  I think it's a very interesting watch.  Hamilton often included the movement caliber in the model number and 26032 is in keeping with that tradition.  However, there are a lot of red flags, so I'm note sure I would say this is a legit model.  It's likely from the 1980s and could be a "jeweler's special" where a Hamilton movement was cased with an aftermarket case and dial.  You'd really have to find some original paperwork or advertisement to be certain.

1959 Kinematic Sugar Bowl

Hamilton produced watches for awards and presentations through a special department.  You could customize the watch is a variety of ways including customizing the dial or engraving the back.

In 1959 Hamilton provided watches for participants and key people involved in the 1959 Sugar Bowl.  The Sugar Bowl that year included Clemson vs LSU and it was held January 1, 1959 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. LSU won the game 7-0 to claim their first national championship.

The photo above includes the starting offense for Clemson's Sugar Bowl team.  The photo below shows Clemson head coach Frank Howard with members of his team during practice for the 1959 Sugar Bowl.   Is it just me or do these players look a lot older than 21 years old?

The Awards Division typically used models that were discontinued from the regular commercial line. The logic being recipients wouldn't find their awards for sale in their local jewelry store.  

The watch used in 1959 was based on the 1957 Kinematic I.  This model was produced for two years so by 1959 it was discontinued.  There's a very similar looking model called the Kinematic II but it came out in 1960... to early to use for a 1959 award.

The Kinematic I is an interesting line.  There are only two models in the line up and they both use the same Hamilton caliber - the 672.  This caliber was also used in the Accumatic line so why the Kinematics was not included in the Accumatic line is a mystery to me.

The Kinematic came in a 10K RGP case with a stainless steel back.  It was considered waterproof but that assumes the gaskets included were in good shape.

My project watch has had a vigorous life and is well worn.  As you can see, this model has somewhat delicate lugs and they've been bent in different directions so they look a little wonky.  I'm going to let sleeping dogs lie when it comes to the lugs.  Tweaking them even a little could result in the lug coming off - instantly making the watch a pocket watch.  It can be fixed by a talented gold smith but it's not something I will risk.

The case back is engraved Clemson vs LSU and M.A. Wilson.

Tucked inside the case is the 17 jewel 672 movement you'd expect to see.  This movement is based on an ETA 1256.  This is a pretty common caliber used in lots of other manufacturers lines.  This watch is missing the movement retaining brackets and screws.  Other Kinematics I've worked on require them and I think this watch does too.

The crystal on the watch appears to be new and defect free but the finish on the dial is a little crazed.  I'm not going to attempt to clean this dial as I could easily ruin it, even by getting it wet.

All the parts are disassembled and cleaned.  The movement was very dirty and everything is nice and shiny now.  I'll need to replace a couple of screws.  This movement had some incorrect screws from prior services, I assume.

The basic movement is reassembled and the balance is now ticking away.  It's at a point now where I can put it on the timer to see how it's running.

Things are looking good.  All of the specs are within my acceptable range so I'll leave it running as it is.  The beat rate will likely settle down after a while.

The finished watch looks a bit shinier than what I started with but it's running much better and now ready for some more wrist time.  It will look a lot better once the lugs are adjusted to look even.

1956 Automatic K-455 - or is it?

It's not unheard of to come across a vintage Hamilton that is hard to identify.  It's gotten a lot easier thanks to the HamiltonFieldGuide but sometimes weird things happen.

For example, it wasn't unusual for the Hamilton factory to be stretched in busy times of the year like graduation and Christmas seasons.  It's well documented by former employees that you sometimes had to use what was available when it came to parts like hands, etc.

Of course, a lot can happen to a watch over 70+ years.  Hamilton watches were expensive and if something damaged the case, for example, a frugal owner could simply recase the dial and movement into an aftermarket case.

Fast forward to the 21st century and today's collectors inherit the sins of the past.  Stuff happens.

I recently had the opportunity to help someone with their father's 1956 Automatic K-455.  This model was made for three years.

In 1956 the K-455 was offered in a 10K gold filled case with a stainless steel back.  The dial featured solid 18K numerals and luminous dots, along with a pearled track.  The case is sometimes referred to as a "flying saucer" design, which was a common aesthetic in the 1950s.   It was available on a strap or a bracelet with model numbers for each.

If the case looks familiar, it could be because it was shared with the Transcontinental A that was offered at the same time.  The Transcontinental A featured a rotating dial that moved with the hour hand so you could see the time in whatever timezone was of interest to you.

In 1957 and 1958 a second all-numeral dial option was offered so there were four different model numbers, depending on dial and strap/bracelet configuration.

My project watch is a little different.  Can you spot what's going on?

You guessed it - this is not a dial that was offered with the K-455, or was it?

Turns out, this dial wasn't even offered until 1958.  It was used on two different models... the Automatic K-412 as well as the Automatic K-302.  So what's the story?  Did it leave the factory with this dial or was it added at some time later?

It's not unusual for the luminous material on hands from this time to take a toll on the dial.  The radium in the luminous paint when held so closely to the finish of the dial, for years and even decades, can eventually burn the finish and leave an ugly shadow.  It would be a pretty easy change to just swap the damaged dial with something that looked better.  The same would be true if something else happened to the original dial... water damage, etc.

It's interesting that this watch has been in the same family for 70 years and there's no memory of a change being made.

Anyway - who knows the story?  Does it really matter?

The back of the case is stainless steel and unscrews off if you have a case wrench.

The inside of the case back is stamped "Time Zone A" - I guess that took up less space than Transcontinental A.  There is no model called the Time Zone but it's not unusual to see a K455 with this stamped inside - it was the same case, after all.  I can see several different watchmaker's marks inside so I'm not the first person to open this case in 70 years.

Like most K-series automatics, there's a17 jewel 661 movement inside.  I like this movement - it's big and chunky and built like a tank, in as far as a watch can be tank-like.

Everything is taken completely apart and cleaned in my ultrasonic for almost 30 minutes.  There's a cleaning cycle followed by two different rinses.  Then it's all dried and ready to be put back together.

The reassembled movement is bright and shiny.  It's ticking away with a nice motion but only the timer can say for sure how it's doing.

It doesn't get much better than this.  I hope I'm running this well when I'm 70 years old.

The dial and hands go back on and it all goes back into the case.  The large weight swings around smoothly and winds the watch while you wear it.  However, you can wind it manually with the crown too and the original instructions were to wind it manually before you put it on and the automatic bits keep it topped off from there.

A new crystal and a gentle case polish complete the restoration.  This watch reminds me of an old Corvette I once saw for sale.  It looked great and the sign said "Numbers don't match and Owner don't care".  Does it really matter that this dial and case may be an after-factory marriage?  Maybe if you were running a museum, but it was your old man's then not at all.  It's just part of it's life story.