2024 has been a very difficult year for me, following on the coattail of several difficult years. It hasn't been all bad, thank goodness, and I consider myself to be very blessed and fortunate overall. However, I am now an "orphan" and celebrating my first Christmas in 57 years without my parents.
It's been a little hard to get into the Christmas spirit, to be honest, but I think I finally made it.
A dear friend of mine shared a song by Ingrid Andres called, "Christmas Always Finds Me" and it makes me realize that I am not alone in this struggle.
Through the years I've moved a lot Different doors with different locks But somehow Christmas always finds me It's been a while since I wished For roller blades and pixie sticks But somehow Christmas always finds me
When silver bells and silent night And mistletoe's nowhere in sight With no chance of snow falling down Another year older Little harder to believe But somehow Christmas always finds me
In traffic jams and shopping malls I lose the magic of it all But somehow Christmas always finds me
When silver bells and silent night And mistletoe's nowhere in sight With no chance of snow falling down Another year older Little harder to believe But somehow Christmas always finds me
It takes me back to younger days Of stockings on the fireplace And presents stacked And waiting by the tree And even if I'm all alone A million miles away from home It shows up in a warm memory
Another year older Getting harder to believe But somehow Christmas always find me
Like everyone, I suspect, I have very fond memories of long ago Christmases. My parents did their best to invest in me the true meaning of Christmas while also providing lots of great memories of Santa's deliveries, good meals and loads of family lore. I have done my best to do the same with my children.
To understand the true meaning of Christmas you must recognize that we are all mortal. As John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". Easter should be a bigger celebration than Christmas but without Christmas, there would be no Easter, and without an Easter no hope for everlasting life.
So I grieve the loss of my parents but can celebrate Christmas even more.
I also lost my donkey, Bill, this year and as I laid him in the ground of our pasture I said a simple prayer that any descendant of the animal worthy to carry the Mother of Jesus into Bethlehem would surely find a place in heaven with my parents.
One of the reasons I like vintage Hamiltons is they make wonderful heirlooms... especially when they are given as Christmas presents. Christmas gifts or not, vintage Hamiltons are treasured by the descendants of their original owners. They are priceless.
My project watch for this Christmas post is not a ghost of Christmas past but it is a special watch nonetheless. It's not a common model. In fact, it's the first one I've seen, even in photos. It's a 1962 Thin-o-matic T-205.
The T-205 was produced for three years and there's no easy way to date one unless it's engraved. What's interesting about the model is the bezel has a Florentine engraving, as does the top of the lugs. At first glimpse, you might wonder if it was done aftermarket, or even damaged.
Initially the T-205 was offered for $140. That's about $1,500 in today's dollars. You'd be hard-pressed to find a new solid gold watch today for anywhere near $1,500.
By 1964, the price increased $10 to $150. The catalog depictions show the engraving to the case but don't really do the case justice.
My project watch is in good shape overall. Very typical for a watch that lost it's crown and was put away in the sock drawer for 40 years. There's really no mystery as to why the crown is missing. This is a one-piece case and requires a two-piece stem. Undoubtedly the crown was lost when the two-piece stem separated - either by mechanical failure or rust. The dial looks very good though, so I doubt there's too much water damage.
The lugs on this case exhibit wear grooves consistent with the use of a metal bracelet. It was probably attached after purchase and is a great example of why I recommend a leather strap over a bracelet.
With the crystal lifted out of the way, the movement drops easily out of the case. You can see the engraving on the bezel and the lugs that makes this model unique.
There are several similar calibers used in Thin-o-matics. The initial movements were pink and by the late 1960s the movements became white (or silver) colored. The white movements are used in the TM-line of Thin-o-matics, and were also made by Buren, which was owned by Hamilton by that time.
This movement is a 663 movement with 17 jewels.
The dial side of the main plate is unremarkable and looks like every other pink microrotor other than the calendar-equipped versions.
Everything is taken apart and cleaned - which is saying something. I haven't counted but it feels like there are twice as many parts in a micro rotor movement than in a conventional automatic. Piece by piece, it all goes back together with fresh lubricants - eventually.
Finally! The movement is back together enough to be functional and running. The only things missing are the oscillating weight and the dial-side parts. It's off to the timer to see how it's performing.
Nothing wrong with this timing.
The oscillating weight goes on next and it's seated deep enough to not drag the case but also clear the main plate. The male stem in the movement is a little rusty - that's probably why the two-piece stem separated. I will replace it with a male stem with more "meat".
Now comes the tricky part... fitting a new stem and crown. This movement has the male-side of the stem in the movement so the female side must be retained in the crown. I was able to find a Hamilton crown in my stash of parts - a very fitting use for a solid gold Thin-o-matic. The trick will be to trim the female stem to the proper length so it's not too long or too short.
There... the finished watch looks perfect- especially with a proper crown, new crystal and a genuine lizard strap. This unique watch would be a prized member of anyone's Hamilton collection.
As 2024 comes to a close, if you find that you're another year older and it's a little harder to believe, let me extend my deepest hopes that Christmas has found you too this year and that you and yours celebrate a wonderful Christmas. May the new year bless you with health, wealth, and happiness.
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