UNUSUAL HAMILTON SPECIAL DIAL 992E 16 SIZE METAL OPEN FACE DIAL POCKET WATCH

Description

INFORMATION FROM A VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE
COLLECTOR, Hamilton was commissioned to make 25 -
4992B military watches that had 2 faces (one black and
this one). Hamilton only made 64 of these dial faces.
The watches were given to top graduate of Army pilots in
WW1. It was sold as a custom watch face for the Navy again
in WW2. There were 3 models made with this only one was
Civilian grade. It goes with the Military’s 24hr watches.
My Grandfather was a new plane director. He saw 2 or three of those and took on a part time watchmaker job at Hamilton after the War.
Those went with an early era watch case. The Hamilton custom pocket watch shop normally only did limited run watches. So watching them make a 11.24” diameter pattern, projecting it to a watch sized metal plate, then stamping 64 images on the press plate wasn’t seen. They did everything by hand.
So if you search Hamilton 0+ you’ll see most of their “whole watches”. Some are remakes. Between 50-0 you’ll find easter eggs (a movement that belongs in a museum) or watch dials that are so rare to find that you know it’s a 1 in three chance a Limited or Custom thing.
Salesman cases and award time-pieces from 1920 to 1950 would have these pieces. So normally they’re found only in private collections.
The Hamilton Custom shop closed temporarily when Hamilton took over the Ball Cleveland Facility to keep it going until their owner returned from the War. After that Ball and Hamilton’s Master Tradesmen were found in one of 3 facilities (Ball, Santa Fe, and Hamilton).
Good luck, wrap that piece or sell it the the museum in the UK for 100-250 euro. (215-500 USD)
JUST A FEW MADE-- FROM ART ZIMMERLA ESTATE-- UNUSUAL HAMILTON SPECIAL DIAL 992E 16 SIZE ---METAL-- OPEN FACE DIAL POCKET WATCH. HE WROTE 992E ON THE BACK SO HE WOULD REMEMBER. THE BEST I REMEMBER HE SAID ONLY A VERY FEW OF THESE WATCHES WERE MADE FOR SOME SPECIAL PURPOSE BY HAMILTON AND HE HAD THE WATCH IN HIS COLLECTION AND A SPARE DIAL.
DIAL FEET ARE LOCATED AT: 9-16---23-- .  SOLD FOR RESTORATION OR HISTORY PURPOSES. TO MAKE AN 12 HOUR DIAL TRAIN A 24 HOUR DIAL TRAIN YOU JUST CHANGE OUT THE MINUTE WHEEL AND SOMETIMES HAVE TO CHANGE THE MINUTE WHEEL STUD.
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