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by Jack Lee
I’m an amateur horologist and every now and then I thought I would share some tidbits from my hobby, you might need the diversion from politics!
If you’re fortunate enough to own a Hamilton pocket watch you probably know it’s as much an investment as it it a prized timepiece.
Hamilton pocket watches were originally made from handcrafted machinery by a company that began in 1874 as the Adams & Perry Watch Manufacturing Company.
In 1892 Adams and Perry became the Hamilton Watch Company and the quality became increasingly better. As noted in this article on ehow.com, “According to Antique Pocket Watch, an online watch publication, testament to the quality of the watches it produced is the fact that most of its watches ended up being bought for use on the railways.”
Typically the railroad watch was a 992 and 992c, but the 930 was virtually as accurate, but less costly to purchase new. However, the 1898 may eventually surpass the railroaders 992 model in collectability because of one thing…a low production number. Once again, value is all about supply and demand and back in 1898 only 200 of the 930 models were produced. That’s an incredibly small number! The reason being was Hamilton’s transition and new emphasis on slimmer model watch cases that were more in keeping with the times. The 930’s were fat, heavy and had unusually thick beveled crystals. This design had run it’s course over at least the past 150 years, but turn of the century fashion had spelled their doom.
The rare 1898 Hamilton 930, c1898, 18s, is one rare pocket watch. If you can find one buy it! It’s price is going up, up, up as are all collectible pocket watches.
UPDATE: The 930’s were made in 15J, however at the end of the production run they went with 17J, if you have one of the 17J models congratulations, they are extremely limited, perhaps as few as a 100 or less.
Unrelated subject question:
I’m curious if you Jack, Tina and others are voting in the special election tomorrow between Jim Nielsen and Mickey Harrington?
Accepting the fact that this run-off race would not be taking place if Dan Logue had not decided to run for both his Assembly seat and LaMalfa’s vacated Senate seat, will anyone even bother to vote since the democrats already hold a super majority?
According to the below KNVN article this special election is also costing us about a million dollars.
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Special Election to Cost North State:
“The race to replace Doug LaMalfa in the state senate will be decided in a special election this coming Tuesday. An election that would not have been necessary if it weren’t for a fraction of one percent of the vote in November.
Now North State residents must foot the enormous bill, District 4 counties are expected to shell out over a million dollars to pay for an election that has just one race with only two candidates.
“If any one candidate gets 50 percent of the vote, then there is no run-off election, the front runner in November only got 49.8%,” said Cathy Darling Allen, Shasta County Registrar of Voters.
In a race of 378,000 votes, Jim Nielsen was just 832 votes off of a win. The next closest candidate was democrat Mickey Harrington, with only 27.7% of the vote. Nielsen likely would have won if not for republican Dan Logue, who dropped out 29 days before the election but still garnered 11% of the vote.
“So if that person had never filed and never appeared on the ballot and all of those votes had gone to Mr. Nielsen, we would not be in this situation,” said Darling Allen.”
http://www.knvn.com/content/localnews/story/Special-Election-to-Cost-North-State/ENvpVhKSa0Wq-V_BzTvRFg.cspx
Peggy, you raise a good question. This is a total waste of the taxpayers time and money, but it also points out how uninformed the voters must be when they voted for Logue thinking he was still in the race.
The super majority has been achieved, the democrats have won the battles and now they have won the war. It’s over, so why bother.
I said months ago the republican lawmakers ought to turn their salaries back to the state or better yet, send it to local charities and just go home. Their presence is not wanted and not doing any good whatsoever. They should just not show up, it would be their last grand act of defiance, and that would be better than anything else they’ve done in the last 20 years.
If I were a GOP lawmaker I would be ashamed to be taking the taxpayers salary knowing I could do nothing for them.
You’re right. They should all just resign and save us taxpayers the cost of their salaries, benefits and office operating expenses. They have been rendered a useless component of the legislative process and a complete waste of their time and our money. We no longer have representatives who can represent the conservative voters in this state.
When this whole thing with Logue running for two seats at the same time was going down my thoughts were this was truly THE definition of a circular firing squad in action. Why he did it we will probably never know, but the result is still the same. He took Nielsen out at the knees when an easy win was inches away.
Sorry Mr. Nielsen, I’m not bothering to vote either. But, if you ever do run again I’ll be there to support you.
Hey Jack,
Do you know anything about the 1898 Hamilton 966? I am having a lot of difficulty researching this pocket watch!
Thanks in advance,
Steve
Steve, without knowing exactly what bit of information you are looking for the best I could do is just give you the basics. First….the Hamilton 966 is R-A-R-E!
966 is the grade and this is a very good grade. It is also called a Model 1 and it comes in a size 16, with an open face case. They have 17 ruby friction jewels set in a 3/4 nickle movement. The 966’s were made from 1896 – 1900, thats a very limited production time and I am not sure why, although I could guess it was because of the new improved railroader that came out.
The production run in 1898 was very low, just a 100 were made and it is quite the collectable!!!!
Steve, I believe yours is a railroad grade, but I would need the serial number to be sure. However, if it is, it makes it even more valuable. I know some 966’s were and some were not, so the only way to tell is either go down the list of specs or check the serial number in the Hamilton reference book. By specs I mean for example, is the dial white with black Arabic numbers? Are their 5 positions of adjustments noted on the top of movement? We know it has 17 jewels, thats the minimum required by law for a railroader. It must be lever set. You can find the lever by removing (unscrew) the bezel and looking at the 10 or 2 position and there will be a slot in the case. You can pull the lever out with a fingernail and then turn the winding knob and it will move the hands. The case must be open face with the stem located at the 12 oclock position. Those are the things that mean railroad grade.
Typically the movements were placed in a 20 or 25 year gold plated open face case for this one. I would be surprised if isn’t!
TIPS: These old watches require regular service. A good oiling about every 3 years if it’s wound fairly often and a good clean and oil every six years, unless its found dirty during the 3 year oiling. You never want to let the oil dry out. And the mainspring should never be wound completely. They are old and tired, so wind it just enough to give you 24 hours. That’s enough for a time test, but not before a good cleaning and oiling. And don’t carry this watch in a pants pocket, it’s way too fragile and too valuable. You can bust the balance wheel pinion with a good bump with these watches. They were made decades before the shock proof movements were invented.
I only know of one or two master watchmakers I would trust to just clean this watch. Even I wouldn’t touch it and I have done many cleanings and oilings. (My guide to cleaning and oiling is on the North American Watch and Clock Collectors Assoc. website) This 966 is too valuable for anyone to mess with it. It needs the attention of a true craftsman who appreciates it rarity and would handle it with great care.
Now as to price…well, I would have to see it (or pics) because like anything else its all about condition. Lets say it was mint condition, serviced and without any scratches or dings on the case, no hairline fractures to the dial and rust free hands, then I would think $1500-1800, maybe more, but so much depends on dial type, watch hands, case material, etc.
A comperable Hamilton 992 goes for about $295-350 on eBay, but then they are much less rare. I checked the solds on eBay and they had NONE! That should tell you how rare this one is! But, more than price, this watch represents a page in watch history and so few were produced, it would be a disaster for watch collectors everywhere if anything bad happened to it.
If you send me the serial number I may be able to give you more information.