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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States

Hamilton Watch Company

Verified

Railroad-grade and military pocket watches; later wristwatches

History

Founded on the site and assets of earlier Lancaster watch ventures, Hamilton built its reputation on precision railroad watches, supplied deck and navigation watches during both world wars, and continued American movement production into the late 1960s.

Major innovations

  • Elinvar and Elinvar Extra hairspring alloys in series production
  • Marine chronometer Model 21 for wartime navigation

Known markings

  • 'Hamilton Watch Co. Lancaster, Pa.'
  • Grade number on the bridge
  • 'Railway Special'

Serial numbers

Movement serial numbers map to approximate production years through published factory tables; case serials are unrelated to movement serials.

Collecting significance

Grade, jewel count, dial originality and matching case are the principal value axes. Refinished dials are extremely common.

Photographs

Hamilton Watch Complex
Hamilton Watch Complex — Niagara, CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Hamilton Watch Complex, 1963 wing
Hamilton Watch Complex, 1963 wing — Niagara, CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Hamilton Watch Complex, 1941 office building
Hamilton Watch Complex, 1941 office building — Niagara, CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia Commons file page

Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.

Sources & references

  1. Hamilton factory service literature
  2. NAWCC Bulletin

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.