Something a little different here. Military Watches.

[rustystud]

I've gotten myself into another hobby. Collecting antique Hamilton 992 watches.
I did not realize until just recently that the military used these watches almost exclusively. Yes they used a few other manufactures, but the Hamilton's where there "go to" watch.
I just bought a 1944 official military Hamilton. Don't know if it served in combat but it did serve !
I've started buying tools and have been repairing some of my new acquisitions. It is really different then working on trucks I can tell you !
Also quite satisfying when you get a watch back together and it works !
Here's some pictures of my little collection including my Official military one.




In picture three I'm pointing to the "U.S. Gov" stamping showing this was a official military watch.
Picture five has my watch on the right next to the picture in the TM.
I know this is pretty far out there for a Military Collectors site, but hey if we can have water pumps and steam cleaners. Then we can have Watches too !
I'm pretty sure there are not many "Horologists" out there on this site, but this way Steel Soldiers can honestly say they don't discriminate against any Military Equipment !

 

[cucvmule]

You are never to old to start a new collecting hobby. The problem I have is I never get rid of anything.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I have one that a relative got from the railroad, might have to send it out to get fixed!

 

[Guyfang]

Pilots all wore Hamilton watches. I have seen a few here, but a gold bar would be cheaper to buy!

 

[Bulldogger]

Neat! For a while I wore antique wind up watches. Then I started carrying a phone and it has the time on it, so I stopped wearing a watch. I still have five of them, if I recall correctly. My favorite is the 1964 Movado Triple Stop Calendar, though it is original and valuable so I rarely wore it. The neatest (and only one I bought new) is the Ernst Borel Cocktail watch with kaleidoscopic dial. The ones I wore the most often though were the two Hamilton's from the 40's.

My father favored pocket watches, as he was a Journeyman and would tear wrist watches up in a matter of days. I bought him one of those Russian watches that became easy to get in the late 90's. So much for the "Soviet Tank Watches" they were marketed as. He broke the dial cover clasp the first day, then in a week broke off the handle and lanyard, and it stopped working inside of six months in his pocket. This was after I carried it for several weeks to try it out. My Dad could be a product failure tester. Everything breaks around him.

BDGR

 

[Jbulach]

I have one that a relative got from the railroad, might have to send it out to get fixed!

There’s “The American Watchmakers-Clockmakers Institute” right over in Harrison, OH I alway’s wondered about that place, maybe they would fix it in class?

 

[Tinwoodsman]

My father was a B-17 bombardier in WW2 and I still have his watch and it works too!

 

[Guyfang]

I've gotten myself into another hobby. Collecting antique Hamilton 992 watches.
I did not realize until just recently that the military used these watches almost exclusively. Yes they used a few other manufactures, but the Hamilton's where there "go to" watch.
I just bought a 1944 official military Hamilton. Don't know if it served in combat but it did serve !
I've started buying tools and have been repairing some of my new acquisitions. It is really different then working on trucks I can tell you !
Also quite satisfying when you get a watch back together and it works !
Here's some pictures of my little collection including my Official military one.

View attachment 774616View attachment 774617View attachment 774618
View attachment 774619View attachment 774620

In picture three I'm pointing to the "U.S. Gov" stamping showing this was a official military watch.
Picture five has my watch on the right next to the picture in the TM. In the old days, people in the Army used to fix all kinds of stuff, we just toss, in today's world. Like watches. I good friend of mine was drafted into the army in 68-69, and his MOS was repairing sewing machines! Watches and clocks used to be items that were high dollar items, and very treasured. I never knew the Army fixed them, but in retrospect, can see why. I still have on my wall, a wind up clock, that came out of a BCC, (Battery Control Center van) that keeps time to the second. It was "used" when I "removed" it, and I had it 35 years before I had it cleaned. The watchmaker wanted to buy it for his collection. I also have a new one, as a back up, in a box. But might have to give it to my Grandson. Mine has been working without out fail over 43 years.
I know this is pretty far out there for a Military Collectors site, but hey if we can have water pumps and steam cleaners. Then we can have Watches too !
I'm pretty sure there are not many "Horologists" out there on this site, but this way Steel Soldiers can honestly say they don't discriminate against any Military Equipment !

.

 

[SCM35A2]

Nice!

 

[marchplumber]

My father was a B-17 bombardier in WW2 and I still have his watch and it works too!

My uncle was also, European Theatre......25 missions......Congrats TW!;

 

[rustystud]

I'm surprised by the responses here ! I didn't think anyone would care in this "modern" computer world of ours today. I have always loved pocket watches, just couldn't afford a good one though until now. I have two Hamilton's that keep time to the second ! I wind all of them at the same time everyday and these two are always accurate to my computer everyday. That is saying something for a watch that is almost 100 years old now ! My oldest watch is from 1909 and the newest one is from 1954. The one I plan on wearing everyday is the 1954 stainless steel "workers" model . I guess they figured an average worker didn't need all that gold plated stuff. Though to be honest in 1954 stainless steel would still be pricey to buy too. I also have a salesman "sample" watch. It has glass on both sides so you can see the inner workings without removing the back cover. It is in excellent condition.
My wife knew I loved old pocket watches, so she bought me a modern gold plated electric watch years ago for our anniversary. That was when I decided that if I ever got some extra cash stashed away I would buy an original wind-up pocket watch like the old train conductors used. That lead me to the Hamilton's.
I gave my brother one last month at his retirement party. I told him "I figured your company was to cheap so I bought you a watch" . He was so touched it almost made him cry. That made me feel good to be able to bless him like that.
Anyway, good to hear all the stories of family carrying these great watches into battle !
A smaller but still vital member of the Steel Soldiers family !

 

[Tinstar]

I love the old Hamilton Military watches.
Would like to have a few of the new models.

Guyfang is correct.
The genuine vintage military pilots watches are very pricey.

 

[rustystud]

I love the old Hamilton Military watches.
Would like to have a few of the new models.

Guyfang is correct.
The genuine vintage military pilots watches are very pricey.

Also quite rare. I've only seen two Military watches come up for sell in the past year. I bought the one. I couldn't afford to buy the other too though. At about $350.00 per watch on average, it really starts to add up. I've paid up to $480.00 for one watch, that was the 1909 model. The lowest I've paid was $280.00 for a model that had seen heavy use. You get what you pay for with this stuff. The really nice clean units go for over $1000.00 easily. I'm not in that league though. Then there is the strata-ferric level. They can go for up to $20,000.00 . No way in the world could I even think about buying one of those !

 

[Tinstar]

You definitely get what you pay for in watches.

When I first arrived at my unit after flight school, I flew with as many Vietnam Veterans as I possibly could.
Learned a ton from them that still benefits me to this day.
I hadn’t a clue back then about watches.
My daily watch in 1989 was a black Swatch. Plain but it worked.

One of the Veterans I flew with a lot, advised me to get a Rolex watch.
Didn’t know a thing about them.
He said that no matter where you are in the world, the Rolex can be sold for a airplane ticket home.
Made sense and most of the guys in my unit wore them.
So I went and put one in layaway.
Took me a year to pay it off, but I ended up with a Rolex GMT-II with the Red/Black Bezel.
Remember I work for a living so it was a big investment.

It’s a tool watch for me and I could care less about perceived status.
It’s my daily watch and has scratches and dings.
I use the bezel daily to track fuel burn, position reports, etc.
It has never let me down.
Has been on my wrist in several oceans, every flight since purchased, Desert sands on several continents, in Combat.

A good watch is worth every penny and the Hamilton watches, old and new, are excellent watches.
They did an outstanding job serving the Military in the past and continue to do so now.


Thank you for saving and preserving the vintage Hamilton’s.

 

[Guyfang]

When you skimp on your tools, you wind up buying them at least twice, if not more often. My personal tool box for quick fixes, (all the apprentices hated to have to carry it for this poor old man) is a collection of tools I have bought, traded or dug out of trash cans for the last 47 years. It consists of only the very best quality tools. Some of them are literally 46-47 years old. They have never failed me. A watch is the same thing. A tool. Quality shows.

 

[rustystud]

You guys are right. I watch is a tool and as a mechanic I always tried to buy the best I could. My father taught me that, just like I'm sure Guy's father taught him. These Hamilton's where used originally to move the trains "safely" . Since trains share the same track, you needed to be sure you would not meet an oncoming train. After a major collision back in the late 1880's I believe (cannot remember the exact date) the government mandated that all trains had a conductor carry a "certified" watch. These watches needed to meet strict government standards and be certified on a regular basis. You can see the certification makes on the watches when you remove the back cover. The Hamilton became the best and the standard by which all other watches where measured by. So it only stands to reason the military used them for their pilots and other ground forces. Like the old movies say "lets synchronize our watches" !

 

[Robo McDuff]

I'm surprised by the responses here ! I didn't think anyone would care in this "modern" computer world of ours today. I have always loved pocket watches, just couldn't afford a good one though until now. I have two Hamilton's that keep time to the second ! I wind all of them at the same time everyday and these two are always accurate to my computer everyday. That is saying something for a watch that is almost 100 years old now ! My oldest watch is from 1909 and the newest one is from 1954. The one I plan on wearing everyday is the 1954 stainless steel "workers" model . I guess they figured an average worker didn't need all that gold plated stuff. Though to be honest in 1954 stainless steel would still be pricey to buy too. I also have a salesman "sample" watch. It has glass on both sides so you can see the inner workings without removing the back cover. It is in excellent condition.
My wife knew I loved old pocket watches, so she bought me a modern gold plated electric watch years ago for our anniversary. That was when I decided that if I ever got some extra cash stashed away I would buy an original wind-up pocket watch like the old train conductors used. That lead me to the Hamilton's.
I gave my brother one last month at his retirement party. I told him "I figured your company was to cheap so I bought you a watch" . He was so touched it almost made him cry. That made me feel good to be able to bless him like that.
Anyway, good to hear all the stories of family carrying these great watches into battle !
A smaller but still vital member of the Steel Soldiers family !

By now you should not have been. A lot of the most active members here are "gentlemen of a somewhat older persuasion".

We now can follow ferro's lead and start a petition for a "SteelSoldiers Watch Forum". Your watches are this typical small, ignored, but very essential item.

Personally, I always hated watches or anything around my fingers, wrists, or neck; the one good thing of modern phones is that I do not have to wear a watch.

 

[Guyfang]

I will confess as to why I wear a watch. As a kid, I never had one. Didn't want one, didn't need one. I was not the most prompt person in the world. Joined the Army at 18, and didn't want one, didn't need one. I could ask what time it is, or find a clock someplace. Who needs the darned thing on their wrist. And that worked fairly well for 12 years. Took a bunch of butt chewing over the years, but so what. Then I went to WOC school. Warrant Officer Candidate school. When ever we passed, met or saw the cadre, we had to greet them. 200 meters away was not grounds to fail in a greeting. If you could see one, you greeted him. The greeting was as follows. SIR, GOOD MORNING, (or afternoon, evening or what ever applied) CANDIDATE WILTFANG; REQUEST PERMISSION TO PASS! SIR! And if it wasn't in a 200 DB range, you tried it again. Until the evil cadre person returned your greeting, and gave permission to pass. Sometimes that permission didn't come, but that's another story. Now these evil people were very active during times like lunch. And you had to get permission to leave the mess hall. There was a long table, filled with these evil people eating lunch, killing time and waiting for us hapless candidates to want out of the mess hall. We stood in a long line, advancing one pace at a time. At attention. When your time came to finally reach the head of the line, you boomed out your greeting. As everyone had a watch, (except me) getting the time of day was easy, or you could rely on what the guy before you had just screamed. That was my method. Sadly, I often got to the head of the line at about 12:00 hours. So, is it morning? Or now afternoon? Failure to get this right brought waves of angry cadre down upon your head. All screaming things at you. This is not conducive to clear thought. And a favorite trick was to keep you screaming the greeting before 12:00, until it was two nano seconds after 12:00. Then you screamed the wrong greeting. Oh boy. It was like pouring blood into the sea, with the sharks are there. My name quickly became Candidate Wrong. I never had it right. So one day, after accruing several more hundred pushups, and enough verbal abuse to make a rock weep, I broke down and bought a watch. And wore it on my right wrist, turned inside, so I could see the hands when I had to salute. Now I wear one all day long, only take it off to go to bed.

 

[rustystud]

I will confess as to why I wear a watch. As a kid, I never had one. Didn't want one, didn't need one. I was not the most prompt person in the world. Joined the Army at 18, and didn't want one, didn't need one. I could ask what time it is, or find a clock someplace. Who needs the darned thing on their wrist. And that worked fairly well for 12 years. Took a bunch of butt chewing over the years, but so what. Then I went to WOC school. Warrant Officer Candidate school. When ever we passed, met or saw the cadre, we had to greet them. 200 meters away was not grounds to fail in a greeting. If you could see one, you greeted him. The greeting was as follows. SIR, GOOD MORNING, (or afternoon, evening or what ever applied) CANDIDATE WILTFANG; REQUEST PERMISSION TO PASS! SIR! And if it wasn't in a 200 DB range, you tried it again. Until the evil cadre person returned your greeting, and gave permission to pass. Sometimes that permission didn't come, but that's another story. Now these evil people were very active during times like lunch. And you had to get permission to leave the mess hall. There was a long table, filled with these evil people eating lunch, killing time and waiting for us hapless candidates to want out of the mess hall. We stood in a long line, advancing one pace at a time. At attention. When your time came to finally reach the head of the line, you boomed out your greeting. As everyone had a watch, (except me) getting the time of day was easy, or you could rely on what the guy before you had just screamed. That was my method. Sadly, I often got to the head of the line at about 12:00 hours. So, is it morning? Or now afternoon? Failure to get this right brought waves of angry cadre down upon your head. All screaming things at you. This is not conducive to clear thought. And a favorite trick was to keep you screaming the greeting before 12:00, until it was two nano seconds after 12:00. Then you screamed the wrong greeting. Oh boy. It was like pouring blood into the sea, with the sharks are there. My name quickly became Candidate Wrong. I never had it right. So one day, after accruing several more hundred pushups, and enough verbal abuse to make a rock weep, I broke down and bought a watch. And wore it on my right wrist, turned inside, so I could see the hands when I had to salute. Now I wear one all day long, only take it off to go to bed.

That's a great story Guy ! Made me laugh good and hard ! Also brought back memories of the Corp.
I've worn watches in the past, but the "pocket" watch is my favorite. I keep it in the watch pocket of my blue jeans. For those to young to know, the right side pocket has a smaller pocket inside made just for pocket watches. You attach the lanyard to your belt loop and then tuck the watch into this little pocket with the chain loop outside. Then you just grab the chain and pull it out of your pocket. Easy peasy !
I'm actually planning on buying a modern mechanical Hamilton . A Swiss company bought out the original Hamilton company back in the early 1960's and have made them there in Switzerland ever since. Still a great watch.

 

[frank8003]

horology

Thanks to rustystud I have even more to study.
I don't know how to do this without posting on rustystud work.........

In current usage, horology refers mainly to the study of mechanical time-keeping devices.

There is lots of them,
4992B









View attachment TM 9-1575 watches clocks.pdf

and how to hack, synchronize a watch = hack
http://www.hamiltonchronicles.com/2012/12/wwii-4992b-pocket-watch-overhaul.html

I have the 14mb TM 9-1575 if anybody wants it. If PDF doesn't work for you here than send me an email. Dated 04061945