The sterling silver case weighs about 4 ounces and was made by the Crescent Watch Case Company. The serial number of this watch is 254603 and was produced in 1906. The dial is double sunk and has only minor damage by the setting lever and some minor chips at the center, hidden by the hands. Waltham Pocket Watch Serial Numbers Use this table to look up your Waltham Pocket Watch serial number of and hence the year of manufacture. When looking for the number on your watch you should be looking at the serial number on the movement, not the case. Around 1885, the Chicago Watch Case Co. Moved to Brooklyn, NY, where it was reorganized and renamed the Crescent Watch Case Co. All production was sold through the Waltham Co. Agents, Robbins & Appleton. In 1904 the Crescent Watch Case Co. Was merged with the Philadelphia Watch Case Co., Bates and Bacon, and the Keystone Watch Case Co.

Case Construction Equipment
Crescent Watch Case Co Serial Numbers 137008
Crescent Watch Case Co Serial Numbers List Printable Chart
Watch Case Serial Number Lookup
J&i Case Co

HAMILTON WATCHES PAGE 2

The American Jewelry Company
Leadville, Colorado

A Personalized Hamilton 940

The history of Leadville, Colorado is filled with tremendous color and excitement. The famous Tabor Opera House attracted a multitude of prominent visitors and entertainers of the day. People such as Susan B. Anthony, John Phillip Souza, Harry Houdini and many others were often seen around town. Doc Holliday shot his last man in Leadville after leaving Arizona. Silver was king...fortunes were made and lost. This Hamilton 940 embodies the true history of Leadville, Colorado.

This is really the most incredible Hamilton 940 we have ever had. All screws and all attachments are gold plated. The lettering is beautifully gold inlaid. The damaskeening is wonderful. The movement is mint. The movement contains 21 jewels and is fully adjusted. This watch is loaded with history. The American Jewelry Company was located in Leadville, not far from where Doc Holliday shot his last man. The store was very attractive just like this watch.

The case is great. Not only is it made of silver, but the back of the case has the image of a minor with his shovel. This image is made of gold. It is worn, but you can still see the beautiful hand engraving. The sterling silver case weighs about 4 ounces and was made by the Crescent Watch Case Company. The serial number of this watch is 254603 and was produced in 1906. The dial is double sunk and has only minor damage by the setting lever and some minor chips at the center, hidden by the hands. The swing out case has its original extra thick glass crystal.

Over the years, we have had other Hamilton watches that have been marked 'Special For Mine Service', but this is the first one that is so directly related to such a famous area of the country. A very rare and special historically significant pocket watch.

Here are two nice old views of Leadville
Click on them to enlarge

Hamilton 992B With Gold Center Wheel

The Hamilton 992B is probably one of the best work watches ever made for use on the railroad. The U. S. Government also used many 992B's for military applications. These can still be found and are marked on the plates U. S. Govt. Most 992B's come with the standard dial that is marked Railway Special. These dials were made both out of porcelain and also melamine. The melamine dials were produced later and are often found with age cracks and flakes. They did not hold up very well.

The following pictures are of my favorite Hamilton 992B. The best thing about this watch is that it has a solid gold center wheel. Most 992B's came with the typical brass center wheel. Also this watch has a very good looking porcelain dial that is very simple and only marked with the Hamilton name. This dial is in perfect condition and does not have any hairline fractures or chips. The seconds bit or chapter is extra large. This dial is single sunk.

The movement serial number is C71423. The case is yellow gold filled and is marked 10kt. The serial number of the case is K032470. The case is a Hamilton model 11. The watch was manufactured in either 1942 or 1943.

The opportunity to own a fine Hamilton 992B is very good. There were many produced and it is still possible to find them in near perfect condition at very reasonable prices. When interested in buying one, always look for original watches. Avoid the melamine dials unless they are in near perfect condition. Try to buy them with good original cases that are free of brass and wear or dents. Glass watch crystals are a must with these watches and will really enhance the appearance of the pocket watch. These are great watches and will still provide many years of accurate reliable service.

Contents
“Foreign” Hallmarks
British Import Hallmarks
British Traditional Hallmarks
Sponsor's Marks
Swiss Hallmarks
Swiss Poinçons de Maître
The Great War and Gold Cases
Imitation or Fake Hallmarks
Priestley's 'Watch Case Makers'
American Hallmarks?
German Hallmarks
• Pforzheim
French Swan and Owl
Russian Hallmarks
Polish Hallmarks
British Sponsor but No Hallmarks?
Cautions about Hallmark Tables

This page is principally about hallmarking. A hallmark is a legally mandated mark applied by an independent testing authority that shows the fineness of precious metal; gold, silver or platinum. Not all marks on watch cases are hallmarks! For instance, a mark could be a be manufacturer's trademark, and there are is no such thing as an American hallmark.

Precious metal (gold and silver, and more recently platinum) objects have by law been tested and marked in England since at least the year 1300, and since 1478 had to be taken to Goldsmiths' Hall in London, from which the term “hallmarking” originate. Other assay offices were later opened in centres where goldsmiths worked. The fineness of the metal is tested to make sure it meets legal requirements, and then it can be stamped with a hallmark. In addition to the fineness, hallmarks show where and when an item was hallmarked, and under whose name it was submitted.

This page helps you to make a start on reading the hallmarks in your watch case by identifying in which country it was assayed and hallmarked. You are then directed to another page with more detailed information.

If you want to get a book about British hallmarking, Bradbury's Book of Hallmarks published by the Sheffield Assay Office is a long established reference. Make sure that you get a 2014 or later edition, because only those contain correct information about British import hallmarks applied to watch cases.

Be aware that most published tables of British hallmark date letters are only for British made sterling silver items. Different date letter punch shapes were often used on items made from gold, and after 1907 sometimes on imported gold and silver items. see Cautions about Hallmark Tables.

There is a lot of information on this page and I know it can be difficult to take it all in; if you are struggling to understand the hallmarks in your watch case please ask me for help via my contact me page.

I don't make any attempt here to cover manufacturer's trademarks. If you want to identify a trademark, an invaluable resource is Mikrolisk.

Background to Hallmarks and Case Marks

The testing (assay) and hallmarking of gold and silver items in Britain goes back to the year 1300. At first the wardens of the Goldsmiths' company would visit guild members workshops and stamp their work with the mark of the leopard's head. In 1478 the first permanent assayer was appointed and items had to be taken to Goldsmiths' Hall to be assayed and marked, the origin of the term 'hallmarking'. A system of variable letters, changed each year when new wardens were elected, was introduced to identify when, and therefore by whom, an item had been assayed. At first this was called the 'assayer's mark' but is now commonly known as the date letter.

Because the date letter punches were changed when new wardens were elected each year, which took place part way through the year, hallmark date letters span two calendar years. This is not noted in most tables of hallmarks, w

Crescent Watch Case Co Serial Numbers