Featured 1927 Hamilton #992 Railroad Chronometer Pocketwatch in Salesman's Case

Here's somethin' really special!



This is a 1927 Hamilton 992 railroad chronometer, one of the most famous railroad pocketwatches in the world, and widely considered to be one of the best and most collectible.

What made me drop a (for me) obscene amount of money on this one, was the fact that THIS is a very rare variation - it's housed in its original glass-backed salesman's display case.

By law, railroad watches had to have open-faced cases, so that the time could be read clearly while traveling by rail. This watch has an added feature of an open caseback, which would've been sealed in by glass (the glass is broken, I'm going to get it replaced).

This feature was so that Hamilton Watch Co. salesmen could display the high-quality movements of the watches that they had for sale, without having to open the watch every single time. Instead, they could just turn the watch over, and show the customer the movement through the glass.

Not surprisingly, watches like these are not common - how many watch-salesmen do you know?? I consider myself very lucky to own this!

The watch is in working condition and the date on the serial number is for 1927. I intend to take this to my watchmaker for an overhaul, and also for him to fix the caseback and put in a new glass So excited!!

 

Are you sure someone just didn't take an extra front bezel and replace the back with it? They look identical.

 

That's how they would've been made, in-factory.

 

Can we see a picture with the back ring removed possibly?

 

I wish I could, but the bezels are well and truly stuck on. Going to take it to my watchmaker next week to see what he can do with it.

 

After a closer examination, I discovered that the bezels are actually friction-fit snap-on ones (rather unusual for a railroad watch, I thought?).

Either way, with careful prying, I was able to pop them off without any damage.

 

My interest runs toward earlier watches but I do find that an odd choice for the bezels given the trouble involved in removing the front to access the lever to set the time.

 

You may want to have your watchmaker refit the front crystal also. It looks to have a lot of glue around it that should not be there if it was a properly fitted crystal.

 

Are you familiar with NAWCC Shangas? I think you would really enjoy the group. They have great shows across the country every year and I suspect they could take your healthy interest in timepieces and turn it into a full fledged obsession. Members also receive a very high quality magazine publication bi monthly. There are many railroad watch enthusiast there. https://mb.nawcc.org/

 

I don't know why the watch is set out the way it is. But it is. I agree it's not the most ideal way to put a watch together that has to be opened so regularly to set the time...

 

After I thought about it the salesman sample case was not intended to be carried. It was simply to display the movement for sales purposes so ease of opening and ability to set the time would not have been a concern.

Nice watch Shangas!

 

I have never seen a lever set RR watch with a pop off bezel, but I have by no means seen everything. Lever set was mandatory, stem set watches were unsuitable since it was possible to accidentally 'set' the watch while winding it, although this is fairly unlikely.
I somewhat doubt the 'salesman sample' story; watches with glass backs can be found all over (the Turkish and Chinese market watches often have them) and in my opinion they were show off aids for proud owners to display the fine mechanisms. It is still possible to buy wrist watches with glass backs for that very purpose. Retailers buying high grade watches would be quite familiar with the 'innards' of what they were buying.

 

Yes, they can be found everywhere NOW. But not 90 years ago. The whole glass-back 'see-through skeletonisation' thing is a modern touch. Back when these watches were new, nobody bothered with stuff like that. Not like they do these days. It wasn't considered a marketing ploy back then.

When you put it that way, it actually makes a lot of sense! I never thought of that...

 

Glass backs are nothing new. Human vanity and pride of posession are not new either.
I have seen many glass backs, always on superior quality or more complicated movements and in one instance on a watch with a personal dial where the owner's name replaced the numbers.
I have also seen it as an option in a C. 1900 watch catalogue. I do not have that catalogue to hand now but you may find similar by searching old catalogues online.

I have seen evidence that glass backs were a regular retail sale feature. Is there any evidence that supports the sample theory?

 

I think the term salesman sample is being used in an overly broad manner perhaps in a typical American language gaffe. It has always been my understanding these were used to exhibit movements at the point of sale so the entire movement could be appreciated by a prospective customer. Here is an NAWCC thread on the subject that I found. https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/salesman-sample-back-on-pocket-watches.29187/

 

I know how easy these are to replicate and I confess to being a bit skeptical but the odd method of closure seems to point to it being legitimate IMHO. I would still like to see a picture of the back without the bezel because I am never happy until my curiosity is satisfied and I have checked for extra case screw marks.

BTW Shangas, is it my imagination or does it have the company logo on the front bezel under the crown? In the picture it appears to possibly have some well polished lettering there perhaps.

 

Both bezels have "HAMILTON" on them.

 

Fantastic! That erases any possible doubt about the case having home made origins. The font was barely visible in the pics to my old eyes.

 

It took its sweet time, but, it has returned!



Complete with a new glass back. Now to pop it up for sale and see what happens to it.

 

This is a 1927 Hamilton 992 railroad chronometer, one of the most famous railroad pocketwatches in the world, and widely considered to be one of the best and most collectible.

I'd hold it......unless you know the market will fade.