hamilton pocket watch serial number lookup

Hamilton enjoyed its last decade of being a powerhouse of American manufacturing in the 1950s. They switched over to manufacturing only wrist watch models after World War I.ĭuring World War II, they dropped their consumer products and focused on their business model to serve the allied military forces. The first wristwatch was made in 1917 and was a 0-size, 17 jewel, 983 movement marketed to men, even though the design was originally intended for women’s pendant watches. Their first series of pocket watches was called the Broadway Limited and was known as the “ Watch of Railroad Accuracy.” For the first fifteen years, they only manufactured an 18-size and a 16-size.ĭuring the railroad expansion leading up to World War I, Hamilton manufactured pocket watches and owned 56% of the market. Their first watch was an 18-size antique pocket watch with 17 jewels.

He founded the town of Lancaster and was the original owner of the land where the factory was built. They eventually decided on Hamilton, named after James Hamilton, who was the son of Scottish-born lawyer Andrew Hamilton. Stockholders originally wanted to name the company Columbian, but the Waterbury Watch Company had a trademark on the name. Unfortunately, in that same year, Keystone went bankrupt and was bought by the Hamilton Watch Company. The Hamilton Watch Company succeeded from three other watch manufacturers in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. However, the vintage Hamilton pocket watches are a thing of beauty, and if you can find one in pristine condition today, you’d be ever so lucky. They made marine chronometers, deck watches, and pocket watches for the U.S.

Some of the most notable were the watches they shipped overseas during World War II, when commercial watch manufacturing ceased. They continued American operations until 1969, when they were bought by the largest watch manufacturing company in the world, the Swatch Group.Īlong the way, they produced many different types of watches. The Hamilton Watch Company was incorporated in 1892 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

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Hamilton pocket watch serial number lookup