My New Prized Possession

[Bama]

No new Rolex for Christmas this year but I received the most wonderful watch as a gift. This Hamilton pocket watch belonged to my great-grandfather who carried it with him everyday as a crane operator at Anderson Tully Lumber Company in Vicksburg Mississippi. Upon his death in 1939 my grandfather inherited it and carried it with him until his death in 2002. Since then it has been hanging in a display case on top of his dresser. I have wanted it since then but my grandmother has been slow to give away some of his possessions and out of respect for that I didn't ask. A couple of months ago I wrote my grandmother a letter telling her of my desire to have the watch, etc. My mother gave it to me today for Christmas. It keeps perfect time though it will only stay wound for about 12 hours at a time. I quickly located a watchmaker near my home who is going to service it tomorrow and have it ready in only a couple of days. A local Rolex AD has an in-house watchmaker and he services watches from his home for half the cost of what is charged at the jewelry store. I can't wait to get it serviced. It's been running the better part of a century and hopefully with regular servicing it will run for another century and I can one day pass it down to my child. It's simple looking but in great shape and as a family heirloom it is priceless to me. I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.

[Paulie]

Wow, simply amazing! And an awesome story, thanks Bama!

[kcmo]

That is such a wonderful gift. Great history. I'm sure you will cherish it for a lifetime! Congrats!

[Bama]

Thanks Paulie. I'm really exited about having it and creating my own history with it.

[frostie]

Great gift enjoy it

[Paulie]

Originally Posted by Bama

Thanks Paulie. I'm really exited about having it and creating my own history with it.

Going to start wearing a waist coat so you have some place to put it?

[Bama]

Originally Posted by Paulie

Going to start wearing a waist coat so you have some place to put it?

I thought about that. Perhaps I can borrow one of Bo's pipes and get a nice top hat for effect.

[Gaijin]

Nice!!

[Wolfgang427]

Very nice, and appears in great condition. Enjoy it.

[Alcan]

Michael, by my count you're the 4th generation to own that watch. I hope the overhaul goes well so it can be handed down to the 5th generation.

[mailman]

Michael, that's a beautiful watch and is priceless Enjoy it to the fullest

[Mort]

That is a great story. It is always wonderful to have a family item to pass down for future generations. Congrats.

[Bama]

Thanks everyone. It really got me thinking about this throw away drug store watch world we live in now. It's amazing how someone of modest means could once make an "important" purchase like a quality mechanical timepiece and with great care it would last their entire life and outlive them. My Dad bought my mom another cheap Wal-Mart watch for Christmas again this year. She's probably goes through another one every year or two. That's ok for some people and she just isn't interested in watches, but while she was putting on that Armitron piece of trash quartz watch, I was admiring a pocket watch that had been running through several generations of her side of the family. I have some quartz watches and they are just fine and serve a purpose. I even received another Citizen Eco-drive dress watch with a black leather band for Christmas and I love it. However, the best I've ever seen it explained is, "A cheap quartz watch tells the time while a quality mechanical timepiece tells a story."

[Dan Pierce]

Very nice Michael! Make sure to fully document all the history with that watch. That way it will insure it's place with future generations of your family.
dP

[steve-o]

That's a real nice heirloom piece. Great history to go with it. :)







Oddly, I kept thinking of a movie scene with Christopher Walken where he talks about "keeping" a pocket watch for his son while in a prison camp....

[BigHat]

Be sure to come back and share details of what the watchmaker found and what was required to get it back in shape.

[rpryan55]

I have a Hamilton, too, from my Grandfather - but it's nowhere NEAR the condition that your beautiful watch is in. (Maybe my family is a lot more careless with their things than yours) My Hamilton also has a fob, and I wear it with the one suit that I have that has a vest - that way I can take it out occasionally. BTW, don't let that watch repairman gouge you - Hamiltons are easily worked on, and repairs should be quick and easy.

Great watch, made even better for its history!

[Bama]

Originally Posted by BigHat

Be sure to come back and share details of what the watchmaker found and what was required to get it back in shape.

Will do. I'm supposed to meet with him later today. Hopefully there won't be too much involved. I'll share the details though when I get it back.

[Tools]

Very nice..

Good to see it on display rather than the back of a dark drawer..

[mailman]

Originally Posted by steve-o

That's a real nice heirloom piece. Great history to go with it. :)







Oddly, I kept thinking of a movie scene with Christopher Walken where he talks about "keeping" a pocket watch for his son while in a prison camp....

Pulp Fiction

[JJ Irani]

Well done, Michael. What a beautiful family heirloom to possess. Treasue it forever and pass it down the line.

Cheers - JJ

[Bama]

I got the watch back today from the Rolex watchmaker. He kept it for several days after servicing it to check the accuracy. It's keeping perfect time. He estimated that the watch was created approximately 1900 to 1905, which is a little older than I initially thought. I took off the back and looked at the movement (21 jewels, railroad model) and got the serial number. I'm going to try to find the exact year it was made. Anyway, it's great to have it back.

[gaopa]

What a treasure, Michael.... glad it was given to you as you will cherish it for your whole life.

[T5AUS]

Great story Mike, thats what it's all about

[joe100]

Early Hamiltons can be worth quite a bit. I'd get in touch with a collector to get a good handle on what you have. I did that with my great-grandfather's Hamilton as well as my grandfather's Hamilton. Since I've been moving around so much lately I keep mine in my bank's vault. I'm gonna swing by today and take a look at them since I haven't had a chance to see them in weeks now.

Have you seen the movement yet? It will blow your mind. A work of art if you ask me.

Best regards,

J.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Excellent gift, Michael!

Keep us updated on the result of the service, please!

[Bama]

From yesterday around noon through this morning the watch is running dead on with my Sub. I found a Hamilton pocket watch website last night and checked the serial number - appears to have been made in 1931, which is closer to what I thought. The movement is beautiful, 21 jewels, railroad model. I would like to show it to a collector and get an idea of the value, not that I would ever want to sell it.

[Interested Bystander]

That's a wonderful Christmas story, not to mention an incredible watch.

[f16570]

Wear in good health for as long as your grandparents.
You do not own this but are merely the custodian.

f