<BR><h1><font color=brown>Vintage 8-Day "Goliath"</h1>
<P>by C. Bradley Jacobs</center></font>
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<B><a href="/http://www.watchcarefully.com/articles/rose.html" target="_new">In a previous review</a></b>, I showed a photo of my “Goliath” watch – a large, 8-day pocketwatch-style clock from the 1920s. I've been asked for more info, so here are a bunch of photos and some description. Remember when looking at the photos that this timepiece measures a full 5 inches across! Please click any photo to see a larger image.<p>
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<BR>The display case that the watch is in shows only the face of the watch. The box is hinged mahogany with a sterling silver shell formed over the top. It is engraved with my great-great grandfather’s initials (also those of my uncle and almost mine, which are CBJ).<p>
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<BR>The watch and box were sold by the famous Washington D.C. silversmiths Black, Starr and Frost. That is the name visible on the dial. <p>
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<BR>The movement is a 15-jewel Octava. In my photos you see the original movement which has been replaced. One day I will have the original movement restored and put back in the watch. The movement is marked “Octava Watch Co., Switzerland – 3 adjustments – U.S.A.P. 816321” I have not looked up the actual date of this patent, but I should.
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<BR>You can clearly see that the movement is tiny in comparison with the case. I use the term “goliath” for this watch because I have seen that term used on British horological websites. I’ve also seen these watches referred to as “coach watches” because they were, apparently, common timekeepers on horse-drawn coaches (like stage coaches in the US).
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<BR>It’s a pretty cool piece although not portable like a pocketwatch or wristwatch. It sits on a shelf in my living room and does not get much use. But whenever I glance at it I do feel a sense of pride of ownership. That the item has been in my family for four generations is remarkable. I also have some pocketwatches belonging to my ancestors on that side and I’ll put together a photo essay of the 23-jewel Howard I have.
<P>I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing this as much as I have enjoyed sharing it.
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A Concise History of the Hamilton Watch Company 

for their 120th Anniversary

C. Bradley Jacobs
Originally Published in International Watch magazine, May 2012

Ask Americans to name a great domestic watch company and you will likely hear one name mentioned more than all others combined: that of Hamilton. Founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1892--from the detritus of a series of defunct start-up companies--with the aim of providing accurate and reliable watches for the nation’s railroads, Hamilton is the longest continually operating brand among watch companies founded in the United States. Though today the brand is a member of the Swatch Group, with its production and headquarters located in Switzerland, Hamilton maintains a focus on its American roots with products celebrating this heritage. Hamilton is celebrating its 12 decades of horological history with 120th Anniversary models that are prime examples of how proudly they have maintained their reputation as an American icon—from “The Rail Road Timekeeper of America” of yore, until today.

The following pages are more than just a chronological presentation of the brand’s highlights, they reflect the history of an entire American industry and follow the nation’s economic, industrial, and political fortunes through wars, depression, boom years and times of significant technological change, some of the latter having been conceived and implemented by Hamilton themselves.

Genesis of an American Icon

The founding of the great Hamilton Watch Company came on the heels of the fitful starts and subsequent failures of five start-up watchmaking firms between 1874 and 1886. The Lancaster Pennsylvania Watch Company and five other ill-fated companies all shared the location that Hamilton ultimately occupied and expanded over the course of nearly a century. In 1982, the Hamilton factory was added to the US National Register of Historic Places; the remaining stately brick buildings are presently home to various businesses and residences. 

In 1891, roughly a year before Hamilton was founded, a tremendous railroad accident occurred. Known as the Tipton wreck, it was attributed to inaccuracy of a railroad man’s pocket watch. This finding led to some important standards being adopted by North American railroads, mandating that the men in control of the trains ensure that their timepieces adhere to rigorous expectations of accuracy and service. Suppliers and manufacturers of railroad-grade pocket watches were spurred to provide timekeepers that could attain new levels of efficiency and reliability. With the aim of producing such top quality watches, the Hamilton Watch Company was founded in 1892. The company was named for Andrew Hamilton, an 18th century Attorney General of Pennsylvania, architect of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and famous defender of freedom of the press in America. By the following year, Hamilton unveiled their first product; the 18-size Grade 936 exceeded the existing RR standards. Another year later, in 1894, Hamilton was consistently advertising that they would produce only high-grade watches. The brand was touted as “The Rail Road Timekeeper of America”. From 1893 to 1969, Hamilton produced 27 grades of watches to meet railroad standards; total production numbers were enormous. Some grades, for example the 992 series, saw more than a million examples made. According to original Hamilton records stored in the archives of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC, in Columbia, PA, a short drive from Lancaster), in their first 65 years Hamilton produced nearly 2.8 million railroad-grade pocket watches—an average of more than 100 per day. 

By 1902, ten years in business, Hamilton could boast 196,193 movements sold. In that era, pocket watches were sold uncased by Hamilton; cases were supplied by retailers according to the tastes and budget of the customer. Not long after, the company’s first watch for women was introduced--1908’s 0-size pendant watch, the Lady Hamilton which was sold in a factory-supplied case. The years of the First World War initiated the admirable history of Hamilton’s involvement in producing timepieces and other war materiel. Their efforts in the period 1914-1918 included construction of special navigational watches for the US Navy and supply of watches for use on railroads built by American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). AEF Commander Gen. John “Black Jack” Pershing carried a Hamilton RR watch during his deployment in the war. In their 120th anniversary year, Hamilton’s illustrious tradition of contributions to the US military effort is celebrated by the 2012 release of the Hamilton Khaki Navy Pioneer Limited Edition.

Between the Wars

As could be expected, a company founded on the principles of watchmaking for railroads, heavily concentrated its effort on pocket watches, but the 1920s saw the introduction of wristwatches to the Hamilton product line. Having made their name in an era of pocket watches, no one could have predicted how well Hamilton, a company late to the ‘wristlet’ fad, would fare. In roughly a quarter century, Hamilton would evolve from a staid pocket-borne marque to a leader in modern design and technology. Expansion of the Hamilton line from pockets to wrists involved addition of movement grades, introduction of interesting new designs and even acquisition of other established brands. Among Hamilton’s fantastic Roaring ‘20s watch designs, few are more prized by collectors than the elaborately sculpted Piping Rock, Coronado and Spur models, cased in a variety of colors of gold and adorned with enamel-filled bezels. With such attention-grabbing models, Hamilton set the bar very high for the coming decades of wristwatch design. As America fell into economic depression, the market for fine timepieces declined, but Hamilton was strong enough to acquire the names and assets of other significant watch making firms as Illinois and E. Howard. Despite austere economic times, the Hamilton brand continued to expand its presence and capabilities through the 1930s. Hamilton watches were adopted as the official timepieces of newly-formed airlines TWA, United and Northwest. A revision of its 992 family of railroad-approved pocket watches was undertaken—including use of the special new Elinvar alloy for increased stability—including introduction a new series of high grade dress pocket watches for gentlemen. Members of this new ‘B’ family of movements--such as Grade 992B, introduced in the late 1930s--would continue to be produced for more than 30 years.

World War Two Interrupts Consumer Watchmaking, but not Ingenuity

With the entry of the United States in WWII, Hamilton stopped production of watches for consumers in order to concentrate on supplying military timepieces, bomb fuses and other war materiel. Hamilton provided nearly ten thousand marine chronometers between February 1942 and the end of the war. Known as Model 21, it was the first such chronometer to be produced by modern manufacturing methods and is regarded as among the finest timepieces ever made in America. This ships’ clock was so accurate that the US Naval Observatory did not have modern enough equipment to verify its accuracy. Thus, Hamilton also provided the Time Comparator, a unique instrument that could determine the chronometer’s timekeeping error within 1/100th second per day. Production of specialty timepieces—including pocket chronographs, 24-hour navigational pocket watches such as Grade 4992B, and chronometers—and military-spec wristwatches brought the total number of timepieces Hamilton provided for the war effort just shy of one million. During and after the war, Hamilton was recognized by the United States for the excellence of their service and products. 

Post-War Decades – Rapid Changes in Technology and Style

After the war, Hamilton continued to innovate on two fronts as it had in the pre-war years (wristwatch style) and during the conflict (technological advancement). A singular example of this is the three-year secret undertaking known as “Project X” which culminated in the introduction of the Hamilton Ventura--the world’s first battery-powered watch--in 1957. Elvis Presley wore his Ventura in the film Blue Hawaii; this was the first of the Hamilton brand’s many Hollywood appearances. True to the brand’s innovative soul and its dedication to quality, development of new mechanical timepieces was not ignored in the 1950s. America’s finest wristwatch movements to date—the men’s Grade 770 and ladies’ Grade 757, each with 22 jewels—were introduced even while Hamilton shook the watch world with electric timekeeping for the wrist. 

The 1960s saw Hamilton change the watchmaking landscape again in several ways. First, the company produced more futuristic timepieces for the film industry—Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey featured clocks and wristwatches (commemorated in recent years among the Hamilton line). Secondly, being fashion forward, Hamilton commissioned Bill Blass to design a collection of watches for their value-priced Vantage division. This introduced an era of “designer” watches at affordable prices. But this was also the close of an era: in 1969 the last mechanical movements were manufactured in the Lancaster, PA facility. Subsequent mechanical movement production shifted to Hamilton subsidiaries in Switzerland, which had been acquired earlier in the decade. Hamilton workers at the US headquarters would still be involved in design and assembly of timepieces for another twenty years.

Not content with having shaken the watch world with its first foray into battery-powered watches, Hamilton ushered in the 1970s with the world’s first electronic digital watch: Pulsar was made in the same Pennsylvania factory in which Hamilton had manufactured its traditional watches. (images 08-09; side bar text included below). The 1980s saw Hamilton giving its past a nod with the revival of classic wristwatch designs from the company’s golden years of the 1920’s through the 1960’s. Old favorites like the Boulton, Ardmore, and Ventura led an industry-wide trend to classic watches and presaged the mechanical watch revival of recent decades. The Khaki line recaptured a spirit of adventure and the rugged durability of watches used by intrepid explorers and brave soldiers alike. Through the 1990s and the beginning of the 3rd millennium, Hamilton continued its Hollywood tradition with watches seen in films like Men In Black and Lethal Weapon 4. Hamilton has proudly kept an eye on its history, which it continues to honor not only through commemorative editions and revival of historic designs, but by striving to move watch design forward and produce high-grade watches that provide reliability, accuracy and joy. 

Hamilton’s revolutionary Pulsar, originally called the Pulsar Time Computer, was introduced in 1970 via a full-page ad in the New York Times. It was a radical departure from the world of analog wristwatch timekeeping. Understandably, Hamilton was quick to emphasize the difference between their new LED timekeeper and everything else on the market in their ad copy, which described the Pulsar as “the first solid-state wrist computer in the world…[it] has no hands, no dial, no moving parts.” Having been the first company to produce an electric watch in 1957, Hamilton had found themselves by the early 1960s playing second fiddle to Bulova’s Accutron, boldly advertised as coming “with the first guarantee of accuracy ever given.” Therefore, it is no surprise that Hamilton advertised their stunning new Pulsar’s ability to “keep unexcelled accurate time practically forever.” Initially a huge success—public demand was high and the first three years of production saw annual increases in sales and profits—the Pulsar shone brightly but burned out quickly. By the mid-1970s, competition had intervened; consumers were offered many choices including more reliable, less expensive LCD digital watches, and highly accurate quartz analog watches with longer battery life and constant display. In 1977, the Pulsar division was sold to an American jewelry firm who later sold the name to Seiko.

Text © C. Bradley Jacobs, WatchCarefully.com; images provided by Hamilton Watch Company

Convergence 2003

by C. Bradley Jacobs
Originally published in International Watch Magazine
December 2003

Convergence is defined as "the occurrence of two or more things coming together,"an apt description also for the collector-oriented Convergence 2003 event held October 17-19 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The 2nd annual three-day conference brought together watch enthusiasts; company representatives; aspiring and accomplished watchmakers; experts, newbies and fanatics alike to share their love of wristwatches and other timepieces. 

Several fascinating events comprised Convergence 2003, beginning with a Friday-evening visit to the atelier of RGM Watch Company, the Lancaster-based maker of such fine watches as the William Penn series of rectangular watches with form movements. The event host, Mr. Roland Murphy, welcomed a group of more than two dozen enthusiasts to his workshop and narrated as Alan Schade, one of RGM's watchmakers, demonstrated the assembly of a watch movement featuring elaborate skeletonized, engraved, and engine-turned parts.

Mr. Murphy described the function of each individual part as it was deftly assembled into a complete movement that began running as soon as the balance was put into place. The demonstration also included an explanation of the features and mechanisms of two highly-complicated RGM timepieces: the Minute Repeater Tourbillon with hammers and escapement visible from the dial side, and another minute repeater whose lovely chimes were demonstrated for the group. Other members of the RGM staff, including the lead designer and expert watchmakers, were on hand to demonstrate their wares, answer questions and share the enthusiasm of the attendees.

As has become the custom after just one previous Convergence weekend, most of the group retired to the hotel bar at the Eden Resort and engaged in impromptu and enthusiastic examinations of the myriad watches present.

Day Two was reserved for an horological Tour de Force hosted by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) in Columbia, PA. Although many of the Convergence attendees are not NAWCC members, Mr. Richard Robinson, Director of Development for the association, welcomed all and made available a full complement of resources. On hand to guide and inform the group were the Daniel Nied, Director of the School of Horology; Sharon Gordon, Director of the NAWWC Library; Nancy Dyer, Archivist for the NAWCC; J. Carter Harris, Curator of the museum, Diana Burnett, Editor of NAWCC publications, docent Joe Hill and other volunteers. The visitors were given an introduction to the library which included on-line capabilities, books for lending, a vast array of periodicals, and the enormous archives which include the most significant collection of documents from the former Hamilton Watch Company of Lancaster, Pa.

After an equally intriguing tour of the School of Horology, led by Mr. Nied, and a delicious catered lunch, the Convergence group were invited to tour the museum and make use of the library at their leisure. Everyone enjoyed the comprehensive exhibits of the museum, enhanced greatly by the presence of the curator, Mr. Carter Harris, but the highlight for many enthusiasts was the hands-on assistance given by archivist Nancy Dyer. Ms. Dyer and a small group including Roland Murphy and some of the forum moderators at EquationofTime.com engaged in some informal research into the heyday of Hamilton. Product specification memos, movement drawings, and ledgers dating as far back as the 1890s were made available to the group. It was a particular thrill for EOT Dive Watch Forum moderator Tyler Yarbrough to uncover some product specifications and drawings of the Hamilton Grade 770 wristwatch movement of which he had two in his possession.

Hamilton was on the minds of many Convergence-goers as they left the NAWCC complex and so a surprise detour was arranged. Just a 15-minute drive from Columbia is the location of the former Hamilton Watch Factory. A magnificent and massive brick edifice, the old factory complex features two large clock towers dating from the 1890s and 1920s, respectively. Now housing offices, apartments, and a school, the "Clock Towers" building and its visual tale of success and expansion further stimulated the group's enthusiasm and respect for the venerable American watch brand. The visit was nearly interrupted by a minor disaster as the long line of watch enthusiasts walking beside Columbia Avenue apparently distracted some drivers and a pile-up was narrowly avoided. The light-hearted nature of the group was evident, however. Through the squealing of barking car tires Juan Irming was heard to exclaim, "Somebody finally noticed my watch!"

Another night of fine food, drinks, conversation and watches followed this adventure. The registered attendees were joined by several regulars of the EOT and TimeZone.com forums who were unable to attend the full weekend, but could take advantage of a free Saturday night to enjoy in person the camaraderie experienced frequently on-line.

Day Three was the busiest of the event and it is a testament to the dedication and passion of the organizers that such a rich program was arranged for the benefit of the group. Immediately following breakfast, the attendees were treated to a presentation by two watchmakers-in-training from the Lititz Watch Technicum, the Rolex-sponsored WOSTEP watchmaking school in an idyllic suburb of Lancaster. The two students, Robert Flood, whom Convergence 2002 attendees had previously met and Jacob Sobell, a first time Convergence attendee, shared their experiences in making their "class watches." Each student is required to create certain watch parts from scratch and use them to assemble a wristwatch based upon the Unitas 6497 movement. Only the pillar plate, gear train, balance and some winding/setting parts are kept from the original movement. The students must design and hand-make such items as train and balance bridges and setting levers; some even go so far as to make dials, screws, regulator indices and chatons of their own design. The presentation covered such watchmaking aspects as centering of holes, tempering and bluing metal, movement design and surface finishing. Eight examples of the watches made by Lititz students were shown in the slide presentation and six of these watches were passed among the audience for close-up viewing.
This presentation was followed by a question-and-answer session featuring a panel comprised of the heads of companies involved in watchmaking/design, distribution and print media. Such topics as ladies' complicated watches, Internet vs. Brick-and-Mortar watch sales, and the "big watch trend" were discussed.

After a lunch break, the group enjoyed a full afternoon at the Convergence Expo. Watch companies including RGM, Girard-Perregaux, Daniel JeanRichard, Chronodeco, Kobold, Fortis, Epos, Yantar, Vollmer, and Atlantic were represented at booths in the exposition hall at the Eden Resort. Among the highlights were the presence of Mr. Michael Kobold of the eponymous watch company and the unveiling of some new models by RGM and EOT. The watch (and pen) press were represented and attendees were treated to both a complimentary copy of the premier issue of Stylus magazine and a one-year subscription to International Wristwatch. Mr. Bernard Bieger, Assistant Director of the New York Watch Department at the venerable auction house Antiquorum distributed copies of the firm's magazine and catalogues from a few of their recent auctions of important watches. His knowledge and enthusiasm were appreciated by all.
Two further highlights of the Expo beg to be mentioned. The attendees' personal watch collections were on display. Convergence had contracted for private security to protect the tens of thousands of dollars worth of watches present in the Expo hall, not the least of which were the personal timepieces of several attendees. Notable among the collections were a Jaquet-Droz Grande Secondes, several watches from A. Lange & Sohne, an F.P. Journe, an Urban Jurgensen Reference 8, several Ulysse Nardins, a Roger Dubuis Sympathie, and an impressive array of dive watches and other vintage wrist and pocket watches, many of which are irreplaceable. It is a testament to the watch collecting community that the owners felt comfortable enough with the event and their fellow enthusiasts to extract such treasures from safe-keeping and put them on general display at Convergence. The atmosphere was so congenial that, had there been a lapse in security, one felt assured that the event attendees would police themselves.

The final noteworthy highlight of Convergence recalls again a definition of the word. In the context of Convergence as "a representation of common ground," this event was a tremendous success in bringing together a diverse group. There were attendees from all across the US; from Canada and Europe; representatives of EquationofTime.com and TimeZone.com; owners, watchmakers and distributors from competing watch companies. Various mixtures of background, gender, level of involvement, and focus of collecting served to enhance the experience rather than alienate. To paraphrase a point from Mr. Kobold's address during the final evening, the point of such a gathering is to strengthen the industry and community. Convergence seems to have done just that.
The event closed with another example of fellowship and with the most eagerly-anticipated part of the programme. Attendees were treated to a sumptuous banquet and one last chance to bond with their peers. But a fine meal and good conversation, on top of the previous days' busy schedule did nothing to temper the enthusiasm of the crowd for the closing remarks and presentation of door prizes.

Several of the event sponsors had donated items for a give-away spree after which no registered attendee present was left empty-handed. The prizes included watches by The RGM Watch Company, Daniel JeanRichard, Epos, Kobold, Fortis, Atlantic and Vollmer; shirts from RGM, EOT & TZ; books donated by the NAWCC and TZ; as well as other items from International Wristwatch, Helvetia Time, Girard-Perregaux, and Antiquorum.. Suspense built steadily for the grand prize presentation as names were chosen and the items were distributed. Finally, Mr. Robert Allen was selected as the recipient of a one-of-a-kind RGM Ref. 107 with a special dial denoting Convergence 2003 in red type. In what seems to be an odd coincidence, both Mr. Allen and last year's winner of the RGM prize were the last official registrant for each event. The hosts, organizers and sponsors of Convergence hope that this does not lead to an onslaught of registrants waiting until the last minute to secure their spot for next year's event.

More information on the event and its sponsors, as well as many photos compiled from images submitted by attendees, can be found at http://www.convergencetime.com.

Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs & www.WatchCarefully.com unless otherwise indicated.

CONVERGENCE 2004

by C. Bradley Jacobs
Originally published in International Watch Magazine, December 2004

At the beginning of October 2004, a few dozen watch enthusiasts gathered for the third annual Convergence, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The two-day eventincluded a bus trip to the Lititz Watch Technicum and RGM Watch Company on October 1, and the Convergence Expo the following day. Many door prizes, including fine watches and accessories, were presented.

The first stop on the bus tour was the impressive facility known as the Lititz Watch Technicum (LWT). Located about twenty minutes outside Lancaster, this Rolex-subsidized facility houses the only WOSTEP (Watchmakers Of Switzerland Training & Education Program) school in the eastern United States. Headed by Mr. Hermann Mayer, the LWT curriculum focusses on teaching traditional watchmaking and repair over a two-year course of study. One dozen students are accepted into the program each year as the result of an intensive application and interview process. The Technicum is so intent on only accepting students who will be able to successfully complete the curriculum, that the candidates often spend much of their interview visit at the watchmaker's bench performing tasks such as filing and component manipulation. The LWT staff like to be sure of an applicant's ability to accept instruction before they invest the effort required to teach them watchmaking skills. Mr. Mayer summed this up when he described a recent graduate who displayed the desired attitude: "If she could not successfully perform an operation, it was clearly the fault of the instructor."

Mr. Mayer described the stages of the curriculum in detail and presented a slide show to illustrate his points. Convergence group members were invited to ask questions and a lengthy Q&A session ensued during which the topics included watchmaking and repair techniques, educational approaches, chronograph movements and collecting.

After this session, the tour concluded with a visit to the second-year students' classroom. Mr. Michael Pahl presided over an orderly room at which nearly a dozen prospective watchmakers toiled quietly over their class watches and other projects. The end of the school day was approaching so, after the students tidied up their benches, students, faculty and visitors all fell into enthusiastic conversation covering myriad horological topics. Invitations were extended for the students to attend the Convergence Expo the following day and the group departed, excited and somewhat in awe of the wonderful LWT facility and the precision with which it is administered.

For the third straight year, the Convergence entourage was able to visit the workshops of RGM Watch Company and for the third straight year they were treated to a fascinating exhibition of old-style watchmaking skill. In 2002, owner Roland Murphy demonstrated the application of perlage on a chronograph plate. During Convergence 2003 watchmaker Alan Schade assembled a finely decorated watch movement as Mr. Murphy described the process to the audience. This year, the group enjoyed a special treat indeed: Roland Murphy demonstrated the use of a vintage rose engine to apply guilloche to the bridges of a watch movement. RGM has owned a high-quality rose engine--made by Lienhard of Chaux-de-Fonds in 1913--for several years, and has undertaken to utilize this machine to create the guilloche embellishments that have become a signature of their watches. Mr. Murphy and his chief designer have been actively exploring the art of the guillocheur and are beginning to apply their skills in new ways. Several examples of RGM's in-house guilloche work were on display, including a finely decorated vintage watch movement intended for use in a new series of watches. The piece decorated during this event was another such movement which will be made available for sale in coming months and would be quite a noteworthy memento of an enjoyable visit to America's premier watchmaking atelier. The demonstration was eye-opening to all present and one attendee was heard to remark that seeing the antique rose engine being used to decorate a vintage movement was like "seeing the Gutenberg Bible being printed."

Following the RGM presentation, Convergence attendees had the option of visiting a local brewery and restaurant complex for dinner or returning to the hotel--most chose to enjoy the company of their fellow watch enthusiasts, along with Mr. Murphy and Russell Frost, the director of Convergence. As has become the norm for off-nights during Convergence, the making and renewal of friendships was by far the highlight of the evening. Expectations for a fascinating display of watches the next afternoon were high, so the group took advantage of some non-watch specific free time to focus on good food and drink, some fine cigars and, the surprise second theme of the weekend, the high-performance flashlights and other small lamps brought by many of those in attendance. Strange glows emanating from various tables, resounding peals of laughter, and a frazzled waitress who quit her job mid-meal were all notable elements of a joyous atmosphere.

Day two of Convergence officially began at mid-day and as noon approached, the hotel lobby became more and more crowded with excited collectors eager to enter the exposition space. However, the benefits of holding this event in Lancaster were clear to all earlier in the day because they had the opportunity to indulge their palates before the Expo. That morning, nearly everyone enjoyed a hearty brunch served at one of the many country-style buffets in the area. Anticipation of the horological wonders to be seen was barely tempered by the enjoyment of local delicacies--along with Blancpain and Panerai, mush, baked goods and scrapple were the talk of each table.

Upon filing in to the conference room, the attendees were invited to choose a seat, set up their own personal watch displays, and prepare for a group discussion. A carry-over from last year's panel discussion, this year's chat featured much less formal but no less enlightening conversation. Topics included predictions of upcoming trends such as watch sizes, mechanical watches for women, and the future of in-house movement making as a result of ETA's distribution limitations. A mixed group of collectors, watch company representatives and other pundits provided much insight and entertainment to kick off the Expo.

Following the discussion, everyone was invited to circulate and mingle. Representatives of RGM, EOT, Fortis, Harwood, Chronodeco and MarcelloC watches were present with examples of their lines available for viewing. New models, such as MarcelloC's ladies dive watch (one of the door prizes), EOT's Model 22 chronometer, and the Chronodeco Era with black dial captured the attention of every collector present. Just as intriguing, however, were the personal collections on display. Themes including watches with black or orange dials, military watches, art deco wristwatches, split-second timers, vintage chronographs and even fine pens and knives were represented. Though security for the tens of thousands of dollars' worth of items on display was provided, it seemed superfluous; the aura of fellowship and professional interest within the group was universal. No one exhibited any fear that watches would be stolen or even mishandled--the only mishap reported was a misplaced case knife.

This year's event closed with announcements that are sure to generate much excitement for Convergence 2005. The first of these included the prize drawings. International Watch was the sole representative of the print media to sponsor Convergence but other sponsors combined with iW to donate many books, watch and pen magazines, knives, hats, watches, straps, and other paraphernalia. Watches by Epos, Chronodeco, Fortis, VIXA, Reactor, and MarcelloC were among the most sought-after prizes. As has happened at the previous two events, no registrant departed without a door prize; this is a testament to the generosity and dedication of the sponsors and organizers of Convergence.

The final announcement, regarding the site and dates of Convergence 2005, was a surprise to almost everyone. Tentatively scheduled for June 8-9 of 2005, the fourth annual event will be held in Las Vegas to coincide with the annual JCK show. The horological wonders of Lancaster and environs have provided much education and entertainment to Convergence attendees. The visits, during previous Convergence events, to the NAWCC headquarters, Lititz Watch Technicum, RGM Watch Co. and the former Hamilton factory have served to set the bar high for future events of this kind and have also created lasting memories. Convergence aims to be more than just a regional event. The selection of Las Vegas for the next gathering shows that the organizers are serious about developing this event into a world-class conference for watch enthusiasts. All the most up-to-date information can be found at the official Convergence website: www.convergencetime.com. (Author's note: Sadly, Convergence as a formal event did not happen in 2005, nor has it been successfully staged since, and the website has been dismantled. The spirit of Convergence continues on the main Discussion Forum at EOT, where many members congregate to this day for virtual interaction and sharing of their love for watches.)

 Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs & www.WatchCarefully.com unless otherwise indicated.

Certain Caliber

Vintage Certina Hand-Wound Wristwatches

Quality "A" Timepieces from a Lesser-known Manufacture

by C. Bradley Jacobs

Originally published in International Watch Magazine December 2005

It is not common knowledge that there is a historical connection between the Swiss house of Certina and the legendary American watchmaker Hamilton. Among American collectors of vintage watches there are few brands that invoke as much respect as Hamilton thanks to the quality of their railroad-grade pocket watches, their stylish and prolific wrist watch lines, and their exceptional military chronometers. Most Hamilton aficionados focus on the timepieces made in the companies lovely and expansive former headquarters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. But Hamilton reached a point in their company history, as did other fine American watch houses, when they found it necessary to form alliances with European watchmaking firms. They did this in order to provide the American market with the sort of watches domestic manufacturers were not prepared to produce. Some of the partnerships that Hamilton entered into are well documented, for example the acquisitions of Huguenin and Buren, the latter being noteworthy for it's significance in creating one of the first automatic chronographs in the late 1960s. However, several years before either of these alliances was formed, Hamilton saw a need to add automatic wristwatches to their line. Being ever conscious of their position at the top of the American timepiece market, they chose Certina, a maker of quality timepieces that were little known in the US, to provide automatic calibers for the first Hamilton self-winding watches. In 1954, a few years before their momentous introduction of electric watches, Hamilton began offering watches powered by Grade 661, a 25 mm Swiss-made Certina automatic movement.

Despite this auspicious introduction to the American market, Certina is not a well-known brand in the United States. The brand is an off-shoot of the movement manufacturing firm Kurth Frères which was founded in 1888 and is today part of the Swatch Group. They continue to make watches such as the renowned DS (Double Security) series which has been in production for over 45 years. Such 1960s-era pieces as the DS-2 SuperPH 1000M dive watch are recognized as being very fine representatives of Swiss watchmaking of the time. Certina's 27- and 28-jewel automatic calibers are prized by collectors, especially the fewer than 8000 such 25 mm movements that were offered as certified chronometers. Though there is less attention given to Certina models with hand-wound movements, many of them have stunning features such as very sturdy screw-back cases, lovely dials, and highly accurate movements of in-house design and production. A couple of these watches are described here, one from the 1950s and another from the 1960s. That span represents the heyday of Certina--post W.W.II as the Certina brand became the flagship of Kurth Frères yet prior to the 1970s' so-called quartz revolution which saw many smaller Swiss firms change their direction drastically.

One watch with many striking elements is the Ref. 8777-1 shown. Immediately noticeable is the stylized aircraft pictured on a medallion set into the dial. It appears to be enamel at first glance but, upon further inspection, one can see that it is a plastic disc that has cracked a bit and turned up at the edges with age. Still it is an eye-catcher and contributes to the overall wonderful appeal of the watch. Beside the dial image, several other elements immediately place it in the optimistic and economically prosperous post-war era. These include down-turned sculpted lugs with beveled edges that are continued through the case band, elegant script logo on the dial, and gold-tone markers and faceted dauphine hands. The post-war years saw great advances in the field of case making and design and some noteworthy features of Certina quality are only evident from the back.

Opening the case reveals a very well-made Staybrite construction, with a sturdy threaded back, that protects a lovely in-house movement with above-average finishing. The Cal. 25-14 movement, a simple 17-jewel affair, features nicely grained plates & bridges; polished, rounded edges; polished jewel settings; and a click wheel nicely engraved with the Certina Quality "A" logo. This watch dates from about 1950. Correspondence with Certina recently revealed that neither spare parts nor production records are readily available, but a rough date of manufacture was given for this watch. Collectors are advised to compare styles of Certina watches and use what information they can find (serial numbers of cases, caliber number lists, etc.) to ascertain general dates of manufacture.

The second piece, a simple and elegant Certina Ref. 7101.024 made about the mid-1960s, boasts some of the same qualities as the previous watch. The well-made stainless steel case is attractive, though of a style more befitting the minimalist trends of the age, and features a threaded screw-on back. The hands and applied markers are slimmer and of white metal, to match the case. Overall the watch is wider and thinner than Ref. 8777-1, which is probably attributable less to contemporary design trends than the use of a wider and thinner movement. The Certina Cal. 28-16 exhibits a workmanlike design with faint polishing of edges and jewel settings as the only concessions to beauty. This is clearly a movement made for accuracy, however, as the micro-metric regulator and the impressively large balance attest.

These are but two examples of Certina's mid-20th Century hand-wound watches, but they are emblematic of the company's overall devotion to quality, which is appreciated by watch collectors. Whether you seek sleek models such as those described here, robust automatics with jeweled rotors, or perhaps an example of the earliest self-winding models offered by Hamilton, you can be sure that a vintage Certina movement housed in a quality case is designed to bring years of enjoyment.

 

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Text and images © C. Bradley Jacobs, WatchCarefully.com

The Creation of a Custom Wristwatch

by C. Bradley Jacobs
Originally published in the NAWCC Bulletin, April 2004

As a collector, or maybe just an ardent acquirer, of timepieces I, like many others, have refined my preferences to a greater degree than I ever imagined when I started down this path. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult to find a wristwatch that is designed just as I would like. On the market today there are many lovely watches that are simply too small for my taste; there are fabulous-looking watches that employ the same movement as hundreds of lesser watches; there are watches that incorporate very desirable movements but have high price tags or feature designs that do not appeal to me…in short, rarely does a watch appear that has nothing about it that I would change.

Adding to this frustration is the recent trend toward large watches. I am not generally one to follow fashion, but the weight and bulk of many large watches contributes to a sensual appeal that I appreciate. Most of these large watches, however, are powered by the ubiquitous Unitas 6498/6497 series of pocket watch movements—some with fantastic decorative finishing, others nearly factory stock—often visible through sapphire crystals. The prevalence of this movement has forced me to look elsewhere for a large watch. I have nothing against this movement, but I want something uncommon. Something else I find irksome is the use of under-sized ETA automatics in huge watches—precluding the use of a see-through case back, which I consider indispensible. How, then, is one to acquire a large watch with a noteworthy movement (one worth seeing) for a reasonable price?

Finally, as a collector of both wrist and pocket timepieces, I am further frustrated by the lack of opportunities to use and enjoy some of the fantastic pocket watches that are available today for much less than the price of a modern watch of lesser quality. It is this last impediment, however, that was the genesis of a solution to all of these issues: the creation of a custom-built wristwatch using a neglected vintage pocket watch movement.

I have recently become interested in a small class of American pocket watch movements made roughly around the second quarter of the 20th century. Howard, Hamilton and Elgin all made 10-size movements of high grades and interesting construction. The Howard “Thin Model” (17, 19 or 21 jewels) from the 1920s has a very interesting bridge design akin to the 16s Railroad Chronometer. Hamilton’s Grade 917 forms the basis of a series of four grades (with 17, 21 or 23 jewels) of 10s movement with some lovely features. Elgin manufactured several versions of the Grade 54x series with varying numbers of jewels (15, 17 or 21) and adjustments (0-8) which were sturdy but unadorned. The plainness of the Elgin, which seemed to be a draw-back at first, eventually prompted me to take my first serious steps toward the creation of a unique wrist watch. Having already purchased a stock wristwatch case meant to hold a Unitas 649x movement, and finding that it was too small for the American 10s movements I own, I set aside the idea of having the case modified in favor of a more complete approach. I needed something more befitting a person who is picky about the end result, but unable to manufacture a watch by himself.

In the course of reading printed and on-line articles about everything watch-related, I came across information about a man in Pforzheim, Germany who does engraving and engine-turning (guilloché) and skeletonization of watch movements and will build one-of-a-kind wristwatches to suit his customers. Jochen Benzinger is his name. I contacted Mr. Benzinger about the prices of such pieces to see if he might be the man to help me realize my dream. Several of Benzinger’s custom-built pieces are powered by the Unitas 6498 movement, so I suspected that he could provide a wristwatch case large enough to accept the American 10s movement. After a few e-mails discussing options and cost, we decided that I should send him some photographs of the movement I had in mind for incorporation into the watch.

The sharing of photographs led to further discussions, the result of which was that I felt this was the path I should follow in realizing my vision. I shipped an example of the 21-jewel Elgin Grade 543 (that I had bought, uncased, from a US supplier) and, for good measure, included a 15-jewel Grade 546 for Mr. Benzinger to use for spare parts or practice. We discussed still more options—such as the extent of engraving and engine-turning to be done on the piece—and debated whether to skeletonize the movement. Budgetary constraints dictated that the case be made of steel rather than precious metal, but white metals are my preference so this was no disappointment. After a handful of messages back and forth I felt that I had made my preferences clear to Mr. Benzinger and I was comfortable that he would improvise based upon his talent and experience to complete the decoration of the movement.

The Elgin 543, as indicated above, is a plain-looking piece, but is not without its interesting features. Typical of Elgin it has a sweeping train bridge, the lines of which I wished to keep intact, if not emphasize through decoration. Also, as this movement is the 21-jewel variant, adjusted to 5 positions, it features a swan’s neck regulator and many cap jewels set in oblong plates screwed to the movement. The jewels are also somewhat large and nice to look at. The dial-side of the movement features three of these cap jewels and a fairly large and interestingly-shaped piece that covers and integrates with the setting and winding mechanisms. I decided that my timepiece, to be truly unique and interesting, would forego the use of a traditional dial and would instead show the dial-side of the movement, decorated with guilloché. Some blued screws and perlage, along with a rose gold-plated 9:00 sub-dial, were Mr. Benzinger’s contributions to my idea. The dial, made of a thin sapphire disc, is printed only with hash marks for the hours, small dots for seconds, and an off-set Benzinger logo in an oval. The intersection of the sub-dial by a couple of the jewels adds some tension to the design and reinforces the utilitarian nature of the original design. This Elgin grade was designed for function, not beauty, and the decoration of it in the course of this project was meant to celebrate this, not hide it.

At various intervals during the process, Mr. Benzinger and I had discussions regarding some of the details, but other details were decided spontaneously, as he was working on the watch. My initial vision did not involve any skeletonization of the movement—I felt that the original landscape would be best suited to engraving and rose gold plating—but Mr. Benzinger saw something more. He suggested that I consider what he called “light skeletonization,” which is what you see in the finished product. If this is “light” what does he consider extensive skeletonization? Visit his website (www.jochenbenzinger.de) and see the flowery skeletonization of some Unitas movements, or the industrial look of others, or the initials carved from plates and rotors, or the dragon motifs he has created for a special customer. In comparison, the work on my watch is conservative.

The decoration of some of the less obvious parts (winding mechanism and wheels, pallet bridge, etc.) were left entirely to Mr. Benzinger’s inspiration. Having made my initial suggestions, I was content to let the harmony of the entire piece be the responsibility of the master. Although we were in contact frequently during the project (I was writing an article on his business and conducting an interview with him) weeks would go by without discussion of the progress of my watch. I was hoping in part to be pleasantly surprised with a sudden notification of its completion, yet I was also anxious to know how things were going. To satisfy my curiosity, and because I indicated I’d like to chronicle the experience, Mr. Benzinger provided me with photos at various points along the way. Some are included herein.

The main plate of the movement being decorated on an antique rose engine:

This series of images shows the transformation of the Elgin movement’s main bridge from original to decorated state:

The part as delivered to Jochen Benzinger:

Engraving getting underway (notice there is very little in this photo that gives away the final design):

Skeletonizing almost complete:

In situ:

I was appeased but still anxious about the final product. Would it be the watch about which I had been dreaming? Would the moment I actually beheld the completed watch match the expectations and the enjoyment of the concept and process of creating it?

I’ll try to be brief and restrained in attempting to describe my feeling upon the watch’s arrival from Germany several months after my initial contact with Jochen Benzinger. First, you must know that I caved in to temptation and accepted Jochen’s offer to provide me with photographs of the watch prior to its delivery. He had sent me large digital images of each side of the watch. Even in the images, I could tell it would be more fantastic than I had hoped. The arrival of the watch itself, a couple days before Christmas, brought back emotions similar to those I felt as a child receiving a gift that had been longed for over the previous months. In the moments before unwrapping the watch I questioned whether I had been a good enough boy and whether the item would be everything I had imagined. It was and is. I had embarked upon a quest to create a dream watch. Not THE dream watch, mind you, but a watch which I can be proud to wear for the rest of my days, for several reasons. The concept of this watch is something of which I am proud—the result justifies my choice of this plain but potentially exceptional movement. The ownership of a work of art created by one of the modern masters of a timeless craft also is a source of pride. The friendship that I have begun to forge with Jochen is also a source of happiness. And, in an obscure way, I am pleased to be the owner of a watch which just might be the only wristwatch in the world built around the Elgin Grade 543 movement (I may be the only person who finds this appealing but that’s part of the experience, too).

In order to recall the humble origins of this watch, I asked Jochen to inscribe some movement information around the rear bezel. In the beginning I had hoped that the original engraved information on the movement could be kept intact. As I intended only for the movement to be engraved and not skeletonized, this seemed feasible. Once we had agreed to skeletonize the movement I asked that the text “Elgin 543” and the serial number of the movement be included on the watch. This is an Elgin at heart and I did not want to disassociate this information from the material that remained of the movement. This watch owes much to the defunct American giant and is as much an Elgin as a Benzinger, for both parties are/were experts in separate eras but complementary fields.

More images may be viewed on-line by clicking here. See this and other custom creations at the Benzinger website.