VTG 1939 Hamilton Wilshire 19J 980, 14K GF Flexible Lugs on Green Leather w/Box

Description: VINTAGE 1939 HAMILTON Wilshire About Hamilton Watches Today, the Hamilton Watch Company is a manufacturer of wristwatches based in Bienne, Switzerland. Founded in 1892 as an American firm, the company produced watches from their plant in Lancaster, PA, using Swiss movements. Hamilton ended American manufacture in 1969, and eventually became integrated into the Swatch Group, the world's largest watch manufacturing and marketing conglomerate. Originally, Hamilton was known as the “railroad watch” because of its accuracy and innovation (e.g.,mainsprings that did not expand and contract with temperature). The company also has a long history in the movies, being worn on screen by everyone from Marlene Dietrich and Clive Brook (The Orient Express), to Elvis Presley, Roger Moore (James Bond), Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar), and is an essential part of the uniform for Men in Black. Hamilton cites 500 major movie appearances. About this watchIf this watch could talk, it would tell you that Lou Gerig was retiring from the major leauge; and that Gone With The Wind and The Wizard of Oz were going to come out in theatres. Europe was errupting in war. Ramping up to enter as well, the U.S. economy was slowing crawling out of the depression. A loaf of bread was $.08 and a gallon of gas was a dime. The World's Fair was held in Queens and featured the Pontiac "Ghost Car." You could buy a Packard with Air Conditioning. The new comic strip "Superman" began to appear in newspapers. In 1939, Hamilton introducted a flexable lug model called the "Wilshire." These were called "driver's watches" as the flexable lugs would make it easier to tilt the watch while driving-- the left hand did not have to be removed from the (pre-power steering) wheel. The Wilshire was made for three years. I have dated this as a 1939 because of the Cal 980 movement. Subsequent years had 982s. Sometime I think I should risk working on the face some more. Then I catch the gilt of the 18k applied gold numbers and I just think how beautiful it looks as is. Your face should look as good at 85. There are some late adversments (not all) that feature a flatter and less tall crystal for a thinner profile. Again, I think it looks stunning as it is and would not recommend changing it. When the watch was shown the strap box, it asked for a long dark green leather Hirsch Brumby on its 16mm lugs. The strap has plenty of room to make this a man's or woman's dress watch. It comes with a Hamilton gift box.About meI buy and sell a few old watches from the mid-1930s through the mid-1960s. I like Hamiltons and the occasional Bulova. Sometimes I will venture into British watches (e.g., Ingersoll). I deal in mechanical and automatics. Like a tracker pipe organ (also an interest of mine) they are a combination of history, architecture, and machine: little artworks. I confess to owning a Citizen for work use, but I generally eschew battery powered appliances. If the items in my collection seem similar, it is because I like aparticular style and function. I preferreal numbers on a watch face and need to tell time at a glance while speaking. I typically wear these watches for weeks, months, or years before selling them—ahh— to make sure everything works as it should. I am not just an eBay flipper. If I tell you a watch runs and keeps time: it runs and keeps time. When I make a buying mistake (oh, it happens) the watch goes to off to a professional watchmaker to be rebuilt and restored and, after my recovering some cost by wearing it, offered as such at a premium. All the watches I sell are intended to be ready to wear and giftable.

Price: 285 USD

Location: Scottsboro, Alabama

End Time: 2024-08-21T04:28:18.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD