Hello Bruno,
Thank you for sending in this vintage marine chronometer to mearto.com for an appraisal. I shall try to help you with that today.
TITLE:
Brass, gimbal-mounted, 2-day chronometer watch, 35mm size, in a triple tiered, brass bound and labeled mahogany carrying case, Model 22, Serial No. 857, made by the Hamilton Watch Company, Lancaster, Pa. circa 1942. (The date of 1941 was the year the contract was made with Hamilton, while the first delivery of this instrument was in June 1942. Remember the US did not enter the war until December 1941)
PROVENANCE:
Belonged to this client’s father and was inherited.
DESCRIPTION:
Case: This is the Hamilton gimbaled marine chronometer watch, model 22, first distributed during WW II in mid-1942. The chronometer comes in a three tiered, 6'" x 6" x 6", brass bound mahogany, gimbaled chronometer watch carrying case. The case, with three tiers has two lids, latches and two 9- knuckle hinges. The case is marked on an outside brass plaque, "Hamilton Watch Co., Lancaster Pa., USA". Another label has the supplier’s company name, “Northwest Instrument Co. Inc., Seattle, USA”. The box has carrying ‘bale’ brass handles. The front lock is missing for the upper lid. The upper lid opens using a 9-knuckle hinge to allow reading the watch through a glass dust cover. The second lid, also with 9-knuckle hinge, would have been opened for winding and setting procedures. The case interior contains a label with a safety reminder about the use of corks to secure the device for shipping. Inside the case there is an open face, 35 mm. -size watch mounted in chronometer type brass gimbals. The brass gimbal ring is pivoted from the sides of the box at two points 180 degrees apart. In addition, the brass case of the watch movement was also pivoted at two points 180 degrees apart as well as being 90 degrees distance from the gimbal ring mounting. This allowed the box to be tilted in any direction with the watch remaining level, even in the worst of turbulent seas. The gimbal mount had a safety lock used to lock the watch into position for transport in addition to using the corks. The interior of the case also with a paper label indicating that the Northwest Instrument Company made “extensive repairs and cleaned” this watch in 1955. I am not shown the sides or back of the gimbaled watch but I do believe that the barrel of the case would carry the serial number and the Hamilton name as well (857). Usually, the back of the watch is unmarked. {HOWEVER, During the WW II the back of the gimbaled-cased watch was marked "MTD. Watch Bureau of Ships, U.S. Navy, Number-Date”. The military was pretty strict in ensuring that all of their valuable timepieces were full marked with military markings to deter theft.}
Dial: Silvered metal dial with black upright Arabic hours, closed minute ring to the outside, subsidiary continuous seconds dial @6 and a power reserve indicator dial under the 12 position with 60 actual hours of reserve power marked, 'up/down'. The subsidiary seconds dial is marked 'N within a circle, 857, 1941”. The dial center is marked, “Hamilton, Lancaster, Pa. USA”. There are steel Continental-style 'Spade' hands.
Movement: NOT SHOWN - Should be a 35mm movement marked 'Hamilton Watch Company, Model 22-21 jewels, adjusted to temperature and 6 positions'. The watch ran for two days. It also carries the service the instrument was used in (e.g., U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships) and the date with a serial number usually with a number and letter preceding it. The design characteristics that contributed to the superior performance of this watch were: (1) an unusually long mainspring, (2) bi-axial thermal expansion type balance wheel equipped with chronometer timing weights, and (3) a cam type micrometric regulator. The watch is pendant wound through a protective dust sleeve.
Condition:
Case: Case with nicks, scuffs, scrapes and scratches and a missing lockable latch. The top board should be a single board while there is a crack in the top panel in this example. (The military was pretty strict on ensuring all of their valuable timepieces were full marked with military markings to deter theft.)
Dial: Appears to be in excellent condition.
Movement – Not seen but assumed original, genuine and possibly functional.
Overall condition is Good.
Auction Value: $1000 - $1250
Insurance Value: $2250
Extra Notes:
1) - The mounting and carrying box were made by the Regent Specialties Company of Rochester, New York.
2) - As of December 31, 1956, Hamilton had produced 28,773 model 22, 35 size chronometer watches. 6584 of these watches were made following the War.
3) - Of the 22,189 Model 22's that saw service or were contracted during and for WWII, here is the breakdown:
~11,636 mounted versions for the U.S. Navy (gimbaled)
~9,815 un-mounted versions for the U.S. Navy (pocket watch style)
~420 un-mounted versions for the Army Air Force (pocket watch style)
~313 mounted versions for the Canadian Navy (gimbaled)
~5 mounted versions for Russia (gimbaled)
For further information on the technical side of this amazing horological instrument see: https://chronometerbook.com/2014/03/03/hamilton-m-22-chronometer-watch/
COMPARABLES:
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/100266169_hamilton-model-22-cased-deck-watch (In excellent condition this example sold for $800 in 2021)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/92958547_us-wwii-hamilton-watch-company-chronometer-watch-dated (In very good to excellent condition this example sold for $950 in 2020)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/90178810_a-hamilton-marine-chronometer-watch-model-22 (In very good cleaned up condition this example sold for $650 in 2020)
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/51919781_a-wwii-era-hamilton-watch-co-marine-chronometer (A early example in a fine brass bound mahogany box sold in 2017 for $2400, although the auction estimate was $600-$800).
~https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/71591356_hamilton-watch-company-model-22-marine-chronometer (Double boxed this is another early example with serial number 874-1941, close to yours, but in superb condition which sold in 2019 for $1800)
PRICING:
What makes it difficult to accurately price you father’s example is that it is desirable because it was made early in the War and obviously saw a good deal of use which shows in the condition of the case. And it is just the condition of the case that has a bit of an adverse effect on the final price. Condition of all of the parts, case, gimbal, movement and watch casing is the major component of pricing today. I believe if offered at auction today, in ‘as is’ condition, the fair market value would be in the $750-$850, with a retail price somewhat higher.
It has been my pleasure to help you with this appraisal today. Thank you for choosing mearto.com.
My best,
David