Hamilton Grade 950B 23 Jewel Railway Special Pocket Watch

Technical characteristics

Size

16 size, approx. 51mm

Type

Open-face railroad pocket watch

Jewel Count

23 jewels

Total Weight

Approx. 103 grams

Case Material

10k gold filled

Movement Grade

950B

Place recorded

United States

Maker / attribution

Hamilton Watch Co.

Design

Visible features

• White double-sunk dial with black Arabic numerals and matching railroad minute track • Blued steel spade/baton-style hands with a small subsidiary seconds hand at 6 o'clock • Open face gold-toned case with a grooved winding crown, contoured bow, and visible lever setting notch near 1 o'clock

Dial and Visual Presentation

The pocket watch displays a white double-sunk dial configured with bold black Arabic numerals and a peripheral railroad minute track. Time is indicated by blued steel spade/baton-style hands, accompanied by a dedicated subsidiary seconds dial positioned at the 6 o'clock mark. The dial face is signed with the upper designation reading 'HAMILTON 23 JEWELS RAILWAY SPECIAL'. The catalog further describes the dial as white porcelain enamel in an Art Deco style. Direct observation of the front assembly reveals an open-face, gold-toned housing with a grooved winding crown, a contoured bow, and a distinct setting lever notch visible near the 1 o'clock index, consistent with lever-set railroad pocket watch construction.

Reported Movement and Catalog Limitations

According to the auctioneer's cataloging, the internal caliber is a 23-jewel Grade 950B nickel bridge plate lever-set movement featuring a solid gold gear train and signed by the maker. The lot title provides an approximate date of circa 1942. These mechanical details are entirely source-reported, as the movement is not visible in the provided reference photograph. Crucially, no movement serial number is recorded in the auction listing, precluding an independent check of production dates or movement-to-case factory pairing against historical Hamilton ledgers. Luxe Auctioneers noted the movement was running at cataloging but was not tested for accuracy or duration.

Case Architecture and Reported Specifications

The timepiece is fitted in an open-face case constructed from 10k gold-filled material, designated by the catalog as an original 'Model A' case signed by the Hamilton Watch Co. Dimensional details provided in the auction entry state the watch is a 16-size standard, measuring approximately 51 mm in diameter and weighing approximately 103 grams. The exterior condition is reported by the auction house as being in 'very good condition with scratches and normal signs of wear', with the dial reported to have 'no sign of damage.'

Identification

Reference

Model A

Source note

Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.