1928 Hamilton Railroad #2 10K Gold Filled 21J Pocket Watch 16s Runs
About the Item
- Creator:
- Dimensions:Height: 2.25 in (5.72 cm)Width: 0.5 in (1.27 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
- Style:Art Deco (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1928
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Good Overall - Light wear.
- Seller Location:Dayton, OH
- Reference Number:
Hamilton
In an era when the safety of America’s bustling railroads absolutely depended on accurate timepieces for its conductors, watchmaker Hamilton pioneered cutting-edge, impossibly precise watches in a complex that spanned one square city block of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, during the late 19th century.
As railroad tracks were laid across the United States and steam locomotives began traversing vast distances, the American railroad system ran into a problem. Back then, time was not standardized across the country. Therefore, in 1883, the railroad companies established the four time zones as we know them today. But, despite setting these zones, train conductors were not always synchronized, leading to deadly accidents on the railroads.
Enter watchmaker Hamilton, founded in 1892. Railway workers would be required to wear a pocket watch, as the timepieces were responsible for keeping conductors on schedule, and the watchmaking industry — and early American pocket-watch manufacturers such as Hamilton, Elgin National Watch Company and the Waltham Watch Company — benefitted. Hamilton’s pocket watches were extremely alluring to train conductors, who began buying them en masse. The East Coast company’s timepieces eventually earned the moniker “The Watch of Railroad Accuracy.”
Hamilton transitioned from pocket watches to wristwatches in 1914, as it supplied timepieces to American troops fighting in World War I. Wristwatches, naturally, were more convenient to wear and use in battle. The new style of watch was also appealing to aviators, and Hamilton aeronautical watches became all the rage among pilots, specifically those flying for the new U.S. Airmail service.
The general public’s interest in Hamilton watches grew rapidly in the 1920s. Legendary polar explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd timed his historic flights over glaciers and chunks of sea ice with a Hamilton pocket watch in the late 1920s, and a Hamilton timepiece used by Byrd during these expeditions went on display in 2018 at the National Watch & Clock Museum.
Hamilton’s Piping Rock watch, an Art Deco–inspired design that featured elegant Roman numerals set in black for the hour markers, made its debut in 1928 and was gifted to the New York Yankees to celebrate their World Series win that year. The model was also featured in the film Shanghai Express alongside the brand’s Flintridge watch, further expanding Hamilton’s popularity. (Hamilton watches can also be seen in the films The Frogmen, Blue Hawaii, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Men in Black.)
In the second half of the 20th century, Hamilton became well known for several innovations: It developed the first-ever battery-operated electric watch, the Ventura, in 1957, as well as the first-ever digital wristwatch, the Hamilton Pulsar Time Computer, in 1970. Three years later, superspy and watch enthusiast James Bond donned a Pulsar in Live and Let Die.
Today, the company is part of the Swatch Group, and its headquarters and production facilities relocated from Pennsylvania to Switzerland in 2003.
Find vintage Hamilton watches and pocket watches on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Dayton, OH
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 2 days of delivery.
- Vintage Longines 10k Gold Fill Wrist Watch Pontiac Stretch BandBy LonginesLocated in Dayton, OHVintage Longines 10k gold filled wrist watch featuring a Pontiac strech band. Circa 1950s, Ser.# 7915121 The original serial number 7'915'121 identifie...Category
Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsMetal
- Antique Crown New York Standard Philadelphia Case 14k Gold Fill 7J Pocket WatchLocated in Dayton, OHAntique 14k gold filled New York Standard Watch Co, Crown, Philadelphia Watch Case Co pocket watch, Circa 1917. Philadelphia Watch Case Co 7251928 Location: Philadelphia Years of Operation: c. 1889 - 1953 Sold to Keystone Watch Case...Category
Vintage 1910s Edwardian Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsMetal
- Antique Art Deco 10K White Gold Oval Chain Cufflinks 4gLocated in Dayton, OHPair of antique Art Deco 10K white gold oval chain cufflinks. Dimensions: 1.125" x 0.625" x 0.125" (Width x Depth x Height) / Weight - 3.9 gCategory
Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsGold
- Vintage Correct 10k Yellow Gold Carved Green Jade Cufflinks 7gLocated in Dayton, OHVintage 10k yellow gold and carved jade flower cufflinks. Dimensions: 0.5” x 0.75” x 0.5” (Width x Depth x Height) / Combined Weight - 6.9 gCategory
Mid-20th Century Chinoiserie Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsJade, Gold
- Antique 1850s Open Face Remontoir 800 Silver Pocket Watch 10 Rubis Glass DisplayLocated in Dayton, OHAntique mid 19th century open face remontoir pocket watch. A remontoir (french: remonter – 'to wind') is a pocket watch in which the key winding...Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Victorian Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsBrass
- 1974 Jostens 10k White Gold 15.5g Class Ring Anderson HS ArrowheadLocated in Dayton, OHVintage class of 1974 class ring from Anderson High School of Cincinnati, Ohio. Set with a rounded stone of matte black onyx, emblazoned on one side with th...Category
Vintage 1970s Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsOnyx, Gold
- Antique Hamilton 21 Jewel Railway Special Pocket WatchBy HamiltonLocated in Hamilton, OntarioThis antique pocket watch was made by the well known Hamilton watch company of the United States in approximately 1920. The watch is in good working order with a white porcelain face...Category
Early 20th Century American Victorian Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsMetal, Gold Plate
- 18 Carat Gold Ladies Hamilton WatchBy HamiltonLocated in Hamilton, OntarioWomen's 18 carat gold watch and band by Hamilton Watch company. Fully serviced and working. Measures: Weight 39.6 grams.Category
20th Century Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsGold
- 10K White Gold Citrine Diamond RingLocated in New York, NY10K white gold ring featuring 7 buff top citrines, further decorated with 36 champagne diamonds weighing a total of approx. 0.36 carat, marked: "10K FP". Measuring approx US size 6, ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Hollywood Regency Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsGold
- Mid-Century Topaz Cocktail Ring 10k Gold with Empire Art DecoLocated in Hyattsville, MDExtraordinary Empire / Mid-Century / Art Deco Revival Styled Topaz and 10k Yellow Gold Ring. The stone is a Brilliant Blue Topaz Emerald Cut with four corner prong setting. The shoul...Category
20th Century Baltic Art Deco Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsGold
- Pocket Watch, 19th centuryLocated in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FRMagnificent 19th century pocket watch. The glass is detached and bumps at the sides. On the back on the watch, there is a perpetual calendarCategory
Antique 1890s French Napoleon III Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsGold
- Bdg, Vintage 10k Gold Frameless Child's Eyeglasses, United States, circa 1948Located in Chatham, ONBDG - vintage 10k yellow gold child's eyeglasses - featuring rimless prescription lenses - Fine quality frames with Edwardian details - signed 10K BDG (unknown / unidentified maker -...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectible Jewelry
MaterialsGold