Mechanical Watch Timer Apps

[Briar Lee]

I have a couple of Hamilton 992b pocket watches (one is ex US Ordnance Department) and both are stunning performers in the timekeeping stakes.

Also both give near identical readings on my timegrapher, despite being made some years apart.

Regards,

Jay.

I’ve read where the Hamilton 992B was the most complex and highest quality mass produced consumer product in human history.

It took almost a decade to engineer and develop.

Hamilton had time grapher machines, after 1930, but even so Hamilton advertised each 992B after assembly spent over a year being tested and adjusted to six positions, temperature and ischronism. Maybe they sped that up for war production.

The 992B was as modular and had as many interchangeable parts as possible.

And about 1950 the Swiss concern Unitas developed a style of movement referred to as the 6498 (this one is a variant) that had incredible accuracy, durability, ease of service, and undersold Hamilton by something on a factor of four or five times less.



It doesn’t have the nice regulator of a 992B but I was able to get it under a second on the time grapher using a bobby pin.

 

[Hillcrest]

Yeh, It's like when we had the store. On a slow day, we'd close the shop fifteen minutes early, and low and behold we would get some numbskull watch freak, pointing at their watch, "you've still got to stay open for five more minutes, let me in." Like, it would take five minutes to crank back up the Point of Sale system. "Nope, go away," but they'd be standing there pointing at their watch, as I'd pull the screen back over the windows and doors.

In restaurants, the cook staff will shiv you for coming in fifteen minutes before closing. It's like we have this community of people "on spectrum" that don't understand that closing time, and how long it will take to serve you, don't balance out, and makes pointing at their watch a form of mental illness.

You don't seem to understand the concept of "It's all about me!" very well !!

P.S. Only my bank branch is really good about those things ... they leave one teller open and leave the doors open for 15-20 minutes post closing but only for 'regular' customers.

 

[mawnansmiff]

I’ve read where the Hamilton 992B was the most complex and highest quality mass produced consumer product in human history.

It took almost a decade to engineer and develop.

Hamilton had time grapher machines, after 1930, but even so Hamilton advertised each 992B after assembly spent over a year being tested and adjusted to six positions, temperature and ischronism. Maybe they sped that up for war production.

The 992B was as modular and had as many interchangeable parts as possible.

And about 1950 the Swiss concern Unitas developed a style of movement referred to as the 6498 (this one is a variant) that had incredible accuracy, durability, ease of service, and undersold Hamilton by something on a factor of four or five times less.

View attachment 223672View attachment 223673

It doesn’t have the nice regulator of a 992B but I was able to get it under a second on the time grapher using a bobby pin.

But look at that movement, though I'm sure a worthy one, just looks plain ugly. The 992b is a work of art and as you say, a modular design so much loved by watch repairers.

I also have a 1925/26 992 and that's a beauty too.

My nearest competitor would be a 21j Elgin 571 from 1954 in 10k which I think is my 'newest' pocket watch. That keeps such good time I have it on a Perspex stand and use it as a desk clock!

Regards,

Jay.

PS: By the way, there's an excellent Hamilton film from the 30's or 40's on Youtube, well worth watching.

 

[Briar Lee]

But look at that movement, though I'm sure a worthy one, just looks plain ugly. The 992b is a work of art and as you say, a modular design so much loved by watch repairers.

I also have a 1925/26 992 and that's a beauty too.

My nearest competitor would be a 21j Elgin 571 from 1954 in 10k which I think is my 'newest' pocket watch. That keeps such good time I have it on a Perspex stand and use it as a desk clock!

Regards,

Jay.

PS: By the way, there's an excellent Hamilton film from the 30's or 40's on Youtube, well worth watching.

Here is a 1949 “infomercial” for Hamilton watches:

I own a 1940 23 jewel Waltham Vanguard, a 1923 Illinois 21 jewel Bunn Special, a 1950 Hamilton 992B, and my highest condition railroad watch, a pristine 1950 Elgin 571 B W Raymond.

The Elgin 571 came out about 1946.

After Hamilton bought Illinois they made Bunn Specials until about 1949. Waltham made Vanguards until about the mid fifties and the last Elgin 571 was also made in the mid fifties.

The Hamilton 992B won the railroad watch war, being made until about 1969 and it took a few years more to sell all those.

My watch maker friend John Martin discussed that, when a young man was employed by the railroad as an engineer, he had to provide a certified railroad watch but it could be a used watch.

My 1923 Illinois Bunn Special met every railroad requirement and so did countless Waltham Vanguards and BW Raymond and all those original 992s and 992 E watches.

All those wartime railroad watches were competing against new production.

What John Martin said killed the 992B was the introduction of the Bulova Accutron railroad approved wrist watch in 1960.

Bulova Accutron, the Watch of the 1960s - Grail Watch

The Bulova Accutron was the most important watch of the 1960s, bringing a new level of accuracy and technology and shifting the balance of power in horology from Switzerland back to the United States. It was also a dead end, delaying the development of other electronic watches and distracting...

grail-watch.com

After that, young men usually bought the Bulova, until by the seventies the modern quartz watch killed off the tuning fork Bulovas.

Martin always kept a few brand new official railroad approved Seiko quartz watches for sale in his shop. Over the years the price approached $200.

You can still buy a railroad approved watch for $99.




I love trains, always have.

The story of the brave engineer Casey Jones checking his Waltham and high balling into glory at Vaughn Mississippi was taught to me at home, church and school while I was growing up.

Casey Jones died, so others might live.

It wasn’t his watch that was to blame.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Here is a 1949 “infomercial” for Hamilton watches:

I own a 1940 23 jewel Waltham Vanguard, a 1923 Illinois 21 jewel Bunn Special, a 1950 Hamilton 992B, and my highest condition railroad watch, a pristine 1950 Elgin 571 B W Raymond.

The Elgin 571 came out about 1946.

After Hamilton bought Illinois they made Bunn Specials until about 1949. Waltham made Vanguards until about the mid fifties and the last Elgin 571 was also made in the mid fifties.

The Hamilton 992B won the railroad watch war, being made until about 1969 and it took a few years more to sell all those.

My watch maker friend John Martin discussed that, when a young man was employed by the railroad as an engineer, he had to provide a certified railroad watch but it could be a used watch.

My 1923 Illinois Bunn Special met every railroad requirement and so did countless Waltham Vanguards and BW Raymond and all those original 992s and 992 E watches.

All those wartime railroad watches were competing against new production.

What John Martin said killed the 992B was the introduction of the Bulova Accutron railroad approved wrist watch in 1960.

Bulova Accutron, the Watch of the 1960s - Grail Watch

The Bulova Accutron was the most important watch of the 1960s, bringing a new level of accuracy and technology and shifting the balance of power in horology from Switzerland back to the United States. It was also a dead end, delaying the development of other electronic watches and distracting...

grail-watch.com

After that, young men usually bought the Bulova, until by the seventies the modern quartz watch killed off the tuning fork Bulovas.

Martin always kept a few brand new official railroad approved Seiko quartz watches for sale in his shop. Over the years the price approached $200.

You can still buy a railroad approved watch for $99.

View attachment 223838


I love trains, always have.

The story of the brave engineer Casey Jones checking his Waltham and high balling into glory at Vaughn Mississippi was taught to me at home, church and school while I was growing up.

Casey Jones died, so others might live.

It wasn’t his watch that was to blame.

Here you go Briar Lee, a link to a post I made some while ago about American RR grade & other pocket watches.

Note the Illinois watch sold by Montgomery & Ward was a Bunn Special in all but name.

Things of Beauty: Antique American Pocket Watches. :: General Discussion

Nowadays, Switzerland is rightly considered the home of quality timepieces but in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, America was the place to buy quality, accurate watches, particularly pocket watches. This was mainly due to the railroads and the need for super accurate...

pipesmagazine.com

Regards,

Jay.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I recently bought an abacus app calibrate my texas instrument.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I mentioned months ago to my girlfriend the last watch I had which was over 20 years ago which is this particular Swatch, which I liked at the time and still do, because it reminded me of a New Order album cover and she managed to hunt one down for my birthday. To be honest- I don't even attempt to tell time by it unless I happen to look at it while its midnight or noon so when the battery dies I'm not even sure I'll replace it.

 

[warren]

Nobody needs either one, you know?

I may not but, my heart needs the watch. My brain simply desires the pipe/cigar.

 

[Briar Lee]

I may not but, my heart needs the watch. My brain simply desires the pipe/cigar.

Mine too.

Here’s a new one I got in today.

It’s a Speidel Scrub Watch, railroad dial, waterproof 5 ATM, and supposed to have a three year battery. Only $30 direct with my name engraved on the back, and a surprisingly nice leather band.




The real watch it might save from getting busted, is priceless.