DESCRIPTION:
APW - Hamilton, Grade 950B with very rare gold case, 23J, 16S, heavy 14K gold OF Hamilton Model 2 bar-over-crown case, "Hamilton 23 Jewels Railway Special" marked white enamel DS dial, SW-LS, fully capped lever escapement, jeweled barrel arbor, mono-metallic balance with Elinvar hairspring, striped pattern nickel damascene, s#S15516. Watch comes with a scarce black colored hard plastic flip-top Hamilton box. Gross weight of assembled watch 66.4 dwt (103.2 g). This Model 2 case in 14K gold version is very rare as Hamilton's pricing of this style limited its sales to a small handful of wealthy customers. In the September 1950 Hamilton price list, the 14K gold version of the 950B in Model 2 case is illustrated at $320 while the gold-filled version of the 950B in Model 2 case is illustrated at $100. From the well-known Hamilton collection of Robert Bennett of Olivehurst, California.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running, nearly mint cosmetic mvt condition overall, bright lustrous surfaces, few micro-fine scratches; virtually mint dial with few very small micro-fine scratches and few infinitesimal pinpoint edge nicks under bezel; nearly mint hands; case has unmatched serial numbers to its rear and its band with s#J300891 marked to rear and s#X0153 marked to band but very interestingly these differing component numbers correspond notably well with an example from another source we sold in October of 2019 which had the consecutive s#J300892 marked to rear and the close s#X0163 marked to its band, this appearance of another example with its component serial numbers unmatched in so similar a manner suggests that this nominal mismatch may in fact be correct and intentional to some examples of this case style, bezel of this example with no s# evident internally, case shows little wear, some typical fine scratches, an extremely subtle and mild shallow dent toward lower right of rear that is visible as slight rippling of reflection in this area; tight bow, crown shows little wear; good glass crystal. Box exterior shows light wear, few fine scratches, foil Hamilton seal is present and has surface abrasion, inserts and upper lid liner are replacements of somewhat different appearance than the originals.
ESTIMATE:
$1800
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$2600
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