Ornate Hamilton Grade 996 in a Rare Salesmen Display Case (1917)

For those who appreciate the fine craftsmanship of the early American pocket watch, here is a prime example: a Hamilton Grade 996 railroad pocket watch from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, manufactured in 1917. Of all the 16-size movements Hamilton produced, the 996 is among the most elusive and the most beautifully finished, and examples from the World War I production years carry a weight of history that newer watches simply cannot match.

That scarcity is part of the appeal. The other part is the movement itself. The 996 wears what many collectors consider the most ornate damaskeening Hamilton ever applied to a nickel plate, and this example shows that decoration off beautifully.

This 1917 movement is a 19 jewel, size 16, openface configuration with a nickel finish, adjusted to 5 positions, temperature, and isochronism. The 996 qualified for Railroad Inspection Service on all roads that would accept the 19J movement, placing this watch firmly in the railroad-grade tradition that defined American horology through the first half of the 20th century.

The year of manufacture is its own kind of provenance. 1917 was the year America entered the Great War, and a watch finished at Lancaster that year would have left the factory just as the first U.S. troops were being mobilized for France. A timepiece like this one kept the schedules that kept the country running while the world reshaped itself overseas.

This Hamilton 996 has been cleaned, oiled, and adjusted for accuracy, and comes with a full one year warranty from date of purchase.