Hamilton had a special group that focused on watches for awards and presentations. The awards division could create special models or customize dials to make the award with special. The back of the watch could also be engraved with a unique presentation.
The main intent though was to provide awards that the recipient would not find in their local jewelry store. So awards watches were often modified slightly or based on models that were discontinued and no longer commercially available.
One of obvious tells of an awards division watch is if it says "Masterpiece" on the dial. Even if the back is not engraved, you can be sure that it's an award watch.
Its not always obvious though.
I recently had a project watch that was based on the 1958 Norman. The 58 Norman is the second model to utilize that name. It was produced for three years and was originally offered on a bracelet or a strap.
In 1960 the Norman was offered just on the bracelet. The dial is sterling silver and features solid 14K gold markers and dots.
My project watch is obviously a Norman, based on the dial but it features the company logo of Blaw-Knox, which is still in business. They make construction paving equipment. My project watch has a beat up crystal and is missing the second hand, so I'm sure it can tell a story.
The case back has some wear, most significantly at the crown but also on the opposite side - perhaps from someone trying to pry the two-piece case open. The presentation has been worn down a bit but I can see it's a 25 year award watch from 1962. The Norman was discontinued in 1960, making it a good candidate for an awards division model.
The dial has a bit of dial rash and the tip of the missing second hand has swept a scratch into the finish. I may be able to clean it up a little but it is what it is. I definitely don't want to risk losing the logo. Notice how flat the dial is... there is no contour whatsoever. It's just a simple sterling silver disc. Even the markers and dots are flat.
Behind the dial is a 22 jewel 12/0 size 770 movement. This is the top of the line Hamilton caliber used from 1955 through the end of US production in 1969.
The 10K gold filled case back doesn't have any service marks inside. I wonder if it's ever been seen by a watchmaker before now?
I neglected to take my usual disassembled photo but all of the parts are thoroughly cleaned and reassembled with fresh lubricants. The reassembled movement is ticking away with a decent motion and sitting on my timer.
Yikes, it's running very slow but the other specs look okay. I wonder if the hairspring isn't in the regulator?
Sure enough... looking closely from this angle I can see that the outside loop of the hairspring has come of the of the two pins of the regulator. The two pins (fork) adjust the length of the hairspring so that if you move the pins toward slow you lengthen the spring and if you moved it toward fast you'd shorten the length. If the hairspring isn't in the pins then it's length is defined by the hairspring stud and that's as slow as it will go. I need to put the hairspring back into the regulator and try the timing again.
Okay... now the watch is running a little fast but a large beat error was introduced. I'll need to adjust the position of the balance relative to the hairspring stud to better center it and reduce the error.
I'd rather be lucky than good - and in this case it took only one tweak to get it near perfect. The closer to zero the better but 0.2ms is pretty much spot on.
I installed the dial and hour and minute hands and then fit a new second hand. It's about as long as the one that left the scratch so I should be good to go now.
Metal bracelets can take their toll on lugs - eventually they wear grooves into the lugs as shown below. I personally prefer a leather strap unless the bracelet is the original design in the catalog.
The finished watch now looks great with a new crystal and everything cleaned up. The dial still shows some scrapes but that's just part of it's history. A fresh black leather strap completes the restoration and this 1962 Norman is ready for wrist time.
