1938 Brooke

Asymmetric watches are a very popular genre within Hamilton collecting.  There are lots of very cool looking watches in this class and most of them are from the 1950's.  However, the first asymmetric watch was introduced in 1928 with the Spur.  Another early example is the 1938 Brooke - it was produced for only two years.

The Brooke was introduced along with several other "curved to fit the wrist" models like the Linwood and the Contour (among others).

The Brooke comes in a 14K gold filled case with either a two-tone sterling silver dial with applied gold numerals or a inlaid black enamel dial.  Behind the dial you'll find Hamilton's 14/0 size, 17 jewel 980 movement.

What makes the Brooke especially interesting is the odd shape of the case.  It's wider at the bottom but deeper at the top.  It reminds me of when I was a kid and I saw the album cover for Queen's 45 record called "Fat Bottomed Girls"…  you make the rocking world go 'round...

Anyway, the Brooke is an uncommon model and will always command a premium when it's in good shape.  I recently landed an example for myself and I think I got lucky because the only thing "wrong" with it is some scratches on the dial.  Getting the dial redone would take care of that.

Here's some photos to show you how unique this watch's shape really is.  It's designed to lay flat on your wrist but with the dial angled so that it is easier to read.

1959 Accumatic VII

I know of three Hamilton watch models that feature reeded edges - like a coin.  Two of them you see more frequently than the third.  The most common is the 1935 Boone.  A somewhat rarer reeded-edge watch is appropriately named the 1969 Liberty Coin.    It has the distinction of being the last US-production watch.

The third watch with a reeded edge is the 1959 Accumatic VII.

The Accumatic VII was produced for only two years.  It features a 17 jewel, Swiss-made Hamilton 672 movement.

The case is 10K yellow RGP with a snap-on stainless steel back.  The dial is fancy with radiating grooves extending from the center and pearlized dots making up the minutes track.  The catalog says the numerals and markers are embossed but they look like applied gold markers to me, as you will see below.

I recently picked up a Accumatic VII - it's the only one that I have ever seen for sale so I dug a little deeper than I usually do for a watch.  It was advertised as recently serviced and based on how it looks, both in person and on my timer, I would believe it.

The bracelet on this particular watch is not the original style shown in the catalogs but it is period correct.   Between the bold features of the dial, the case and the bracelet, this watch has a lot going on as far as eye candy.

Check out the number 6 and the hour markers below… do these look like embossed (stamped) figures to you?  Me neither.

1939 Brock

Very few Hamilton models had production runs of five years or longer.  One of the longest running models was the 1939 Brock.  It was produced through 1952 and maybe even two more years if you consider it's 10K replacement - the Brockton.

The Brock is also one of the few models that Hamilton did a coral gold version of in 1940.  It's known as the Coral Brock and I did a post on that last February.

The Brock comes in a 14K solid gold case and you'll find it with either an AGN dial or, less frequently, with a two-tone black and gilt dial.

From a movement standpoint you will find a 19 jewel 982 movement in the 1939 version and after that you will find a 19 jewel 982M.  The 982M Medallion movement was introduced in 1940 for all the solid gold watches that used a 14/0 size movement.

I recently scored a Brock and, based on the serial number of the movement, it is a 1950 model.  I was able to snag the watch for a very good price because the seller listed it as a ladies watch in need of a battery.

The Brock is quite small by today's standards and would make a very nice ladies watch today.  The seller's photos even made it look like a ladies watch - and even though I wasn't entirely positive, I was pretty sure it wasn't a ladies watch because only the men's watches have sub-second hands.

As received it was very dirty but a few turns of the crown showed that a "fresh battery" was not going to be needed.

With the bezel removed you can see that the dial is in very nice shape.  Think it is original?  Nope - it's a very nice refinish.  One of the obvious signs in the little notch in between the 3 and the crown - see it, right on the edge of the dial?

The 982M from this era is highly damascened with a gold, almost orange, enamel in the engravings.  Personally, I like the older 982M's with the actual medallion instead of the "circled M" on the later models.

Well, a thorough cleaning and fresh mainspring bring the watch back to vigorous life as you can see below on my timer.  A little tweaking to the regulator will slow it down a smidge.

And here's the finished product, all polished up with a new genuine lizard strap.  The acrylic crystal has a couple of cracks in the corners so I'll replace it.

My better half didn't get anything sparkly for Christmas this year so this might be a perfect "get out of the dog house free" card.  I think I'll look for a nice 16mm short strap in addition to a new crystal.