1964 Dateline A-578

 It's not unusual to come across Hamilton watches that were intended for markets outside the US.  One clue is you can't find them in the Hamilton catalogs.  Another could be markings on the watch itself.  Some models were both, like the 1964 Dateline A-578.  It's part of the Estoril line and there are several variants that were marketed outside the US.

Estoril is a seaside region in Portugal - considered the Portuguese Riviera.  The Dateline A-578 was marketed in the US but additional versions in solid gold and gold electroplate were also offered outside the US.

The ads I found online show there are a couple of potential original bracelet designs and it's interesting to note that the font used for Estoril on the dial can vary - presumably by year or market. 

The Dateline A-578 is a dive watch, or at least intended to be capable of going to a depth of 300ft, as evidenced by the 300 on the back of the case.

The A-578 is outfitted with the 17 jewel 694A movement but sometimes you'll find Estoril models with a 64 caliber with 21 jewels.  The movements are the same other than the 64 has four additional jewels in the automatic framework.  However, if you come across a caliber 64 it's a good sign that it was marketed outside the US.

My project watch arrived in good condition and it's interesting to note the style of the hands aligns with the European advertisements but the Estoril logo is different than both the US and European ads.  So models could vary.  The bracelet is from Speidel and is not original to the watch.

The case has three parts... a back, a center and a bezel that surrounds the crystal.  Presumably it all fits together tightly, in order to be so water-tight.  After almost 60 years you should consider any vintage watch no longer waterproof - unless you are interested in costly repairs.

This model is also identified by the model number 64003-3.  The 64 represents the caliber inside (the 694A is based on the caliber 64) and the -3 represents stainless steel.  Presumably the solid gold version would be 64003-1.

Opening cases like this can be the first challenge and having appropriate tools for the job is important.  Quality counts too here, and inexpensive tools can produce disappointing results.  I use a Bergeon case opener and a Bergeon case vise to hold the case while I turn the opener.

Success!  The first step is complete and reveals a nicely preserved movement inside.  There are no signs of rust or water penetration.

Getting the movement out of the watch and the dial off is the next stop.  In this photo you can see the typical date complication that is triggered once a day, and a midnight, assuming you put the hands in the proper position.

Late afternoon sun illuminates my work bench and provides a little extra sparkle on the freshly cleaned parts.

The basic movement is completed first and it's now ticking with a good motion.  Next I'll see what the timer thinks of the beat rate.

It's running a little slow and the beat error is a little high at 2.8ms but I can easily adjust both.

There... now it's running 18 seconds fast per day with a respectable 0.3ms beat error.  A lower beat error also brought the amplitude over 200 and it will probably go up further as I continue to wind it. 

All the parts go back onto the front next, including the little spring that helps index the calendar wheel.  I have adopted the habit of putting a clear drop cloth over my head when install that spring - as it tends to disappear occasionally and the drop cloth helps narrow the search area when it vanishes.

The finished watch is back together and I paired it with a very comfortable and casual leather strap.  It now runs as good as it looks and it looks great!

1954 Automatic K-502

I just realized that I started this blog a little over 10 years ago.  I started it because I had acquired a lot of watches over the preceding years and taught myself how to repair them.  Every new watch was a new accomplishment... the first automatic, the first 748 movement, the first date complication, etc.  They all had a story and my collection grew.

Eventually my bride laid down the law and told me packages needed to go out at the same rate that packages arrived.  So I started the blog to document my efforts and then sold the models to fund new projects, or tools, or supplies.

Now, 10 years later it's interesting to look back at older posts and see how far Ive come. 

One of the models I posted in 2013 was the 1954 Automatic K-502.  My original posting was short and sweet.  Since I recently had an opportunity to restore another K-502, I thought I'd take the opportunity to show a little more detail.

The K-502 is a one year wonder and only shows up in the 1954 catalog.  1954 is also the first year that Hamilton introduced automatic watches, although they tested the waters in 1953 with Illinois branded automatics.  The Illinois watches utilized an ETA-made 1256 caliber.  The Hamilton K-series used another Swiss manufacturer, Kurth Freres, which eventually became part of Certina.

My project watch arrived in typical "as found in a dresser drawer" condition.  The radium on the hands has taken it's toll on the hands and dial but I may be able to clean it up nicely.  The crown on this watch is original and very distinctive.  It reminds me of Omega crowns from the same time frame.

The stainless steel case is very solid - this watch is built like a tank!  Hopefully I'll be able to open it.

The bracelet is original to the watch.  I'm not sure how I know that other than I've seen other examples.  It's not shown in the catalog but there must be other documentation somewhere out there to confirm its originality.  Regardless, it's got a broken rivet but I think it may be repairable.  

Here's the other side of the bracelet and it's clearly made by Kreisler - who made many of the original bracelets paired with Hamilton models in the 1950s.

Success!  The case is open and reveals the Hamilton 661 movement that is in the vast majority of K-series automatics.

Apparently I forgot to take my customary "everything is cleaned and dried" photo so the next step is to reassemble the basics of the movement and get it running again.  Now I can see what the timer thinks of the ticking.

Not too shabby... just a slight tweak to speed it up a little bit.  The beat error is well within my specs and below 3.0ms.  Since it's difficult to adjust on this caliber I'll leave the beat error just as it is.

It took a long time to get the rust off the hands and although they're not perfect, they're a lot better than what I started with.  I added fresh lume to the hands too so they will glow in the dark again.  The watch will forever show the hints of 5:32 thanks to the radium burn from the hands in the same position for decades.

A new crystal and a nice strap complete the restoration.  I'll leave the strap on while I sort out repairing the bracelet.  This watch cleaned up very nicely, don't you think?

1963 Lord Lancaster B

I've restored about 750 unique models so far.  There's over 1,000 in the pre-1969 lineup but it's safe to say the easy models to find are behind me.

One model that I haven't come across until recently was a bit of a surprise.  It's a member of the Lord Lancaster line, specifically the Lord Lancaster B.  It was introduced in 1963 and produced through 1969 - so why has it been so hard to come across?  Beats me... but better late than never!

The Lord Lancaster line is unique in that the designs incorporate diamonds, either on the dial or integrated into the case.  All price points were represented from entry-level to ultra expensive.

The Lord Lancaster B is on the less expensive side of the model continuum.  It features a Swiss-made movement and a rolled gold plated (RGP) case.  Originally the model was offered only in white rolled gold but by 1969 yellow was an available option too.

My project watch arrived in decent condition with an aftermarket Speidel bracelet.  It's not original to the watch but it's not a bad pairing either, in my opinion.

The watch opens through the crystal and once the two-piece stem and crown are removed the movement and dial will lift straight out.  The dial has a radial finish where it's brushed from the center outward in all directions.  Its a very nice looking dial.  The diamonds are a little on the tiny side but they'd still be a girl's best friend.

Tucked behind the dial is a Hamilton 686 movement.  This is a 17 jewel Swiss-made ebauche with a glucydur balance - notice there are no timing screws.

Everything gets disassembled and thoroughly cleaned

It actually took me a while to get the watch to run.  I should have checked it out more closely before I started to see if it was in running condition.  Ultimately I had to change the balance cock but I was able to dial it in the timing nicely after that.

I replaced the crystal as the original was a bit grungy and yellowed.  The new crystal makes this watch really sparkle now!  It's a sharp-looking watch, I'm surprised I haven't seen more examples out there.