✅ SOLVED Please help me to date and identify the maker of this Sterling silver watch.

[FreeBirdTim]

Found this old watch today. Not marked Sterling, but it's probably silver. It was five inches down and shiny right out of the hole. It also turned my silver polishing cloth black when I cleaned it up a bit.

I would really like to figure out how old it is and who made it. The only clue are the letters "HAMU" etched out on the back of the watch. I Googled it, but came up with nothing. Any help would be great.

Here's a couple of pics. I'll try to post better pictures later on tonight.

 

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[FreeBirdTim]

Okay, here's what it looks like cleaned up. Any ideas (or guesses) would be appreciated.

 

[tamrock]

I think its from the 1920s, also I believe the case would be either white gold filled or maybe solid gold. I've had that style of case and scrapped it as it was solid white gold. It may be marked on the inside of the back cover? Don't think its silver, but I could be wrong. Gold filled watch cases will even have a good scrap value these days http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-of-216-...7746967?pt=Pocket_Watches&hash=item2a39c39b17

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Tamrock,

Thanks for the info! I have tried to pry off the back cover, but it's really stuck on good. It would make sense that the inside of the back cover would be marked. If it were Sterling, you would think it would be marked on the back of the watch.

It's also very odd that there's no manufacturer's name on the face of the watch. That info would help me to determine what type of metal it's made out of. Guess I'll have to use more force and get the back cover off! Thanks for your help!

 

[tamrock]

Tamrock,

Thanks for the info! I have tried to pry off the back cover, but it's really stuck on good. It would make sense that the inside of the back cover would be marked. If it were Sterling, you would think it would be marked on the back of the watch.

It's also very odd that there's no manufacturer's name on the face of the watch. That info would help me to determine what type of metal it's made out of. Guess I'll have to use more force and get the back cover off! Thanks for your help!

The movement may be marked with the maker. Watches like that were put together by the local jeweler. He would have different movements, different case styles and metals and different design dials. The customer could pick out the way they'd like their watch would look and how much they would like to spend. Such as a gold filled case would be less then a solid gold case or a 15 jewel movement would cost under a 17 jewel movement price. They were built to order with additional personalized engraving added by the jeweler. Your watch is from the time the wrist watch was just coming into fashion. Hope its a solid gold case.

 

[gman7665]

That is nice, I would have My local jeweler take the back off, some even have 24k gold parts on the inside...

 

[FreeBirdTim]

Thanks for the great info, guys! I will take it to a jeweler as soon as I can and have them try to remove the back for me.