Could this Hamilton be all original?

[Max50916]

Hello! I just finished servicing this Hamilton 974 movement. When I went to do more research on the complete watch I got a little stumped.

It appears that the case is a "Mainliner" case but from what I've gathered these cases were used on railroad grade movements. At first I figured this was a variant of the Traffic line of Hamilton pocket watches but now I'm not sure.

To add a little mystery, the case is engraved 1942, however the serial number dates to approximately 1918. The case style also implies it was made late 1930s-early 40s.

I have heard that during the war years they were sometimes casing whatever movements they had on hand because their production went to the war effort, but it seems like a large age gap. Could this be the case with this watch?

In addition to that, during servicing (I bought at at an antique fair) the case was almost impossible to open and when I did there was a bunch of oxidation in between the threads, which leads me to believe it's been left alone for quite a while.

 

Thank you for whatever knowledge and insight you can provide! 

[JohnR725]

did you know if you went back early enough in American pocket watches that the movement almost never came in a case. You go to the jewelry store the movements would be in one display case the cases would be somewhere else you got to pick and choose.

then there is the other problem between now in 1918 is quite a long time if for unknown reasons somebody decided they didn't like their case arose worn-out odes or whatever there's nothing to prevent you from swapping to another case. Often times you look a pocket watches and you can see other casings screws now that's a definite giveaway that the case was used for another watch. So basically all it means is between when it was made and when you've got it somebody put it in a new case.

7 hours ago, Max50916 said:

In addition to that, during servicing (I bought at at an antique fair) the case was almost impossible to open and when I did there was a bunch of oxidation in between the threads, which leads me to believe it's been left alone for quite a while.

this by the way is a very good thing. Thoroughly oils tended to be organic oils they would go bad with time the watch would come to a nice safe stop and not disintegrate by just running forever without lubrication. So if you're lucky somebody will take great grandpa's watch put it in the sock drawer and it's been sitting there for the last hopefully a very long time of years then all your watch needs is cleaning possibly a mainspring.because the unfortunate reality of a watch that's been running continuously is probably didn't get normal servicing which in the early days would've been yearly and things start to wear out so it's much nicer if it's all gummed up and not running

 

[MechanicMike]

john nailed it. 

have you looked on the pocketwatchdatabase.com ? They have tons of info, including your case serial number. That case was originally patented in 1859 and was given to James Boss, the inventor of the process by which he made it. Keystone would make this style using his patented methods and then stamp J Boss style under the Keystone brand.  they have too much stuff to list here. I did read a copy of his original patent tho. very interesting. the case may or may not have railroad grade stamped on it. 974 isn't a railroad grade but it still a very nice piece. I have one in guild the other plain nickel but really nice damaskeening. Just picled up a Bunn Special thats on it's way.

yours looks really good.