# Anyone Tell Me About This Hamilton?



## BuckyBleichert (Jan 31, 2009)

Hi

I just found this in the local Oxfam shop and bought it. It looks better than the photos imply, but can anyone tell me anything about it? Eg what do the numbers on the back mean?

From what I can gather it is a 6BB which was issued to the RAF. I assume that the 74 on the back refers to 1974?

It has a bad scratch on the glass. Can the glass easily be replaced? And also it could do with a clean. Is there anything I should be aware of in this respect?

Sorry if these sound like naive questions...


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## BuckyBleichert (Jan 31, 2009)

potz said:


> Hmmm. By 1974 Britain was already using the NSN system, ie the Hamilton should have 6645-99 523-8290 on the back, followed by the issue number and year 2674/74. These watches were issued to both Army (W10) and RAF (6B or 6BB) in the early to mid-70's as a follow up to the Smiths model. The correct caliber should be a hand-wound, 17-jeweled Hamilton 8768 and they were made in Switzerland, not the USA. They were superceded by the CWC model. CWC was founded in 1972 because Hamilton stopped supplying to the MOD.


Thanks for your reply. I just guessed that the number 74 meant 1974 (I don't really know). I don't know what the NSN system is either.

I got the info on the 6BB business from a website which said that the 6BB was issued to RAF and this watch looks the same (from the front at least) as the site's illustration, but the back looks quite different. I assumed that the serial number starting 6bb was also a bit of a giveaway, but as I said I don't know much about these watches.

So I guess this watch is not a British military watch after all????


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## BuckyBleichert (Jan 31, 2009)

OK. Thanks for clarifying that.


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## Parabola (Aug 1, 2007)

Thats a great find for a charity shop :thumbsup:


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## inskip75 (Jan 10, 2009)

I agree, a great find and interesting (for me anyway!) reply from Potz - as always


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## BuckyBleichert (Jan 31, 2009)

Thanks for all your replies. I am going to polish up the case - what would be a good product for this (Brasso? ) The case is actually quite good. It is just dirty rather than scratched.

I think I'll get the crystal replaced at a jewellers - it looks like an awful lot of trouble and tools to do this yourself.

Cheers.


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## river rat (Nov 14, 2008)

Nice Hamiton I all most bought one a few months ago when I pulled the crown to set time it pulled out he said that was normal it went back in and every thing worked I told the seller he can keep it if the price was a little lower it would of been a good deal I would of had to pay to get that fixed and a service it would of been more than the watch was worth.


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## river rat (Nov 14, 2008)

potz said:


> (Correct) punctuation and spelling are the true friends of contributors to fora - and their readers :lol:.


So I misspelled Hamilton. :tongue2:


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## ditchdiger (Jun 23, 2007)

i would give it a gentle clean with a cape cod cloth nothing to much as it has character

you can buy polywatch from our host rlt and with a little work the glass should polish up and remove most scratches

would it be rude to ask how much it cost?oxfam here charges very high prices


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## BuckyBleichert (Jan 31, 2009)

ditchdiger said:


> i would give it a gentle clean with a cape cod cloth nothing to much as it has character
> 
> you can buy polywatch from our host rlt and with a little work the glass should polish up and remove most scratches
> 
> would it be rude to ask how much it cost?oxfam here charges very high prices


I have been looking into the cape cod cloths. Looks like the way to go.

Is polywatch for acrylic? I think the face of this is glass.

The watch cost Â£40. I think this is about right for this?

Cheers.


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## BuckyBleichert (Jan 31, 2009)

Thanks, Potz. I guess it is difficult to tell. All I can tell is that the sound when tapping the face doesn't have that ring of plastic about it.


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