[Rusty]

The first watch Hamilton produced after WWII was the Vancott.

Some specifications:

Production Date: 1946 - 1947

Price When New: Unknown

Case: 10K Gold Bezel and Stainless Steel Back (This is the first Hamilton watch to use two different types of metals)

Case Manufacturer: S&W (Schwab & Wuischpard)

Production for this Variation: 2,918 (Hamilton records indicate that not all Vancott's produced may have been released sighting "awaiting technical OK" [for the 987-S]. This may explain why the Vancott is so rarely found)

Movement: 987S - 17-jewel Movement (with "hack" feature)


Pic/info: VintageSource

 

[HamiltonElectric]

There were actually two versions of the Vancott, one in solid 14K gold and the other in 10K gold with stainless back. This style was never catalogued and is practically unknown today. It was really just a way to use up leftover 987S movements (the "S" stands for "sweep seconds"). This movement was a modified 987A and was used mainly for military watches during WWII.

 

[mgiraz]

I noticed the case is by S&W.....I've understood that Hamilton never made their own cases....Is that the case? (pun intended).

 

[HamiltonElectric]

Hamilton never made cases in the factory, however they did own a case-making subsidiary in Stamford, CT. They bought out the Biggs Watch Case Company in 1951. For the most part Biggs supplied diamond-studded cases for ladies' watches, though they did make some conventional cases for Hamilton, including the "Spectra." By and large, however, the vast majority of cases were sourced from outside suppliers, most notably Wadsworth, S&W (Schwab & Wuischpard), and Star. There were many smaller suppliers as well.