THIS WATCH IS LOCATED IN THE UK AND THE SALE IS IN GB POUNDS STERLING (£).

Please take a look at my other watches currently available:

www.ebay.co.uk/sch/budleigholdtimer/m.html


1948 HAMILTON ‘ASHLEY’ GENTLEMAN’S VINTAGE WATCH


The Hamilton Watch Company is credited for producing some of the finest timepieces to come out of America during the early to mid 20th century. This classic gentleman’s vintage watch is 69 years old and presents very nicely overall (see below for detailed condition). JUST SERVICED, the high-end mechanical movement is running well and keeping good time. Confirming its authenticity, this watch is triple-signed Hamilton – on the dial, movement and inside the case-back. 

This is a relatively small watch by modern standards and could also be worn by a woman – see measurements below.



— Good used condition and keeping time.

— 19-jewel movement JUST CLEANED AND FRESHLY OILED.

— New mainspring fitted.

— New leather strap fitted.

— Case ultrasonically cleaned.


This watch is NOT waterproof.



SIZE  22.5mm wide excluding crown x 37mm total length.


If you are new to vintage watches please be aware that gentlemen’s watches of this era were generally made smaller than watches of today and may also suit a lady’s wrist. If you have been used to wearing a large, modern watch, this could be considered relatively small in comparison. Please study the following detailed measurements and compare them on a ruler so that you understand the size of this watch before purchasing.

Width: 22.5mm, excluding the crown.

Length: 26mm without the lugs; 37mm total length to tips of the lugs.

Thickness: 9mm, including crystal.

Face/dial: 20mm x 22mm.

Distance between lugs: 18mm.

Strap: 18mm wide, narrowing to 16mm at the buckle. 

Wrist fitting: The leather strap should fit a wrist size of between 165mm and 190mm.


The above dimensions are approximate.



CASE  14k yellow gold-filled two-part case. Good overall, showing some wear. 

The rectangular two-part 14k gold-filled case presents very nicely overall and, being 14k, will have a higher pure gold content than the more commonly-seen 10k gold cases of the same era. There are the usual light surface scratches and signs of use one would expect, together with some wear to the high spots of the plating on the lugs. Turning it over, the back appears very good overall, with one tiny ‘pin-prick’ ding as seen in the photo, plus some wear to the opening lip and an area adjacent to the winding crown. All this, of course, is hidden when the watch is being worn. Please study the close-up photos, but bear in mind that any flaws are magnified many times and exaggerated compared with what is seen with the naked eye. 

The outside-back is signed 14K GOLD FILLED L&K (the case maker). The inside-back is signed HAMILTON WATCH CO LANCASTER, PA. 14K GOLD FILLED L&K.

The acrylic crystal has been polished to remove any noticeable marks.

The case has just been ultrasonically cleaned to remove any ingrained dirt from all the crevices accumulated over many decades and to sanitise for the watch’s new owner. The brand new black 18mm wide leather strap completes the watch perfectly.


DIAL  Solid sterling silver with solid 18k gold markers.


Like many vintage Hamilton watches, this has a superb SOLID STERLING SILVER DIAL with SOLID 18k GOLD APPLIED MARKERS. The use of such materials in a watch’s detailing is testament to the high quality of these timepieces.

This particular dial has been restored at some point in the past, probably at a time when watchmakers would routinely send dials away for refinishing while the watch was in for servicing. The customer was then presented with their watch again looking like new. Rolex, for instance, still carries out this same practice.

The silver background still looks good overall, showing a few marks here and there, but nothing that offends. The gilt ‘alpha’ style hands are in good condition and the applied 18k gold markers bright and shining, glistening whenever the watch is moved. The printed HAMILTON signature, minute chapter track and second-hand sub-dial are also in good shape.


MOVEMENT 

High-end Hamilton 19-jewel calibre 982 mechanical hand-wound movement SERVICED, CLEANED AND OILED on 27th August 2017. Running well, keeping good time* (please see note below about vintage watch timekeeping). 


This watch is powered by a high-quality American-made HAMILTON 19-jewel 982 hand-wound mechanical movement, which would have been one of Hamilton’s top-of-the-range powerplants at the time. The 982 features a Breguet hairspring, as used on other high-end watches such as Rolex and noted for aiding more consistent timekeeping throughout the duration of the wind.

The surface of the movement bears ornate damaskeening, or ‘Geneva stripes’. This sort of aesthetic treatment tended to be used on higher-quality movements. The serial number J431596 confirms a manufacture date for this piece of 1948.

For your further reassurance and added value, this watch has been overhauled on 27th August 2017. This involved completely dismantling the movement, ultrasonically cleaning and then inspecting all components, re-building, lubricating with the finest Moebius Swiss watch oils and grease, demagnetising and regulating timekeeping. A new mainspring has also been fitted. It winds and sets smoothly and is keeping good time* (see note below about vintage watch timekeeping). 

In order to keep vintage mechanical watches running as reliably as possible, such servicing is recommended every three to five years and the cost of this can easily be £150 or more. As this work has just been carried out, please factor this in the value of this watch when purchasing.

Please note that this watch will require winding fully once every 24 hours if you intend wearing it and occasional winding (every week or two) is recommended when not being worn.

*A general note on vintage watch timekeeping and reliability

Please do not expect quartz accuracy from any vintage mechanical watch. The accepted timekeeping tolerances for a brand new watch back in the 1940s and 50s was +/- 3 minutes a day and, unless otherwise stated, my watches should still keep time to within these parameters. Most perform significantly better. Timekeeping can vary by a few seconds a day according to the angle a watch is being worn on the wrist — for instance, when it is dial-up or on its side. Also, a fully-wound mainspring delivers more power than when it has almost wound down, so timekeeping will likely be different on a full wind compared with, say, 24 hours later. It is recommended to fully wind your watch once only first thing in the morning, wear it all day and then place dial-up on on a bedside table or desk overnight. This will provide a good indication of its average timekeeping over 24 hours, taking into account the various positions it experiences overall, together with slight changing of power of the mainspring as it winds down.  

Cleaning and freshly oiling a vintage watch provides it with the best chance of optimum performance, but does not imply that it is in ‘as-new’ condition — these watches are many decades old. While disassembled, the movement is carefully observed to ensure that there is no excessive wear and that no parts are broken or damaged. Any badly worn parts are replaced if necessary and when re-assembled and oiled all functions are checked to ensure the watch is working correctly. Following servicing, it should run reliably for the foreseeable future, unless it is dropped, damaged or subjected to water or dusty conditions, or become magnetised. However, due to age, please be aware that they may still be less reliable than a modern watch, even if serviced and ongoing maintenance might be required. For this reason, I am unable to provide any warranty beyond the standard 14-day return period. 



PAYMENT

PAYMENT BY PAYPAL IS REQUESTED WITHIN 24 HOURS PLEASE. If there is any reason why you may not be able to make payment within this timeframe, please message me through eBay to discuss BEFORE purchasing the item. Due to a growing number of non-payers, please be aware that after 48 hours an Unpaid Item Notice will be raised automatically by eBay if payment is still outstanding. Non-paying buyers will be reported to eBay and this may affect their ability to purchase items in the future.

Paypal is the only method of payment I can accept from international purchasers. For UK buyers, Paypal is my preferred means of payment but I may accept personal cheque (subject to clearance time) or direct bank transfer. Please message me to discuss BEFORE purchasing.

Your watch will be very securely packaged and normally despatched to you by the next working day following receipt of cleared payment. Please note that in order to qualify for Paypal Seller Protection and in accordance with their terms and conditions, I CAN ONLY SHIP TO A BUYER’S PAYPAL CONFIRMED ADDRESS and therefore, if you are paying by Paypal, I regret that I am unable to send to any other location.

CUSTOMS DUTIES: If you are an overseas buyer please be aware that, depending on the country in which you live, you may be liable for ADDITIONAL import duty or other fees on delivery. I am NOT responsible for any such payments, nor will I falsify the declared value on customs forms in order to reduce such liability, as this is illegal. Please check with your local customs to see if additional fees might be charged, as they could add to your overall purchase price. 


SHIPPING

Your watch will be very securely packed to help prevent damage in transit. For your reassurance, and mine, I will only ship by one of the following insured and trackable means:

UK Addresses

For UK buyers, your watch will be sent by ROYAL MAIL SPECIAL DELIVERY GUARANTEED, which insures the item up to £500 and guarantees next working day delivery. The package is also fully tracked so you can check delivery status online at any time. For multiple purchases up to £500 value, I will happily include within the same postage cost. 

International Addresses

For international buyers, your watch will be sent by one of the following methods, depending on location. Maximum insurance available is £250 which is included. Multiple purchases up to £250 total value will be included for the same shipping cost or, if they exceed this value, I must ship separately and charge individual shipping costs for each.

1. ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL TRACKED AND SIGNED. This service is available to 43 countries and tracks the item from posting to delivery. It also requires a signature on delivery and, unless a winning bidder requests otherwise, I will use this preferred service if it is available to a particular country.

2. ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL TRACKED. This is available to 33 countries and tracks the item from posting to delivery. It does not require a signature.

3. ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL SIGNED. This is available to 190 countries and is tracked to the point where it leaves the UK and then confirms when delivered. It requires a signature on delivery.



14-DAY GUARANTEE AND RETURNS

I always strive to provide 5-star customer service (see my feedback), so please be assured that if there is any issue I will do my best to rectify matters promptly and to your entire satisfaction. Any problem with the watch should be NOTIFIED WITHIN 14 DAYS OF RECEIPT.

My reputation and feedback are very important to me and I want you to be completely happy with your purchase. Many hours of work goes in to servicing and restoring these beautiful old timepieces and I try very hard to get things right. I would like to know if there is any problem at all on receipt of your watch. Please contact me immediately if you are in any way unhappy and I will be only too pleased to help. The very nature of these very old, delicate, mechanical watches means that once in a while things may go wrong and, if it is within 14 days of purchase, I guarantee to put it right at my expense or provide a no-quibble refund if you prefer. I regret that after this 14-day period I am unable to offer an ongoing warranty, but will always be only too pleased to provide guidance and advice on the upkeep of your watch if ever required.

Although very securely packed, on rare occasions turbulent conditions in transit can affect fine adjustment, causing timekeeping issues, which is why I always ask buyers to confirm they are happy with everything when received. Or, you may just not like the watch when you see it, but either way, I will make things right for you. Please do not leave negative or neutral feedback without giving me the opportunity to make you happy. Just contact me as soon as possible, but within 14 days of receipt, please. 

I warrant that the watch you purchase will be as described when you receive it. Please note that photographs also form part of the description. If you consider the watch to be materially different from its description, or if it is not working correctly, please contact me immediately and I will provide a fast, no-quibble refund following its safe return and my detailed inspection. Alternatively, I will provide you with the option of repair at my expense if the watch has been damaged in transit and is repairable within a reasonable timeframe.


POSTAGE REFUNDS

– IF there is a fault with the watch when received; or it develops a problem within 14 days; or I have made a mistake in the listing and it is therefore not as described, I will refund the full purchase price, plus original shipping AND your postage cost returning the watch to me.

– IF there is a fault with the watch, notified within 14 days of receipt, and you would prefer it to be repaired, I will bear all additional postage costs if the watch is repairable within a reasonable timeframe.

– IF a return is due to buyer remorse – for instance, you do not like it when received, I will refund the purchase price only, less the original shipping cost. Return postage to me is to be paid by the buyer. Please be sure to read the whole description, taking particular note of dimensions, etc. and study all close-up photographs.

I REGRET THAT I AM UNABLE TO OFFER RETURNS UNLESS NOTIFIED WITHIN 14 DAYS OF RECEIPT. These watches are many decades old and, even if they have been serviced, can still develop faults at any time – just like anything else old and mechanical. As a vintage watch owner, I always recommend sourcing a local watchmaker who can provide you with an ongoing repair service as and when required. Whilst I will always be happy to rectify any problem occurring within 14 days of delivery, I cannot personally offer a repair service after that time. I will, however, always be happy to offer guidance and advice.

 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS I WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO HELP.