Hamilton Medwick (1939) Vintage Mechanical Watch in 10k Gold Filled Case

About the Watch:

A Holy Grail for Hamilton Purists: The Definitive Single-Year 1939 Medwick

Offered here is one of the most elusive and distinctive wristwatches from Hamilton’s pre-war golden era—the 1939 Hamilton Medwick. Revered by Lancaster collectors as a quintessential "One-Year Wonder," the Medwick was cataloged exclusively for 1939 and never produced again, making surviving examples exceptionally scarce.  

Blending late Art Deco industrial architecture with streamlined geometry, the Medwick stands apart from conventional rectangular tanks of the late 1930s through its sculptural case architecture and robust horological pedigree.

Special Features & Design Highlights:

Architectural Tubular Lugs: The defining hallmark of the Medwick is its bold, hooped tubular lugs. While reminiscent of flexible driver's designs like the Hamilton Contour, the Medwick’s flared hooded loop lugs are entirely solid and rigid, providing dramatic wrist presence and visual depth while remaining remarkably sturdy.  

Lancaster 10K Gold-Filled Case (Wadsworth): Measuring approximately 27mm wide by 38.5mm lug-to-lug, the case features a curved, ergonomic profile designed to contour smoothly to the wrist. Hamilton cases of this profile are notoriously prone to high-wear brassing near the crystal corners and lug transitions; finding one with crisp case lines and sound bezel integrity is an uncommon prize.  

Dial Layout: Features the classic Hamilton format with a small seconds register at 6 o'clock and an applied gold numerals that capture ambient light with vintage warmth.  

In-House Hamilton Caliber 987A: Beneath the caseback beats the renowned USA-made Hamilton 6/0 size, 17-jewel Caliber 987A. Introduced shortly before the war, the 987A represented a massive mechanical refinement over earlier 987 variants, featuring redesigned bridges and exceptional balance stability—the very platform chosen by the U.S. military for wartime issue.

Specifications

Brand: Hamilton Watch Company (Lancaster, PA)  

Model: Medwick  

Year of Production: 1939 (Single-year catalog issue)  

Movement: Hamilton USA In-House Grade 987A, 17 Jewels, Manual-Wind, 6/0 Size  

Case Material: 10K Natural Yellow Gold Filled (Caseback signed Wadsworth / Hamilton Watch Co.)  

Dimensions: 27.2mm wide (excluding crown) × 38.5mm lug-to-lug × 9.8mm thick  

Lug Width: 16mm  

Crystal: Curved acrylic crystal profile  

Condition & Collector Notes:

Dial & Hands: original factory AGN/black enamel dial with authentic sub-seconds dial codes, minimal patina, some numeral shine, and fantastic hand condition

Case & Lugs: As the photos show, some plating has worn around the corners but remains minimal to the naked eye.

Mechanical Health: Running well, telling accurate time, winds and sets easily.

Service history: unknown. Shows watchmaker marks throughout caseback.

Listing Verification Checklist:

Movement Serial Number: The Caliber 987A serial is O90311 falling between the O80,000 to O130,000 block, authenticating the exact 1939 manufacture.

Dial Signature: The microscopic dial catalog code printed just below the 6 o'clock sub-second track confirms the original factory enamel/silver plating vs. an older redial.

Band Pairing: Mounted on a vintage-tapered 16mm genuine leather strap to maximize period-correct Art Deco aesthetics.