| Author | Message | ||
     Buzz Rickson New member Username: Buzzrickson Post Number: 17 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
hi to all mil-watch-afficionados. i own a hamilton timepiece from the eighties. seems to be a MIL-W-46374B. when i searched a bit on the internet i found the following description: "MIL-W-46374B, published 7 May 1975, added the requirement for the H3 and radiation symbol to the dial, "centrally located and clearly visible". Revision B also broadened and deepened the requirements for handling, applying, and disposing of Tritium, and watches containing Tritium. These "B" type watches were the first required to have "Dispose Rad. Waste" inscribed on the caseback. Also new was the requirement for a durable protective clear coating on the hands. This explains why the tritium luminous material on the "B" type watches seems to stay adhered to the hands much longer than on earlier versions. The watch strap (specified as a Type II MIL-S-46383B strap) was to be Olive Drab in color. As with earlier specifications in this series, the bars were required to be fixed or "integral". Spring bars are specifically excluded. This exclusion of spring bars is interesting, because so many "B" type watches being resold now have spring bars. It seem that the real deal should have fixed bars! Obviously the fixed bars have been replaced over time. The MIL-W-46374B example shown above has fixed bars, or the plastic Timex version has integral bars." link is http://home.earthlink.net/%7eexresearch/InfoPages/W46374B.html my little baby has got spring bars! can anyone tell something about the things cited above? most pics of MIL-W-46374B i found on the net have spring bars too. does that decrease the value or the originality? i�ll post some pics of my watch tomorrow... | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1940 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
Spring bars when a watch should have fixed does decrease the value. On the otherhad, it not all that expenvive a watch. You can always retrofit some fixed bars with all little home made machining on a deremel tool & some stainless nails. It's not that big of a deal. | ||
| Buzz Rickson New member Username: Buzzrickson Post Number: 18 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
did the MIL-W-46374B really had fixed-bars-only and i got a watch refitted with spring bars, or were there any models delivered with spring bars? my watch is from 1983 so they may have changed the specifications... and here are the promised pics - hell i love every scratch on it (it�s my heavy-duty-watch)   | ||
| Zaf Moderator Username: Zaf Post Number: 1942 Registered: 05-2003 Rating: N/A |
It's not an expensive watch, I'd be shocked if the military took it upon itself to retrofit spring bars. It should be easy to tell if fixed bars were once present. They'd have a much wider hole than if the watch came with spring bars to begin with. | ||
| Hex onX New member Username: Hexonx Post Number: 135 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Buzz. That's a sexy looking watch.  Watch out for that H3. I read somewhere that the early versions had a solid bar and later they made spring bars that looked solid. Zaf is right about the holes in the lugs. I would prefer the spring bars that look solid IMO. I also read that the earlier ones had ETA movements and the later ones like 1986 or 87 had swiss Hamilton hack movements. If yours hacks, it has that movement. Early would be 1976 I think up do maybe your year model, not sure. | ||
| Buzz Rickson New member Username: Buzzrickson Post Number: 19 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
... no it does not hack - i guess i got the eta-movement. btw it sounds like arnie schwarzenegger is beating the bells inside - it is the loudest movement in my possesion i checked the holes and they fit the spring bars very well. let�s include a pic - the space around the hole seems to be the rub-off from my rather tight-fitting saddle-leather strap.  nearly every hamilton mil i saw until today had spring bars. so when this is an "aftermarket-option" it seems to be a rather common one. | ||
| Buzz Rickson New member Username: Buzzrickson Post Number: 20 Registered: 04-2006 Rating: N/A |
... no it does not hack - i guess i got the eta-movement. btw it sounds like arnie schwarzenegger is beating the bells inside - it is the loudest movement in my possesion i checked the holes and they fit the spring bars very well. let�s include a pic - the space around the hole seems to be the rub-off from my rather tight-fitting saddle-leather strap.  nearly every hamilton mil i saw until today had spring bars. so when this is an "aftermarket-option" it seems to be a rather common one. | ||
| Hex onX New member Username: Hexonx Post Number: 136 Registered: 09-2005 Rating: N/A |
Buzz, from what I read, the early solid bar version later changed to the spring bar version that look like a solid bar? They are still heavy duty looking compared to consumer spring bars. Yours looks like the spring bar that looks like a solid bar version. The hole doesn't look like the larger hole. Zaf would have to comment on that. About the noisy tick, not sure. I read that you would have to put it on a machine like a vibrograf with paper readout and check the ticks in different orientations. Then the watchmaker would know where to look depending on the outcome of the readouts. Of course, if they take it apart like a traditional old school cleaning and oiling, the watchmaker would inspect the parts for wear, before a old school spin wash. On a more new school cleaning and oiling, they would only take out the balance spring assy, main spring, etc. Then the rest whatever that is, gear train, jewels, bridges etc, would go into an ultrasonic wash. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Quality vs time, etc. |