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Production
Date: 1919 - 1923
Price When New: $85.00 (See
"Catalog Description" above)
Case: 14K Yellow Gold
Case Manufacturer: Fahys
Production for this Variation:
300
Movement:
981 - 17-jewel
Movement
(983
0-Sized Cushion in silver)
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Comments:
This particular model of the Hamilton Round 0-size was used by the
U.S. Mail Aviators and subsequently has great historical
significance. It contains a double bezel which enabled the
wearer to remove the outer bezel (without disturbing the crystal
which was attached to the inner bezel) and snap on a shrapnel guard
(or crystal protector). This was an important feature as according
to historical accounts of early U.S. Mail Aviators, there were
numerous mishaps, crashes and weather problems.
An example of the risks associated
with the early delivery of mail tells of one mail carrier’s plane
which crashed, subsequently scattering the mail across a field of
corn. The carrier collected the mail, found another plane which
later crashed as well. Not one to give up, the carrier saved the
mail from the burning plane and finally after a trip fraught with
problems, made it to his destination proudly proclaiming a loss of
only three percent (and only six hours late)! In fact, Charles
Lindbergh was an early mail carrier and personally flew the U.S.
Virgin Islands/Mainland route in his position as a U.S. Mail
Aviator. It is likely that Lindbergh himself wore a Hamilton 0-size
similar to the one pictured above.
As indicated above, Hamilton 0-size
wristwatches have a strong and historical significance not just for
Hamilton, but for our country as well.
This model was one of six
geometrically shaped wristwatches that were popular up
until the late 1920's. Hamilton's
"Geometric" offerings
spanned ten years - beginning in 1917 with the
0-sized Cushion and ending in 1927 with the Oval.
Included in the geometric models are the Cushion
(0-sized, Cushion Round and Cushion Form Opening), the
Square, Barrel, Tonneau, Rectangular, and Oval.
