Ball-Hamilton 999-B 21 Jewel Pocket Watch C. 1947

Vintage Ball Pocket watch, Railroad standard with 999B movement.

This Ball Hamilton Grade 999B was manufactured in approximately 1947 and is powered by a Ball 999B movement with 21 jewels that is adjusted to 6 positions in size 16s. It is one of the finest railroad-grade pocket watches ever manufactured and is thus one of the most collected pocket watches of all time.

Introduced in October of 1940, the Hamilton 992B was the most successful Railroad Watch ever made, and the Ball 999B that was launched in 1943 shares the same basic plate layout and internal components. The watch presented here includes the 999B movement, complete with the stunning circular damaskeen pattern, housed in a 10K gold-filled Keystone, J. Boss case with Stirrup Bow. The dial is an excellent example of the Ball Official RR Standard Dial, featuring crisp, clean Arabic numerals with heavy ink saturation and highlighted with the exquisite blued-steel Spade/Whip railroad standard hands.

All the materials used in the manufacture of this watch were of the finest grade available and used in designs by the legendary Webb C. Ball, the man who developed the railroad timekeeping standards for railroad grade pocket watches. While Ball himself did not manufacture these watches, he partnered with several of the major watch companies and imparted his expertise in the design and construction of watches that met the railroad standards he developed.

This watch is not only beautiful to look at, it is also a significant part of history and great horological value. To own this watch is to own a part of the legendary legacy of Webb C. Ball and the companies that partnered with him, to make our rail system safer than before. Only a small number of this watch model and configuration have survived in such excellent condition, and an opportunity to own one is rarer than with many other watches. It shows beautifully for daily wear or to display proudly as a cornerstone of your watch collection.