Help with old watch.

[Beachkid23]

I bought this watch this weekend and I see a whole bunch of Hamilton Illinois watches however they're all gold filled. I actually got one that's 10k Gold and with that said being that the case is actually solid gold instead of gold filled does that make it more valuable? To being rare? and if so what would you Price this that? Thanks!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Red James Cash]

10k is worth more than gold filled.When it comes to watches unless its made of a precious metal all youre basically buying is a name.I'm not saying you cant sell it to a name buying idiot,im just saying i wont touch a watch unless its precious metal.

 

[Nitric]

I have not watched values for a few years. At one point, you couldn't even sell those for the gold melt price. Unless, it was something extremely fancy, even then it was a tough sell. Thousands of them have been scrapped and that might make them rarer or desirable at some point.
Take it all apart and put it back together and see if it still works for fun! Just don't drop a screw! They vanish!

Another thought.....Now, consider any of my dealing with those has been years now,(5 or more) They were everywhere, amongst the watch and scrap guys. You never found too many out for sale in display cases. It was because they weren't worth the gold(not literally). But no, not rare. Maybe starting to, because of sooo many scraped? don't know!

Things change so don't take my word for it alone! Also, not putting your find down in any way! Just being blunt.Anything gold is a great find!

 

[Beachkid23]

All right thank you! so getting anything over hundred dollars for it would probably be good then I suppose. I'll put it up there for best offer and see what I get it. Thank you

 

[JimDon]

Ladies gold watches don't seem to bring the value of men's. Woman just don't wear this style any longer. It is still a great buy.

 

[Drmad7]

Ladies gold watches don't seem to bring the value of men's. Woman just don't wear this style any longer. It is still a great buy.

This^. I have at least 20+ goldfilled Ladies Hamiltons, Bulovas, etc and I will probably list them as a group one day. Several have diamonds too, but Ladies watches are not as great as a Man's watch by the same maker. I think anything over $90 for it is a good deal.

 

[ARC]

Those style of watches are VERY hard to sell...
They are not in style and nowadays they are not desired because of the inability to "read the dial".

They are dead... may list and try to sell via the bay... but ?
Depends on movements desired or not...

Scrap it... and don't expect much...
Check the band carefully for gold marks.

 

[Beachkid23]

Those style of watches are VERY hard to sell...
They are not in style and nowadays they are not desired because of the inability to "read the dial".

They are dead... may list and try to sell via the bay... but ?
Depends on movements desired or not...

Scrap it... and don't expect much...
Check the band carefully for gold marks.

Well that's a bummer.. But I understand. I have 18 K ladies watch and I've only been offered below scrap for it. Even the top rated company in town who tells everyone they pay the best prices only offered about 65% spot on it. (so I'm going to hang onto it for a while)

 

[jerseyben]

You regularly buy and sell gold so you obviously know what gold is worth and how to sell it, no?

 

[Nitric]

You regularly buy and sell gold so you obviously know what gold is worth and how to sell it, no?

I know! Right? Like a guy asking about a silverware maker! He obviously didn't know how to buy and sell silver, No?

I might be all wrong, I thought he was asking if it had value, over the gold price!

 

[Beachkid23]

Yes, over gold value... Reason I was asking is because all the other Illinois style are all gold filled where this one is actually gold and not gold filled so I didn't know if that made more of a difference as far as value versus gold filled one other then scrap gold value. 

 

[Nitric]

Yes, over gold value... Reason I was asking is because all the other Illinois style are all gold filled where this one is actually gold and not gold filled so I didn't know if that made more of a difference as far as value versus gold filled one other then scrap gold value. 

It's good to check and you never know! There are so many watches out there! I've even run into the opposite at times...I bought good watches out of scrap piles from dealers! That were worth way more than the gold or silver scrap! Say, like a box hinge, or multicolor pocket watch or a solid gold corum,patek (silver and gold),older 18k breitling chrono.....To name a few off the top of my head, I know were found ready to be sent to scrap and were bought for the gold or silver price or a little over. There is no way to know it all. Even guys that have been doing it for 60 years and are dealers, you can buy deals from when you learn what they don't know!

 

[bdsawyer]

I found a silver world war 1 trench wrist watch case last year that was sterling. No movement or band. Sold for over $500 so it never hurts to ask as you just never know what one of these may bring.

 

[Nitric]

I found a silver world war 1 trench wrist watch case last year that was sterling. No movement or band. Sold for over $500 so it never hurts to ask as you just never know what one of these may bring.

I like this story too...........
One of Hitlers watches that he gave to one of his officers was found and bought for $300 I think it was from an antique shop in ohio. The new owner did a little research and called some of the big auction houses. They would not take it on consignment, they said it would not bring their $5,000 expected minimum. It was sent to a big action house in another country.. It brought something like $280 thousand! All the "experts" up to that point never looked into the german writing on it!

My numbers were way off, and details off, I'm not changing the above...It sold for over $600 thousand. That guy is probably glad he didn't scrap it! You never know what could turn up!


New Wellington, Ohio Auctioneers Take the Time To Get It Right!

 

[ARC]

I found a silver world war 1 trench wrist watch case last year that was sterling. No movement or band. Sold for over $500 so it never hurts to ask as you just never know what one of these may bring.

Well your watch had a lot going for it...
#1. Mens watch.
#2. WW2 Trench.
#3. Sterling.

That is why yours sold for 500... that is a far cry from this watch... be it gold or not.

Beach I am not trying to "bum ya out" on it... list it and BIN it at above scrap... never know...
Some older lady may have her movement in need of replacement out there somewhere... never know...
Maybe a collector is "interested"...
Take a shot...
IF not... take out the movement ... sell IT online... and band if GF... and scrap case...
Case isworth prolly 26 dollars scrap as is ? ? ?

JUST case... not with band,,, IF the band is gold.

Movement on those is a BREEZE to remove... Pop back with pocket knife... remove movement... done.

 

[bdsawyer]

Well your watch had a lot going for it...
#1. Mens watch.
#2. WW2 Trench.
#3. Sterling.

That is why yours sold for 500... that is a far cry from this watch... be it gold or not.

Beach I am not trying to "bum ya out" on it... list it and BIN it at above scrap... never know...
Some older lady may have her movement in need of replacement out there somewhere... never know...
Maybe a collector is "interested"...
Take a shot...
IF not... take out the movement ... sell IT online... and band if GF... and scrap case...
Case isworth prolly 26 dollars scrap as is ? ? ?

JUST case... not with band,,, IF the band is gold.

Movement on those is a BREEZE to remove... Pop back with pocket knife... remove movement... done.

I wasn't saying his was a great watch, obviously many have voiced their opinion on it. Just never hurts to ask for another opinion. That's all I meant.

 

[batcap]

The Hamilton watches made in Lancaster PA and to some extent in Illinois were some of the finest watches ever produced in the USA. Up until about 1950, Hamilton made everything in house. The tools were forged on site, the metals -both solid and filled- were alloyed and bonded in house. They grew their own rubies for the jewels and raised cattle for the leather watchbands. They cast and polished their own crystal faces. The 982 movement remains a masterpiece in fine watchmaking and American ingenuity. Forget the gold content; if you have a working Hamilton timepiece of this era, You have a symbol of what America once was and could be again. (no political claptrap required thanks)