Boulton
1940–1954 · 14k Yellow Gold Filled · Manual Wind
About the Boulton
The Boulton ran from 1940 through 1954, making it one of the longer-running models in Hamilton's mid-century dress watch lineup. It's a small tonneau-cased watch, 22.6mm wide and 28.0mm long, built in 14K yellow Gold Filled and powered by the caliber 982, a 19-jewel manual-wind movement that Hamilton used across many of its better dress models during this era. The dial is silver with applied gold numerals at all positions except 6, where a subseconds dial takes over. Related models, the Boulton B and Boulton II, share the name but have their own distinct configurations worth sorting out separately.
Fifteen years in production means examples show up with some regularity, but condition varies considerably. The applied gold numerals are the first thing to scrutinize, since they can come loose or discolor with age, and a dial with all its numerals intact and sitting flush is genuinely harder to find than the production numbers might suggest. The silver dial finish is also susceptible to spotting or uneven aging, so a clean example is worth pausing on.
From the Catalog
Hamilton's 1940 catalog listed the Boulton at $55, specifying 19 jewels, 14K natural gold-filled construction, and an 18K applied gold numeral dial as the only configuration offered. That single-dial specification tells you Hamilton wasn't hedging on this one.
Hamilton Catalog Images
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1954
What to Look For
| Dial | Check that all applied gold numerals are present, seated flush, and consistent in color. Numerals that are detaching, missing, or oxidized are common and expensive to address properly. Look at the silver finish closely for spotting, water damage, or uneven toning. |
| Crystal | Confirm the crystal fits correctly and sits without gaps at the edges. This is a small case and replacement crystals are not always easy to source in the exact profile. |
| Movement | Dried oil is the most likely culprit if the watch runs poorly or stops inconsistently. Also worth knowing: the escape wheel jewel on the 982 is prone to coming loose, so a service by someone familiar with this caliber is worth prioritizing. |
| Case | Inspect the gold-filled surfaces for wear-through, particularly on the caseback, lugs, and any high points on the case profile. The caseback can be tricky to open, so look for evidence of prior opening attempts that left marks or damage. |
| Crown | Make sure the crown is original or at minimum correct in size and profile for the case. A mismatched crown is a small thing but noticeable on a watch this compact. |
The Movement
The caliber 982 is a 19-jewel manual-wind movement that Hamilton produced for its higher-grade dress watches. It winds smoothly, keeps solid time when properly serviced, and has a good reputation among collectors and watchmakers alike. The main thing to stay ahead of is lubrication, since dried oil will create enough friction to stop it, and a movement that has sat unserviced for years needs attention before it runs reliably.