Eric (1948)
1948–1951 · 14K yellow GF · Manual Wind
About the Eric (1948)
The Eric ran from 1948 through 1951, giving it a solid four-year production run by Hamilton's mid-century standards. It's a manual wind dress watch built around the caliber 747, housed in a 14K yellow gold-filled square case with a two-toned silver dial carrying applied 18K gold numerals and dot indices. Hamilton offered it at two price points: the standard version at $60.50 and a bracelet configuration at $71.50, with the Alto variant offering a slightly different numeral treatment on a silver dial.
The two-toned silver dial is one of the more visually interesting elements here, and it's also one of the most vulnerable. Decades of storage can leave the finish lifting or fading, especially if a previous owner ever tried to clean the dial directly. Finding one with an honest, intact dial is genuinely satisfying. The applied 18K gold numerals are another thing worth examining closely, since any loosening or missing pieces can be difficult to address without affecting originality.
From the Catalog
Hamilton's original catalog presented the Eric with a choice of dial treatments, 18K gold numerals and dots on silver, or the Alto version with its own numeral style, also on silver. The base price in 1950 was $60.50, with the bracelet configuration bringing the total to $71.50.
Hamilton Catalog Images
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What to Look For
| Dial | Examine the two-toned silver finish carefully under good light. Look for lifting, fading, or water staining, which are common after decades in a drawer or jewelry box. Check each applied gold numeral and dot index to confirm they are all present and sitting flat against the dial surface. |
| Crystal | Expect a vintage acrylic crystal. Scratches are normal and can often be polished out, but deep crazing or cracking means replacement. Make sure the crystal sits evenly in the bezel with no lifting at the edges. |
| Movement | The caliber 747 should be running smoothly and consistently. A watch that has been sitting unused for years can have enough friction from degraded lubricants to run erratically or stop altogether. If it's stopping and starting without obvious cause, a service is the right first step before drawing any other conclusions. |
| Case | This is a 14K yellow gold-filled case, so check the high-wear areas, particularly the lugs and case back edges, for plating wear through to the base metal. Some wear is expected and acceptable, but look at how much gold-fill remains before making a condition judgment. |
| Crown | The crown should pull out smoothly and engage the setting positions without slipping or grinding. A worn or replaced crown is a common detail that often goes unmentioned in listings, so check that it matches the case period and style. |
The Movement
The caliber 747 is a 17-jewel manual wind movement that Hamilton produced through much of the mid-century period. It winds from the crown, keeps time reliably when properly serviced, and runs the subseconds hand through a small register at the dial's lower half. It's not a complicated movement, which works in its favor, as a competent watchmaker can service it thoroughly without exotic parts or unusual tooling.