Lawrence
1936–1938 · 10k Yellow Gold Filled · Manual Wind
About the Lawrence
The Lawrence ran from 1936 through 1938, a three-year cushion-case dress watch powered by either the caliber 987A or 987E, both 17-jewel manual wind movements. The case is 10K yellow Gold Filled with a cushion dial shape to match, and the hooded lugs give it a quietly architectural look that was very much of its moment in the late 1930s. It belongs to Hamilton's broader family of cushion-case models from this era, a style the company returned to repeatedly through the decade.
Dial variety on the Lawrence is one of its more interesting collector angles. Hamilton listed two options at the time of sale, the applied gold numeral dial at $40.00 and a black numeral version at $37.50, but examples turn up with textured ridged dials, black enamel dials, and even a black enamel version with exploding figures, suggesting more variation made it into production than the catalog spelled out. Condition on the Gold Filled case is the thing to focus on, as these cases wear in predictable places and what looks complete from a few feet away can tell a different story under close inspection.
From the Catalog
Hamilton's 1936 catalog listed the Lawrence in 10K gold-filled natural yellow only, priced at $40.00 with the applied gold numeral dial or $37.50 with a black numeral dial, offering buyers a meaningful choice in character for a modest price difference.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1936
1937
1938
What to Look For
| Dial | Applied gold numerals should sit cleanly and flush, with no separation at the edges or missing pieces. The subseconds register at 6 o'clock is absent from the numeral ring, which is period-correct. If you're looking at a textured or black enamel variant, check for hairline cracks in the enamel, especially near the edges where the dial seats into the case. |
| Crystal | The 10K gold-filled case is particularly prone to wear-through at the top and bottom bezel edges where the crystal sits. Look carefully at those points before evaluating anything else. Deep wear there can compromise the crystal seat and affect how securely the crystal stays in place. |
| Movement | Both the 987A and 987E are solid 17-jewel manual wind calibers, but at this age the lubricants are dried to nothing. Dried oil creates enough friction to stop the movement even when the mainspring still has power. A watch that winds and sets but stops unexpectedly is almost certainly telling you it needs a full service, not a replacement. |
| Case | Beyond the bezel wear already mentioned, check the corners near where the lug tubes join the case body. That is the other classic wear-through point on gold-filled cushion cases of this period. Wear-through to the base metal there is common and affects both appearance and value. Case backs on models from this era can be tight and require the right tools to open without damage, so if the back shows pry marks, factor that into your assessment. |
| Crown | The crown should wind smoothly and set the hands without slipping or grinding. Any roughness in winding usually points back to the movement needing service rather than a crown issue, but also check that the crown itself is original in size and shape, as replacements are often slightly off. |
The Movement
The caliber 987A and 987E are closely related 17-jewel manual wind movements that Hamilton used across a range of dress watches in the 1930s. Both run at a fairly standard frequency for the period and are wound through the crown in the conventional way, with a subseconds hand running off a separate wheel at the 6 o'clock position. They are generally reliable movements when properly serviced, but parts availability thins out on the older calibers, so it matters to find a watchmaker who knows their way around Hamilton movements from this generation.