Mason
1935 · 10k White / Yellow Gold Filled · Manual Wind
About the Mason
Made only in 1935, the Mason is a tonneau-cased dress watch offered in 10K white or yellow Gold Filled. It runs on either the caliber 987E or 987F, both 17-jewel manual wind movements that Hamilton used across a range of its dress pieces during this period. The Mason offered buyers a choice of dial configurations at slightly different price points, which was typical of how Hamilton structured its catalog entries in the mid-1930s. It shares design lineage with the Gladstone, another tonneau model from the same era.
Finding a Mason today means navigating a fairly wide range of possible dial configurations. The catalog offered a black enamel dial or luminous dial at one price, and a step up to an applied gold numeral dial at another, so examples vary more than the model name alone suggests. The case gold fill on survivors varies considerably depending on how much the watch was worn and polished over the decades, so examining the lugs and case edges carefully matters more than it might on a thicker-cased watch.
From the Catalog
Hamilton listed the Mason in 1935 in 10K gold filled cases, white or natural yellow, starting at $37.50 with a black enamel or luminous dial, and $40.00 for the applied gold numeral version. The black enamel dial example was the one shown in the catalog illustration.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1935
What to Look For
| Dial | Four dial variants are known: black enamel, luminous with painted lume numerals, applied gold numeral dial, and applied gold marker dial. Confirm which variant you have, and check the enamel carefully on black dial examples for chips or hairline cracks, which are common and nearly impossible to repair invisibly. On luminous dials, the lume on numerals often discolors or flakes at this age. |
| Crystal | The original crystal is almost certainly long gone. A correct-fitting replacement acrylic or mineral crystal matters for how the watch sits and looks on the wrist. Check that the current crystal fits the tonneau shape properly with no gaps or separation at the edges. |
| Movement | Oil dries out completely on a caliber 987E or 987F of this age, and that friction alone can stop the watch or cause erratic timekeeping even if it appears to be running. A watch that ticks but loses significant time or stops when laid flat is almost certainly due for a full service. Do not run it unserviced. |
| Case | The 10K gold fill on these tonneau cases can wear through at the lugs and case edges after decades of use. Examine those areas in good light. Light wear is expected and honest on a 90-year-old watch, but worn-through areas that expose the base metal affect both value and the ability to wear the watch without further loss. |
| Crown | Check that the crown is original or at minimum a correct period replacement. A mismatched or oversized crown is a small detail that stands out on a refined dress watch like this. Also verify it winds smoothly and sets the hands without slipping. |
The Movement
The caliber 987E and 987F are 17-jewel manual wind movements built by Hamilton in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Both are thin, reliable dress watch calibers that wind and set in a conventional way, with a small subseconds dial at the 6 o'clock position. The difference between the two variants is subtle and largely internal, involving minor construction details rather than any meaningful performance distinction.