Pelham
1954–1956 · 10k Yellow Gold Filled · Manual Wind
About the Pelham
Made from 1954 through 1956, the Pelham is a compact rectangular dress watch built on Hamilton's caliber 753 or 770, depending on the production year. The case is 10K yellow Gold Filled in a classic rectangle with swept lugs, measuring 26mm wide and 30mm long, and houses a manual wind movement with either 19 or 22 jewels. The dial treatment Hamilton specified for the Pelham was genuinely refined: a sterling silver dial with 18K solid gold numerals, markers, and square indices, along with applied gold dot indices and a subseconds register at 6 o'clock.
The silver dial on the Pelham is worth examining closely. Silver-finished dials can develop a patina over seventy-plus years, and original dials in clean, unpolished condition are increasingly hard to find. The applied 18K gold numerals and markers hold up well when the dial has been stored properly, but dials that have seen moisture will sometimes show separation or discoloration at the feet of the indices. Two-tone dial examples also exist, so condition and variant matter when comparing examples.
From the Catalog
Hamilton's 1954 catalog described the Pelham as a 19-jewel watch in a natural gold-filled case with 18K gold numerals, markers, and squares on a sterling silver dial. It retailed at $71.50 on a leather strap or $79.50 on a bracelet.
Hamilton Catalog Images
1954
1955
What to Look For
| Dial | Look carefully at the silver dial for signs of moisture damage, spotting, or spotting or discoloration creep under the applied 18K gold numerals and markers. Separation or detachment at the base of any index is a red flag. Original dials in honest, unpolished condition are preferable to refinished ones, which often lose the two-tone character entirely. |
| Crystal | These take an acrylic crystal. Check for deep scratches or crazing, which are common after decades of wear. A fogged or crazed crystal can be replaced, but confirm the correct profile is used, as the fit over the dial needs to clear the applied indices. |
| Movement | The movement ring on these calibers is prone to verdigris, a green corrosion that forms when moisture gets into the case over the years. If the seller can show you the movement, look for any green residue around the ring or on the plate. A clean movement with no verdigris is a good sign the watch was stored well. |
| Case | The 10K yellow gold-fill case is 30mm long and 26mm wide with swept lugs. Check the lugs and case edges for wear-through to the base metal, which shows as a silvery or brassy tone beneath the gold surface. Light wear on the high points is expected; significant wear-through affects both appearance and long-term durability. |
| Crown | Pull the crown gently and confirm it winds smoothly and sets the hands without slipping. A worn or replaced crown is common on watches this age. Ideally it matches the gold-fill tone of the case. |
The Movement
The Pelham was fitted with Hamilton's caliber 753 or 770, both American-made manual wind movements. The 753 runs 19 jewels and the 770 runs 22 jewels, and both are solid, well-regarded movements from Hamilton's Lancaster production era. They wind and set from the crown in the conventional way, with a subseconds hand at 6 o'clock ticking away on its own small register.