Horological Meandering

Alkiro1
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My blast from the past (an almost 80 years old lady) - Hamilton "Otis" Reverso

When I discovered this Hamilton "Otis" few years ago, it was a true surprise, for me, for that...







This Hamilton is a true "Reverso" as they made (with the LeCoultre agreement), between 1938 and 1941, only for the American market (they were not allowed to export outside the US this model), a watch which exactly followed (measures...) the patent of the Reverso.

The "Reverso system" was initially designed and patented by René Alfred Chauvet (and not Chauvot as written at the top of the patent). First granted in France in 1931, second granted in Switzerland in February 1933 and, finally, the US the 10th October 1933 with the patent number 1.930.416 (below a picture that Jaeger used for its Reverso user guides some years ago and I used for my pics above. And another pic of the US patent number engraved on my Hamilton).





Few models (I don't know how many exactly) were made over four years (from 1938 to 1941) with two different movements, a 14 k gold-filled case and two different dial colours (black and white). The grade 980 (17 jewels from 1938 to 1939. The one I have in my Hamilton so my watch is almost 80 years old!) and the grade 982 (19 jewels from 1940 to 1941). Here a side by side picture of these both movements.



Below two Hamilton ads with their Otis model.





Finally, a wrist and macro shot.





Please note that I mainly used the pictures from corsair75 on Forumamontres.

Best wishes

Alkiro