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GarethS
·Ave Forum,
I was chatting with a friend of mine over a beer a few weeks ago - he knows I like my watches and mentioned that he was issued a couple of pocket watches when he was working as a British Rail sleeper car guard back in the 80s.
He brought them to the pub at the weekend and I've been doing a bit of research for him.
First impression is that they are seriously hefty - 58mm in diameter and weighing 158g these would definitely come in handy should a fight break out on board.
They are both very similar - same Record dial and case design - except one has a nice coin edge bevelling front and rear. Both have thick glass crystals, badly scratched and chipped but fully intact:
Both have engraved rear covers suggesting railway region and a number - which I'm assuming is an inventory number:
BR(M) = British Rail (Midlands)
L.M.S = London Midland Scottish Railway
The front and rear covers are a screw fitting which makes for a nice snug fit: Inside back covers state PURE NICKEL followed by case number and SWISS marking
Coin edge is numbered 1171110
Smooth case is 1135174
Both watches are sporting what I think is the same movement but I cannot see any model or serial number - The mechanical design appears identical and both have the RECORD branding on the mainspring barrel. Both also state "SWISS MADE" and 15 JEWELS" but the markings are in different places. Strangely, both are missing the same case screw near the crown.
The smooth cased watch feels fully wound but runs for no more than a few oscillations. The coin edged also feels fully wound but on closer inspection you can see the balance wheel tipping so it appears to have a broken balance staff.
Both dials are very similar with plain white enamel, simple black Roman numerals and rail track minute indices. Both have elegant blued spade and dagger hands with sub-seconds dial and SWISS MADE marking at 6 o'clock. Both are in rather poor condition unfortunately but again interesting to note that both are similarly damaged with missing pieces at the 4 o'clock and 11 o'clock positions. I'm guessing the dial fixings are in these positions and the resulting damage is from a drop?
I'll be recommending that he get both serviced - I can recommend a few good watchmakers here is the UK that I have used in the past - but we may need to start hunting for a replacement balance staff
Does anyone know what calibre these are?
Thanks in advance
I was chatting with a friend of mine over a beer a few weeks ago - he knows I like my watches and mentioned that he was issued a couple of pocket watches when he was working as a British Rail sleeper car guard back in the 80s.
He brought them to the pub at the weekend and I've been doing a bit of research for him.
First impression is that they are seriously hefty - 58mm in diameter and weighing 158g these would definitely come in handy should a fight break out on board.
They are both very similar - same Record dial and case design - except one has a nice coin edge bevelling front and rear. Both have thick glass crystals, badly scratched and chipped but fully intact:
Both have engraved rear covers suggesting railway region and a number - which I'm assuming is an inventory number:
BR(M) = British Rail (Midlands)
L.M.S = London Midland Scottish Railway
The front and rear covers are a screw fitting which makes for a nice snug fit: Inside back covers state PURE NICKEL followed by case number and SWISS marking
Coin edge is numbered 1171110
Smooth case is 1135174
Both watches are sporting what I think is the same movement but I cannot see any model or serial number - The mechanical design appears identical and both have the RECORD branding on the mainspring barrel. Both also state "SWISS MADE" and 15 JEWELS" but the markings are in different places. Strangely, both are missing the same case screw near the crown.
The smooth cased watch feels fully wound but runs for no more than a few oscillations. The coin edged also feels fully wound but on closer inspection you can see the balance wheel tipping so it appears to have a broken balance staff.
Both dials are very similar with plain white enamel, simple black Roman numerals and rail track minute indices. Both have elegant blued spade and dagger hands with sub-seconds dial and SWISS MADE marking at 6 o'clock. Both are in rather poor condition unfortunately but again interesting to note that both are similarly damaged with missing pieces at the 4 o'clock and 11 o'clock positions. I'm guessing the dial fixings are in these positions and the resulting damage is from a drop?
I'll be recommending that he get both serviced - I can recommend a few good watchmakers here is the UK that I have used in the past - but we may need to start hunting for a replacement balance staff
Does anyone know what calibre these are?
Thanks in advance
