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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

  1. Canuck Mar 29, 2023

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    Well done on theCPR Waltham 1892. The pocket watch database site listing doesn’t call it railroad approved. But I suspect CPR approved it, even though it is stem set (these usually are), and the number of adjustments aren’t marked on the plates. Fairly scarce bird, that one.

    https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/20000294
     
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  2. ghce Mar 29, 2023

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    Thats a super nice Waltham, large in size with 12 and 24 hour markings and a 5 position adjusted movement too.
     
  3. Canuck Mar 29, 2023

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    I missed that! It DOES say 5 positions! Thanks to @ghce for catching that.
     
  4. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Mar 29, 2023

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    Waltham CPRs and the Time Service Walthams were sold through Eaton’s of all places. I guess you could get your RR approve time pieces there as well at the local jeweler.
     
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  5. ghce Mar 30, 2023

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    Just back today from full service and repair, new glass, new mainspring, new sub second hand.
    The collection grows, my bank balance decreases.

    Record 15 Jewel

    IMG_20230331_115636.jpg

    IMG_20230331_115733.jpg

    IMG_20230331_115759.jpg
     
  6. Canuck Mar 30, 2023

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    The stamp at A indicates an item imported to London. The stamp at B indicates a silver case, the European mark .935 (93.5 %pure silver). The case is Swiss made. The watch appears to be in virtually new condition with few (maybe only one) repair. Perfect vitreous enamel dial. Easy to like!

    24955B3C-85CF-42F7-85A6-70B44A2CC00C.jpeg
     
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  7. ghce Mar 30, 2023

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    And a few other marks on it are.......


    1930483399.jpg 1930483384.jpg 1930483372.jpg
     
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  8. Canuck Apr 2, 2023

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    There was another pocket watch carried by Eatons. The watch I have in mind as about 18-size, and an initial impression, it looked very much like the Waltham 1892 model. Complete with all the markings that the Waltham 1892 model for railroad use, would have had. Difference? It was Swiss made by, Gallet, and was called the “Inter-Ocean”model. It had all the appearances of a watch that might have been railroad approved (in Canada), but I don’t see it listed as ever being approved for railroad use in North America. Image from the internet. It might be considered a private label for Eatons since it has the capital E inside a diamond shield on the dial. I’ve seen them before, but I don’t recall ever having serviced one.

    The movement is engraved “Temperature and x Positions (can’t read a number).

    3AF84E96-2AF2-4AAE-91DB-3A47A55109A5.jpeg

    727D2817-5432-456E-B3CC-A4AF86AEBF02.jpeg
     
    Edited Apr 2, 2023
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  9. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Apr 2, 2023

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    What a nice looking watch, and they didn’t glance at the model 92 even once during designing that thing... oh no.

    There is a Swiss watch with that very style of Eaton’s dial at the local antiques shop, nothing special, just a 15j pocket watch. I think it may also be a Gallet.

    every time I’m in that shop it temps me, just because of the bit of Canadian history it represents.
     
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  10. Canuck Apr 2, 2023

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    I’d take an 1892 model Waltham any day, over that Gallet Inter-Ocean. The picture is lousy, and I am unable to see if the jewel count is there. The cap jewels on the upper train bridge have the appearance of the cap jewels on my Electa, by Gallet. These cap jewels appear to me to be “dummy” cap jewels covering a regular hole jewel. After the craze of about 60 to 70 years ago when the market was flooded with watches with up to 100 jewels, legislation was enacted to mean that only jewels that functioned at a point of friction could be listed in the jewel count. I’d bet this Gallet Inter-Ocean has dummy cap jewels on it. It wouldn’t have a position in my collection.
     
  11. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Apr 2, 2023

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    Thats why that Eaton’s watch at the antique shop only temps me... the average Swiss movement isn’t anything to write home about, especially if you are used to turn of the century American railroad movements.

    They are just soooooo nice...
    C9B2AEC7-232F-4620-A104-A24ED092C5F5.jpeg
     
  12. ghce Apr 2, 2023

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    Thats what I am trying to convince my Watch Maker of who is only used to a steady diet of questionable Swiss quality.
     
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  13. Canuck Apr 2, 2023

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    Merciless! You keep tempting us with you 24-jewel Bunn Special. I might have to speak to the moderators about that! :whipped:
     
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  14. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Apr 2, 2023

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    Well... I do need to defend my honour against that Omega RR you have and don’t you also have a 950 series Hamilton!

    thems big guns!
     
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  15. Canuck Apr 2, 2023

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    2D08FB9C-3BDC-4921-BFB8-86124B1ACF46.jpeg 2B3F3C64-66D1-45F7-AC7A-E9BF1B6FCF75.jpeg 27C6C824-164F-4058-859E-DBA7EA17152D.jpeg 405C2EFD-2678-45E5-812A-1E6E81EE53D8.jpeg BADC95C4-670C-452B-863C-AC2F36EACB65.jpeg C1556094-47BC-4747-AEB2-3148E0CCE9FA.jpeg
     
    128FD7CA-C125-4264-B320-1DF6E9FCE164.jpeg 2FFF789D-A1EC-446C-84ED-784414E3486B.jpeg
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  16. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Apr 3, 2023

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    Thanks for that.
     
  17. ghce Apr 3, 2023

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    Just bought these tonight at auction.

    Wanted the 16S case as a donor and the 17 Jewel movement as a possible filler for it.

    Do I sacrifice the 7 jewel traveller for the undoubtedly better 17 Jewel one? what do you think?

    now I have far more Waltham movements than is good for me.

    waltham1.jpg waltham2.jpg waltham3.jpg waltham4.jpg waltham6jpg.jpg waltham01.jpg
     
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  18. Canuck Apr 3, 2023

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    The Royal (with that anonymous dial) indicates to me that the watch was likely originally an export to the U K. As was the Traveler movement. I know what I would do! Switcheroo! I know the anti-switchers will come down on me like a duck on a June bug! But so be it!
     
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  19. Canuck Apr 5, 2023

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    Switch today, from my recent acquisition, my Waltham 1877 hunter with the R E Robbins 13-jewel movement in it. What a remarkable performer, and very enjoyable to wear. So, since I am certain most of you are tired of me boasting about it, I have changed to my 18-size Hamilton grade 941, hunter. This is the hunter version of the venerable Hamilton 940, a very popular 18-size railroad approved watch more than 100 years ago. Not rare, but you don’t see many around, any more. (On the very popular Dave K lanyard, of which I have 3 more coming.) DEA45DC6-2858-4AAD-9B05-970E3D4B0CFF.jpeg 0233F813-0C0D-44EC-BD65-09B7DF754AD3.jpeg 4B31861B-7757-4845-B0DC-449676AD2F29.jpeg
    About the watch:

    https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/696010
     
    Edited Apr 5, 2023
  20. Canuck Apr 6, 2023

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    I got a call recently, from an ex-railroader that wanted to buy a railroad approved pocket watch for auld lang syne. I sell the odd watch, but in this case, I called a friend who has more Hamilton 992Bs than Carter has little liver pills. He sent me 3 to show the chap, and he chose Hamilton 992B S# 242747, pictured. A nice one with a minor hairline to the vitreous enamel, double-sunk dial. As part of the deal, I went through it today. Stripped, conditioned, etc. waiting for lanyards from @DaveK , and then he’ll get his watch.

    ADBFB272-752A-4446-B2F4-8DFD47785208.jpeg 0D671DD5-A21A-4B14-9347-5927C9D89281.jpeg 95715FCE-E104-47C3-BC79-6591EB8A79E5.jpeg