Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Even someone who was brought up on “wieners and beans”, and can’t see past their noses when looking over the usual American made stuff we generally see in this hemisphere, can appreciate “caviar” when we see it. I am not averse to English made watches totally, unless it happens to be a fusee type. But the two watches @Bernhard J has shown here are very fine examples.

That's a nice one, I'm always a fan of a nice coin silver case. If you're interested in matching hands, you should be able to find a set on Ebay.

Cherry! Here is the pocketwatchdatabase info on @ghce ’s recent find.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/4095857

Looking that good in the pictures, it’ll probably look even better in the flesh. They’re out there, folks, so keep looking!

Look closely at the minutes chapter ring. The markers at the 12 5 minute markers are also red! The sub seconds hand colour matches the markers on the dial. It most likely came from the factory that way. I suggest you leave it. Odd that the 5 minute markers are spherical, matching the spherical five minute markers on the dials of Ball ORRS models.

Inside the case back is apparently not marked with the usual proliferation of watch repairer marks. So it may not ever have seen service in the bib overall pocket of a railroader. It has long been my opinion that time service rules as set down by individual railroads were open to individual interpretation. Witness the Canadian Pacific Railroad time service rules that permitted Waltham 1883 models which had single roller, and stem (not lever) set.

Notice my 1883 model Waltham with the CPR logo on it. Those hands likely wouldn’t have been acceptable by subsequent time service rules, it is single roller, and stem set! AND Roman numerals, I also have several 1883 model Walthams marked Canadian Railroad Time Service, one of which has a private label dial. Private label dials were not permitted by subsequent time service rules. But it seems these Walthams were approved for railroad use! Go figure! It appears as though individual railroads used the time service rules as set down by Webb C. Ball as a basis for their own time service rules. But unless they subscribed to Ball’s service, they could pick and choose what was important to them.

@ghce that's a beautiful Bunn. Illinois is my favorite brand, very well made watches and excellent time keepers.

It's gorgeous, congratulations.

That Illinois Bunn has a cool "Red Ball" dial. Supposedly somewhat uncommon, or at least I read that somewhere on the internet, so it must be true!

Anyway, I sure like it!

Bernhard J, I always like to see whatever you are willing to show us here. Looks like you found a "real deal."

Here is the pocketwatchdatabase story on @ghce ’s handsome Illinois. He was uncertain if the red seconds hand was original at one point. But the red matches the red balls in the minutes chapter ring. Odd, but the Ball Watch Co. used black round markers on their ORRS railroad watches. I thought Ball had copyrighted them! Who knows?

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/4089857

I had a challenge presented to me today. An 18-size Hamilton grade 940 pocket watch. Barely running! Needed a balance staff. I had one. As usual, I did a trial fit to see if the staff length and pivots sizes were okay. They were. But as I looked closely at the staff, it wasn’t vertical! Odd, I thought! I fitted the new staff to the balance wheel, trued it, poised it, and watched it to see how it ran. It did, sort of. Upon exploring the watch more closely, I found that the serial number on the balance cock didn’t match the serial number of the movement! The serial number on the balance wheel was different to the movement, and balance cock. Face up, the watch quit. The rim of the balance rubbing under the balance cock. Lowered the balance and then trued it again. Now the rim of the balance was rubbing on the bridge over the train wheels. Raised the balance so it was no longer rubbing, but still stopped face up! Whoever put the hole jewel and cap jewel in the balance cock didn’t seat them, so now, the hairspring collet was rubbing the balance cock, face up. Fixed that. It ran well for a time both face up and face down, but quit again! I had to oil the safety dart on the pallet fork as it grabbed the safety roller on the balance staff on occasion! I think it is now done. I’ll have a better idea in the morning.

Most American made watches can be found to have the serial number of the movement stamped onto the under side of the bridges. This was because, as much as we like to think uniformity among movement components was guaranteed. Not so! This watch is an example of what happens when you mix up the parts! The parts on American movements all had the s# on them so they would stay together during manufacture. The picture is not the problem 940, but a 940 from my collection.

Well, one just never knows.

Picked this up yesterday, now my oldest watch. works. with key.

American Watch Co.
KWKS 18s Model 1857 serial # 193593
1865
15j Appleton Tracy & Co. movement (top of the line)
With a Silver Nickel 4-hinge Hunter case, per advertisements was $2.00 less from list $25.

Here is the pocketwatchdatabase info on @TexOmega ’s lucky find.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/193593

I have a Waltham 1857 as well. Mine is about 10 years newer. Coin silver case, but open faced. Mine is a good runner, but not a great timekeeper.

It's lovely TexOmega.

It would be nice to have a Civil War era Waltham.