Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

noelekal · Jul 12, 2023

It's great fun to choose a pocket watch on occasion and go to town.

A pocket watch may not have presence of the wrist watch prominately displayed, but it is so gratifying to haul out the pocket watch to consult it for the time. Other folks notice and want to see it, see its innards, and learn its age. They don't do that when a cell phone is consulted for the time.

Pocket watches are the best watches for starting a favorable watch conversation with "the great un-watched!"

Waltesefalcon · Jul 12, 2023

DrmexicoII
What do you PW guys do with them once you've acquired them? I'm drawn to them as my dad has a few but I just don't know what I'd do with one once I'd bought it. At least with my wrist watches I can wear one each day. My dad has his in his big glass display case with a bunch of other assorted antique stuff but a) i haven't got a display case and b) I'd want to be able to handle it and gaze at the movement occasionally. Forgive the probably stupid question but what do you guys actually do with them?

I wear them. I wear them more often than wrist watches.

Canuck · Jul 12, 2023

I exhibit mine whenever I am able. And in between exhibitions, I often wear a pocket watch. Today, in fact, I am wearing one of my 1877 model Waltham 18-size watches. This one was made in 1884. It runs and looks like new. Pocket watches are simple, they have a history, and many folks who frequent this thread have come to discover the pleasure of pocket watches. To wear, of course, but also just to have.

ghce · Jul 13, 2023

Well this arrived in today and it was far better than I had hoped, perfect in most every area.
Hard to beleive that its 75 odd years old and in perfect cosmetic and working order.
I was a bit lucky with this one.
44 people had been watching the auction and the bidding was fierce with at least 10 active bidders but they all petered out less than half way to the eventual sale price which was still less than half of what it should have been for a watch of this quality so even though the pain of the buying price was sharp I am more than confident that I got a bargain.

https://blog.pocketwatchdatabase.co...uction-of-henry-s-montgomerys-new-watch-dial/

JimInOz · Jul 13, 2023

I have a 992B somewhere, but the dial, while nice, is nowhere as good as that example.
Nice catch Graeme 👍.

Canuck · Jul 13, 2023

The scoop on @ghce ’s Hamilton 992B. One feature I quite like on 992Bs that changed soon after this one was made is the swaged (rounded) spokes on the brass train wheels. The change to flat spokes later on was one step taken to reduce production costs.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/C299768

DrmexicoII · Jul 13, 2023

So... if you'll permit me another stupid follow up question? For those of you who wear your Pocket Watches - how do you wear them? Do you all wear waistcoats or just shove them in a jeans pocket? I need learning up!

Bernhard J · Jul 13, 2023

In my case, waistcoat only!

noelekal · Jul 13, 2023

Sitting here with the coffee drinkers at a Thursday retired with a pocket watch in the watch pocket of my jeans.

Canuck · Jul 13, 2023

First of all, always on a chain or a lanyard like the @DaveK leather ‘mystery braid” lanyard shown on my Hamilton 950B. I find these leather lanyards easier on the watch hardware, and fine for use in the watch pocket of my jeans which is where I generally wear my pocket watches. A chain might be a better choice for a vest. The watch should be fastened to what you are wearing.

Waltesefalcon · Jul 13, 2023

Most of the time I wear a pocket watch in the watch pocket of my jeans. When it is cold enough to warrant a vest, I'll wear once in the right pocket of my vest. With jeans I use a leather lanyard like @Canuck showed off. Often it is one of @DaveK 's lanyards, sometimes one my dad made (below). On the vest I wear a chain, with a small piece of leather between the chain and the watch to protect the bow from excessive wear.

noelekal · Jul 13, 2023

I like DaveK's lanyards better than the chains I've gathered in, except for a certain solid silver chain a good friend gave me.

ghce · Jul 14, 2023

Just bought and collected this off Facebook.
My wife noticed it, originally for sale for $NZ95.00 but reduced to 25.00, I offered 20 and they said yes.

Really I was more interested in the T Bar, their photos were totally unclear but I guessed it might be a Russian PW and the extremely poor photo other than the description that it ran was my only guideline.

When I picked it up I was quite surprised, the seller was in his late 70's to mid 80's and it had belonged to his long deceased father so an original example of the current copied crop.

The T bar and chain are all stamped Sterling with each link stamped, not sure about the case, probably nickel but I haven't worked out how to open it yet, maybe silver too.

It's working very well and now resides in my jeans PW pocket firmly attached with the T Bar and chain to a belt loop.

It's BPH is with in 2 seconds in all positions so I am guessing it's been adjusted.

Screenshot_2023-07-15-14-40-20-904_com.watchaccuracymeter.app.jpg

TexOmega · Jul 15, 2023

ghce
Well this arrived in today and it was far better than I had hoped, perfect in most every area.
Hard to beleive that its 75 odd years old and in perfect cosmetic and working order.
I was a bit lucky with this one.
44 people had been watching the auction and the bidding was fierce with at least 10 active bidders but they all petered out less than half way to the eventual sale price which was still less than half of what it should have been for a watch of this quality so even though the pain of the buying price was sharp I am more than confident that I got a bargain.

https://blog.pocketwatchdatabase.co...uction-of-henry-s-montgomerys-new-watch-dial/

This is a correct Marginal Minutes(Montgomery) Hamilton dial for the 992B(They didn't want to pay the royalties so they kinda made their version)

I believe yours is a Swiss Made dial imported and sold at shows and conventions in the 70's and 80's.

Other than fonts and spacing differences, yours should have very distinct double sunk change of direction as opposed to a soft transition.

Duracuir1 · Jul 15, 2023

Here is an example of how resourceful folks were back in the day. The short lanyard is old and from a garage sale. The long one is my modern interpretation with belt loop and swivel snap. There is no gluing or stitching required which means it can be shortened in a matter of a few minutes. This one is number 2, made with 90 year old leather from an old saddle. Number 2 is an improvement over number 1. (Number 1 going to Canuck).

Not for sale.

I have enough leather work locally, but perhaps this post will wake DaveK, who has been absent. Dave, feel free to reach out and I will give you the “recipe”.

Pocket watch is a shop piece for work projects.

Dave! Are you there?

ghce · Jul 15, 2023

Duracuir1
Here is an example of how resourceful folks were back in the day. The short lanyard is old and from a garage sale. The long one is my modern interpretation with belt loop and swivel snap. There is no gluing or stitching required which means it can be shortened in a matter of a few minutes. This one is number 2, made with 90 year old leather from an old saddle. Number 2 is an improvement over number 1. (Number 1 going to Canuck).

Not for sale.

I have enough leather work locally, but perhaps this post will wake DaveK, who has been absent. Dave, feel free to reach out and I will give you the “recipe”.

Pocket watch is a shop piece for work projects.

Dave! Are you there?

Yes PM's unanswered by DaveK, hope he is OK but haven't seen him on the forum for some months.

Unfortunately that means I am starting production of my own lanyards for my collection, need at least 10 of them at the moment, have all the leather on hand from my recently passed away Mum who made leather Jackets as a living on a custom and production line basis for businesses and private commissions.
Been buying up tools off Aliexpress, just waiting on delivery to start making them.

pdxleaf · Jul 15, 2023

ghce
Yes PM's unanswered by DaveK, hope he is OK but haven't seen him on the forum for some months.

Missed him too.

ghce
...Unfortunately that means I am starting production of my own lanyards for my collection, need at least 10 of them at the moment,

Make that 11.

ghce
have all the leather on hand from my recently passed away Mum who made leather Jackets as a living on a custom and production line basis for businesses and private commissions.

Sorry about your Mom. Pretty interesting talent and a very cool idea to keep something of hers with you.

ghce · Jul 15, 2023

pdxleaf
Missed him too.

Make that 11.

Sorry about your Mom. Pretty interesting talent and a very cool idea to keep something of hers with you.

She certainly was talented in many areas with Lapidary, jewellery making, sewing, carpet making and a host of other craft areas under her belt and of course a shared passion for collecting top end vintage ephemera, ceramics and other things.

TimeManagement · Jul 15, 2023

I have this nice old Waltham which was my grandfather’s. I’d love to know more about it if there are any experts on here. The face is 4.5 cm. It’s done somewhat better than its “20 years”.

ghce · Jul 15, 2023

The pocket Watch database website is certainly your friend for finding out the details on your Waltham PW, unfortunately your photo of the movement is too unclear to get the number.
https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/
Plug in your serial number from the movement ( not the case) and the manufacturer and it should tell you all you need to know about the watch.