Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

ghce · Dec 18, 2023

Just bought this and picked about an hour ago.
No cleaning attempted yet.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/23016922

It's in great cosmetic and great working order but could obviously do with a service.

The back inscription gives it a great provenance and the case looks to be original even though date of movement production and presentation years are somewhat separated.

Dennison cased Waltham Royal with gold settings and centre wheel and regulator presented to a Railroad worker from the Dunedin Railroad by fellow workers, can't do better than that.

Adjusted to 3 positions.

Canuck · Dec 18, 2023

That would be 18 years between the estimated production date of the pocketwatchdatabase site, and the engraving on the case. By 1920 or so, the wrist watch had surfaced as the watch of choice, so there’s a good chance your Waltham was NOS. It appears to be as perfect as an 85-year old watch can be. The MOON designation inside the case back is explained here.

View attachment 1710351

The Dennison case was made by the firm founded in Britain by Aaron Dennison who was one of the founders of the firm that became the Waltham Watch Co. He was the point man in Great Britain for Waltham and associated companies for many years, for sourcing parts. He was also the agent for Waltham in Great Britain. Very nice!

An American made watch, made for the English market, in an English case, with the name ROYAL on it! No co-incidence, really. Royal Robbins was the scion who took Waltham from almost broke, to a powerful watch company. The Royal name was in honour of Royal Robbins!

Here is my 18-size R E Robbins (Royal E) watch named for the same Royal Robbins, but 30 years before yours was made.

Duracuir1 · Dec 18, 2023

Canuck
That would be 18 years between the estimated production date of the pocketwatchdatabase site, and the engraving on the case. By 1920 or so, the wrist watch had surfaced as the watch of choice, so there’s a good chance your Waltham was NOS. It appears to be as perfect as an 85-year old watch can be. The MOON designation inside the case back is explained here.

View attachment 1710351

The Dennison case was made by the firm founded in Britain by Aaron Dennison who was one of the founders of the firm that became the Waltham Watch Co. He was the point man in Great Britain for Waltham and associated companies for many years, for sourcing parts. He was also the agent for Waltham in Great Britain. Very nice!

An American made watch, made for the English market, in an English case, with the name ROYAL on it! No co-incidence, really. Royal Robbins was the scion who took Waltham from almost broke, to a powerful watch company. The Royal name was in honour of Royal Robbins!

When I saw GHCE’s watch I sent a pic to an old friend and jokingly asked if he had family in NZ. Same last name. When he immediately replied “yes, I want to send it to them” I phoned him. I sent ghce a message to see where this leads. If I were ghce I would ignore duracuir’s messages and hang on to this watch! Beautiful.

Duracuir1 · Dec 18, 2023

I managed to move the hands on my old watch by using the key. Perfect fit and the watch did tick for a few seconds. The key is too large to crank the movement. For now, it’s in a shadow box.

Canuck · Dec 18, 2023

Co-incidence piled on co-incidence, piled on co-incidence! I keep saying the pocket watches really are more interesting than many other (ahem) collectibles. @ghce now not only has added a watch to his collection, it is a watch with a story! What more can you ask?

Alpha · Dec 20, 2023

I so enjoy having this Elgin by my desk 😀

Canuck · Dec 20, 2023

Still enjoying my Hamilton grade 952 which I will use to see in the New Year. This is the 19-jewel version of the venerable 23-jewel grade 950. Not commonly seen nowadays, as there were not a lot of them made. Made circa 1910, 114 years ago. It’ll still be in someone’s collection long after I depart this mortal coil. Amazing how recyclable these old blisters are!

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/753325

Alpha · Dec 20, 2023

Canuck
Still enjoying my Hamilton grade 952 which I will use to see in the New Year. This is the 19-jewel version of the venerable 23-jewel grade 950. Not commonly seen nowadays, as there were not a lot of them made. Made circa 1910, 114 years ago. It’ll still be in someone’s collection long after I depart this mortal coil. Amazing how recyclable these old blisters are!

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/753325

What a great idea to see in the New Year, I just may follow your example with the Elgin 👍

ghce · Dec 20, 2023

Canuck
Still enjoying my Hamilton grade 952 which I will use to see in the New Year. This is the 19-jewel version of the venerable 23-jewel grade 950. Not commonly seen nowadays, as there were not a lot of them made. Made circa 1910, 114 years ago. It’ll still be in someone’s collection long after I depart this mortal coil. Amazing how recyclable these old blisters are!

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/753325

ew ur, stunning watch and a glorious photo too.

I should set about taking some decent photos to show off mine as well, got all the correct camera gear and lenses to do it and photos like yours inspire me to document mine better.

Canuck · Dec 20, 2023

ghce
ew ur, stunning watch and a glorious photo too.

I should set about taking some decent photos to show off mine as well, got all the correct camera gear and lenses to do it and photos like yours inspire me to document mine better.

Put it down to the photogenic nature of the objects we love. My photos are beggared by the quality of the photos of some of the enthusiasts who frequent hereabouts. A lot of my photos are taken using my portable photo lab, my iPad, or my Olympus Pen camera. I am not a skilled photographer!

ghce · Dec 20, 2023

Canuck
That would be 18 years between the estimated production date of the pocketwatchdatabase site, and the engraving on the case. By 1920 or so, the wrist watch had surfaced as the watch of choice, so there’s a good chance your Waltham was NOS. It appears to be as perfect as an 85-year old watch can be.

Tracked down the recipient of this watch which appears to have been presented at his retirement age of 59-60 years old but unfortunately the gentleman had passed away just 3 short years later at age 62 in 1941 hence I am guessing the remarkably good condition of the watch.

His profession Locomotive Engineer.

Canuck · Dec 20, 2023

The one pictured was brought to me for repair about 25 years ago. I contacted the owner with an estimate which he declined. I put the watch in a “pending” box and forgot about it. It was presented by a lodge in Ireland in 1927, to a member of high regard. The story is engraved on the inner cuvette of the case. I stumbled upon it one day, and decided to fix it up and add it to my collection. I enjoyed it for a few months, but one day, I phoned the number on the repair bag. A lady answered, and I asked for the owner, to be informed that he had died three years earlier (circa 2018). I explained why I was calling and sent her photos of the watch. I read her the legend in the case back of when her father-in-law (?) had been presented with it all those years ago, and asked her if the family was interested in having it back. She spoke to her son (whose grandfather was the recipient in 1927). Yes! They were interested in having it. I told them they could have it back for $250.00 (the price I quoted for the repair). This is another example of a watch that was a presentation, and over many decades, received little or no wear. The blue vitreous enamel in the etched front cover is intact, and perfect! Very unusual for cases like this to survive so well. The style is called a Demi-hunter on which the time can be read without opening the front cover. Note the hour hand so typical of a Demi-hunter.

Made circa 1920, and certainly not a rare movement, and not high grade, but the case, condition, and provenance make it rather unusual.

Canuck · Dec 20, 2023

Here’s another example of a watch that has survived nearly pristine. A Keystone Howard series V ,19-jewel, 16-size, that was made circa 1908. The original owner was a locomotive engineer working for CPR. He was killed in a head-on collision at Tappen, British Columbia (west of Salmon Arm) in 1912. The watch is dented near the 11, but it survived in remarkable condition. It was removed from his body at the site of the wreck, and presented to his mother at his funeral, one week later, never to be used again. It came my way circa 2010 when it came to me for appraisal. Again, remarkable condition for its age.

DaveK · Dec 21, 2023

Canuck
Here’s another example of a watch that has survived nearly pristine. A Keystone Howard series V ,19-jewel, 16-size, that was made circa 1908. The original owner was a locomotive engineer working for CPR. He was killed in a head-on collision at Tappen, British Columbia (west of Salmon Arm) in 1912. The watch is dented near the 11, but it survived in remarkable condition. It was removed from his body at the site of the wreck, and presented to his mother at his funeral, one week later, never to be used again. It came my way circa 2010 when it came to me for appraisal. Again, remarkable condition for its age.

What a story! Sounds like the basis of a good movie

Fallout Boy · Dec 21, 2023

I knew, there must be #3 in a drawer 😉 IMO silver...

Helega and google does not work ;-)
What do I have here? Jo

Canuck · Dec 21, 2023

The case is likely Swiss, as is the movement. The .875 of course, refers to the silver content in the case. My source (link included) indicates that was the highest silver content alloy made by the Swiss. I don’t see any other standard marks as stamped into the front or rear covers, in the pictures you posted. As to the movement? It is not uncommon to be unable to pin down who made the movement, but it was not likely made by a firm whose name we would recognize. These watches were often produced by cottage industry, components produced by specialists, parts gathered, and the finished watch assembled by an anonymous technician. Attractive hand engraving.

I found the Helega name on Mikrolisk. Not a lot of help, I’m afraid.

https://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/swisshallmarks.php#gold

Fallout Boy · Dec 21, 2023

Thank you Sir! Interesting!
The glass is missing-I will store the watch as heirloom......

Bernhard J · Dec 21, 2023

The silver stamp ("84") indicates that the watch was intended for the export to Russia. The unit is called "Zolotniki" and one Zolotniki is 10,4/1000 silver in metric units. Was in use until 1917. 84 Zolotniki is 873,6/1000 silver.

Fallout Boy · Dec 21, 2023

Thank you both 👍

Duracuir1 · Dec 21, 2023

While on the subject of silver. Take a look at my new acquisitions. Two questions for the experts (one is a 2 part question).

1) The thick one could use a bit of dusting. Not necessarily polishing, but there’s dust in there. Dawn dish detergent and water perhaps?

2) what’s missing to wear this? (besides the watch); and how would these have been worn?

The two silver chains next to my Smiths and new thinner lanyard.