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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

DaveK
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It isn’t uncommon to see a chip on the dial where the lever set is. This can be caused by some sausage fingered user carelessly picking at the lever to pull it out, or some other mishap. So when buying these, always check the condition of the dial with the front bezel off. Always determine if the front and rear bezels screw on and off nicely, sometimes they can get cross threaded by use or abuse.
 
CBM1590
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Lever found. Watch set. And y’all are why my ignorant self hangs out here….both for the friendships and the knowledge. Many thanks.

EDIT: while I’m an expert in multiple areas in real life, this post has humbled me. I’ll go stand in the corner in time-out for a while. Anybody have a dunce hat I can borrow? 😟
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Canuck
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Problem solved! Pocket watch brigade to the rescue!

Bear in mind that modern railroad watches such as you 992B have cases with a short (or non-existent) neck, or pendant on the case. There is no room for the typical sleeve inside the pendant, thereby, the crown can’t be pulled out! Earlier models with a typical pendant on the case are different. On such older cases, there is room for a sleeve in the pendant. The case may contain a lever set movement, but the stem can be pulled outward. Such cases are adaptable for both lever set and stem set movements. So as you embark on the collection of railroad watches, bear this in mind.

I have shown two railroad watches. One is a Hamilton 950 from the 1920s. The other is a 950B for the 1950s. Both railroad watches, both lever set. The one on the left is the older 950 model. Note the case on the 950 has a pendant, and an internal sleeve. The movement is lever set, and the stem can be pulled outward. The one on the right is the 950B. Note, no pendant, no sleeve, and the crown can’t be pulled out, even though the movement is lever set. Of course, the case on the 950B is also bar-over-crown, which is a dead giveaway that the stem can’t be pulled out!
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DrmexicoII
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CBM1590 CBM1590
Lever found. Watch set. And y’all are why my ignorant self hangs out here….both for the friendships and the knowledge. Many thanks.

EDIT: while I’m an expert in multiple areas in real life, this post has humbled me. I’ll go stand in the corner in time-out for a while. Anybody have a dunce hat I can borrow? 😟

Rest assured the fact that this is recorded here will almost certainly mean it will help a few more people in the future. It's all part of the learning experience, for you and countless others 👍
 
DaveK
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CBM1590 CBM1590
Lever found. Watch set. And y’all are why my ignorant self hangs out here….both for the friendships and the knowledge. Many thanks.

EDIT: while I’m an expert in multiple areas in real life, this post has humbled me. I’ll go stand in the corner in time-out for a while. Anybody have a dunce hat I can borrow? 😟

Railroad approved pocket watches have an important place in allowing for industrial and human expansion - especially in North America. With a proper nod the the horrible consequences of colonialism, the history of pocket watches is a fascinating journey to dig into
 
Canuck
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DaveK DaveK
Railroad approved pocket watches have an important place in allowing for industrial and human expansion - especially in North America. With a proper nod the the horrible consequences of colonialism, the history of pocket watches is a fascinating journey to dig into

Fascinating history of railroad watches, for sure. But also the evolution of the railroads, standard time, and standards for railroad watches as they evolved.
 
DaveK
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Canuck Canuck
Fascinating history of railroad watches, for sure. But also the evolution of the railroads, standard time, and standards for railroad watches as they evolved.

Absolutely, and railroad pocket watches have a history on par with the interest paid to space watches and military watches - but at a much lower price point. Such a fun area to collect in
 
Bernhard J
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Bernhard J Bernhard J
I am awaiting to get my newest purchase, a Parkinson & Frodsham chronometer, freesprung, duo-in uno hairspring, fusee with keyless winding, and up/down subdial. 😀

Today it has arrived and I am delighted! Here a detail photo of the hairspring.

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Canuck
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I took another peek at your original post where you showed the pictures. I called this a “spring detent” escapement. A second look tells me it might be a pivoted detent. Whatever, it is outstanding! Congratulations!
 
Alpha
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Once upon a time this was a silver cased pocket watch and then someone decided to convert it 🤦

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Canuck
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Alpha Alpha
Once upon a time this was a silver cased pocket watch and then someone decided to convert it 🤦

IMG_9608.jpeg IMG_9606.jpeg


Early in the 20th century, this was common. This was likely a woman’s watch, worn on a chain as a pendant watch, before the conversion. Hunter cased watches (crown at the 3, not the 12) were also fitted into new cases (without the cover). And you often see conversions of hunter cased watches that were done which meant the dial was also replaced. If that type of conversion was done, the conversion dial was rotated 90% counter-clockwise, so the crown would end up at the 3, but the seconds bit ended up at the 9! An early form of recycling!
 
Bernhard J
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Canuck Canuck
I took another peek at your original post where you showed the pictures. I called this a “spring detent” escapement. A second look tells me it might be a pivoted detent. Whatever, it is outstanding! Congratulations!

It is a spring detent escapement. In the detail photo, far left, you can see the spring block/foot. A pivot detent would be rather untypical for an English watch, the pivot detent was preferred by the Swiss (and French) makers. Here a Jürgensen as an example.

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Alpha
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Elgin in action today 😀

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Duracuir1
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I watched an auction today and this old watch sold for a high price. Add state tax and 15% commission and it shows there is quite an interest in pocket watches with Canadian Pacific Railway (see dial for that). Hammered for US $1500. I did not buy anything.
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CBM1590
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Very nice watch, but I wouldn’t have pulled the trigger either.
 
ghce
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CBM1590 CBM1590
Very nice watch, but I wouldn’t have pulled the trigger either.

I could not live with that cheesy graphic!
But otherwise it's a nice watch.
That price is way over the top given that I paid just NZ150.00 ( approx US90.00) for this example earlier last year.

PS This is my most favourite PW in my collection.

IMG_20230905_095150.jpg IMG_20230905_094942.jpg IMG_20230905_094959.jpg
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Canuck
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ghce ghce
I could not live with that cheesy graphic!
But otherwise it's a nice watch.
That price is way over the top given that I paid just NZ150.00 ( approx US90.00) for this example earlier last year.

PS This is my most favourite PW in my collection.

IMG_20230905_095150.jpg IMG_20230905_094942.jpg IMG_20230905_094959.jpg


That “cheesy” graphic (@ghce ’s words) shows how much he knows about what is probably one of the most collectible 18 size Waltham railroad watches. That dial is decorated in what is known as Limoge enamel. A multi coloured vitreous enamel rendering of a wood burning locomotive circa 1885. That dial alone is the difference between your “cheesy” $90.00 “turnip”, and the $1,500.00 subject watch. That enamel was hand painted in likely four colours, fired in a kiln each time another colour was applied. The paintress used a paint brush that had a single strand of sable hair! That dial was also done in the Dominion Atlantic Railway rendering, and possibly many others. Satisfy yourself with garden variety clunkers, and leave the cognoscenti to collect the cream of the crop! I’m surprised it didn’t sell for more. So there!
 
Duracuir1
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Canuck Canuck
That “cheesy” graphic (@ghce ’s words) shows how much he knows about what is probably one of the most collectible 18 size Waltham railroad watches. That dial is decorated in what is known as Limoge enamel. A multi coloured vitreous enamel rendering of a wood burning locomotive circa 1885. That dial alone is the difference between your “cheesy” $90.00 “turnip”, and the $1,500.00 subject watch. That enamel was hand painted in likely four colours, fired in a kiln each time another colour was applied. The paintress used a paint brush that had a single strand of sable hair! That dial was also done in the Dominion Atlantic Railway rendering, and possibly many others. Satisfy yourself with garden variety clunkers, and leave the cognoscenti to collect the cream of the crop! I’m surprised it didn’t sell for more. So there!
Oh my. I did not have that kind of cash but good to know. The movement looks prettier on GHCE’s watch so the dial is the prize. Did the CPR add to the value or collectability?
 
ghce
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Canuck Canuck
That “cheesy” graphic (@ghce ’s words) shows how much he knows about what is probably one of the most collectible 18 size Waltham railroad watches. That dial is decorated in what is known as Limoge enamel. A multi coloured vitreous enamel rendering of a wood burning locomotive circa 1885. That dial alone is the difference between your “cheesy” $90.00 “turnip”, and the $1,500.00 subject watch. That enamel was hand painted in likely four colours, fired in a kiln each time another colour was applied. The paintress used a paint brush that had a single strand of sable hair! That dial was also done in the Dominion Atlantic Railway rendering, and possibly many others. Satisfy yourself with garden variety clunkers, and leave the cognoscenti to collect the cream of the crop! I’m surprised it didn’t sell for more. So there!

Seriously?
Oh well I have a lot to learn about PW's.
Due to the premium put on Rail Road oriented watches by the general public and the cynical way some watch manufactures exploit that to get sales I always avoid these sort of dial decorations as being just sales gimmicks.
So engrained is that feeling in my mind knowing now what cannuck has informed me of I would still avoid that one.

Being as valuable as it is and with the likelihood of a very high price avoiding buying one of these would be easy, cheapskate that I am 😀
 
Canuck
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It is important that anybody in future who happens to stumble on the CPR Waltham, not be misled by somebody using the term “cheesy graphic” to describe a work of art! This is a significant watch as might be construed by the fact that somebody shelled out $1,500.00 for the pleasure of owning it! Cudos to them!
 
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