Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

It might be easier to dig in deep on a particular watch in its own thread, but any and all are welcome here. This one is a size 18, and I’d find that too big to carry, preferring the smaller size 16 or smaller still, size 12. Do you know what size you want?

@Nupero in going to buck the trend and say that this may be a good beginner watch. Crescent Street Waltham's were some of their highest grade watches of that period. While a hairline makes the watch less appealing to most collectors, it also makes the watch more affordable and since you mentioned a price range earlier I reckon that is a concern. I also find that while 18 size watches are larger they are not necessarily uncomfortable to wear. I wear Wrangler blue jeans and find the watch pocket on them large enough to accommodate an 18 size watch without difficulty. If you wear pants with a smaller watch pocket you may want to heed Dave's advice.

Without knowing the going rate for that particular reference, and given the hairline crack between 3 & 4, and the hands looking tarnished, if it is running, I’d be happy at about $150 - $200 CDN for it. As always, it depends on how much you love it and how many you want.

If I was Arthur’s mother or father, it would have driven me nuts that the engraver didn’t line up the message with the case ID, but the engraving is fun to have.

Yah, add in tax and auction fees, and that gets up there.

Pre-Covid, I think I paid $450-$500 CDN for this pretty-much museum quality, first year of production, Hamilton 992b. The Montgomery dial adds to the price.



If you want one nice pocket watch to wear, they are pretty easily found. Many sellers think their mediocre pieces are worth more than they really are, but exceptional pieces can be pretty competitive. A nice, but not exceptional running watch with a clean dial would probably be $300 - $400 CDN

Your V & C pocket watch might have been a presentation to its first owner. It leaves the impression it was seldom used. You didn’t comment on any engraving there may (or may not) be on the case back. On occasion, such watches might have had engraving inside the case back. We look forward to seeing a shot of the movement, but also the inside of the case back. A nice addition might be a leather lanyard either from @DaveK or @Duracuir1 . Being rose gold, it might be a challenge trying to find a rose gold chain to match. Antique English 9-karat pocket watch chains are very often seen in rose gold alloy. So there’s always that.

Stay tuned? We will, for sure!

Simply stunning VC you have there. Congratulations.

Omega couldn't use "Omega" branded watches in Canada other than their Dealers. So, to get their watches out into the hinterland and across the Canadian Provinces/Territories to as many jewelers /others as possible, they used Regina as one name fronting their movements.
Differing grades/sizes to be sure, at all price points.

This 18s Regina fronted Omega's "almost" top chronometer graded movement. The best was their DDR grade at 23j and mine is a tick below at 21j. Dropped 2 jewels and a diamond or two but all the other features are here, as are the extra fine finish to the parts. High precision, indeed. I'd call it a DR+ since it has 21 not 19j.....(D<DR<DDR)

After service and regulation, +/- 2-3 seconds/day, stem facing right, on a stand, wound fully once a day. I did that for a few days for kicks and grins.....and it was raining those days.

Omega called it a graduated "snail" regulator and they are only seen in DR and DDR movements. They sent all DDR movements to be certified as Observatory Chronometers.

As seen in one picture, my serial # 2451289 falls in 1905 and Omega didn't recognize it as a DR, and shipped it to Canada to be cased and sold outside their Dealer network as a RR grade watch.

"Superior Adjusted" was used prior to RR regulations changed to require: "adjusted to 5 positions, temperatures" however, from one picture I posted, there is one more Regina(not as finely finished, and a Private label Canada) on Google via a Watch Forum 59,033 units apart(younger) and it has adj 5 positions stamped. So, this is roughly when all the hubbub from the Regulators started, I guess.

Yes, I said "one picture".....try to find more than 2-3 Regina's finely finished like mine, 21j with a snail regulator on Google. I'm cross-eyed from looking. I've posted one (British American Watch Company from this Forum, no less!) but it is a Private Label(Canadian Jeweler but very finely finished). And I posted another in a golden colored case, also very finely finished but no picture of the dial was on that Forum to grab.

Maybe a bunch are in bank boxes all over Canada or in grandpa's trunk. These are well built, high precision, mechanical instruments. Factory produced just not in high numbers, I guess.

Mine is a true Hunter movement because it has the setting lever at 26 minutes.

The case is "of the period" and maybe slightly before and made by the Illinois Watch Case Company, the arrow trademark says otherwise if you take the Pocket Watch Data Base as the last word. It even says these should be chrome-plated from the late 1930's. However of the few "arrow" cases I saw online, my 5-digit case number is extremely before any of those and with it in hand seems to be a white gold plate or fill.

But it housed at least one other movement from the indents shown.

Handsome one way or the other in my book.

@Canuck doesn't our two dials look alike!!!.....(other than mine has a shorter name so not to clutter up such a pretty double sunk porcelain, er, Vitreous Enamel dial😁) I would say identical fonts. Hands too! other than the minute.

Ah Regina, the brand that rhymes with fun.

Your movement is far prettier, but mine also has an Illinois 14k white gold filled case



Great write up, thanks for your post

I’ve done some camping near Parry Sound. Perry Sound was a BIG railway hub back in the day. that’s a fun watch to have.

To make clear, that Parry Sound watch was a screen grab and not mine, and in fact, all pictures after that one are not mine, just google or Forum grabbed.