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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck
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noelekal noelekal
This brings up a question I've been meaning to ask.

Can the neato fill in the Illinois lettering be touched up or replaced?

This Sangamo Special retains most of its color so isn't worth messing with, but I've considered other Sangamo Specials and Bunn Specials that had degraded fill.

Could replacing fill correctly be a successful diy project?




You’ll have to be the judge as to whether it should be done! If it was my watch, I wouldn’t do it. It would mean a complete dis-assembly, followed by a thorough service. And would the replaced red in the lettering survive the service? Would you attempt it yourself, or approach someone you trusted to do it for you? If the latter, you should maybe discuss what you have in mind with them!
 
noelekal
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I think I'll just consider Illinois watches still retaining their fill.
 
Canuck
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noelekal noelekal
I think I'll just consider Illinois watches still retaining their fill.

It is very unlikely that any 100 year old watch would not have lost some or all of the colour from the engraving. So good luck in your search. Especially on railroad standard watches which may have done long service in a railroader’s pocket, and many trips through the railroad watch inspector’s cleaning machine!
 
Canuck
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Canuck Canuck
It is very unlikely that any 100 year old watch would not have lost some or all of the colour from the engraving. So good luck in your search. Especially on railroad standard watches which may have done long service in a railroader’s pocket, and many trips through the railroad watch inspector’s cleaning machine!

I suppose your Illinois on which the colour in the lettering is there, could be because somebody before you, renewed it. No way to know. I’ll check the Meggers & Ehrhardt Illinois “blue book” and see what (if) there is any information re: colour (if any) that is right for the engraving. If you refresh the paint, expect you may have to do it again, every time it is serviced.
 
Canuck
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Canuck Canuck
You’ll have to be the judge as to whether it should be done! If it was my watch, I wouldn’t do it. It would mean a complete dis-assembly, followed by a thorough service. And would the replaced red in the lettering survive the service? Would you attempt it yourself, or approach someone you trusted to do it for you? If the latter, you should maybe discuss what you have in mind with them!

Here is what Meggers & Ehrhardt say about the Sangamo series in the S# range of 2,541,391 to 4,241,440 (includes S# 3693564:

Sangamo Special—— Temperature, 6 positions, isochronism—-diamond, ruby & sapphire jewels in raised gold settings, oval top and bottom pallet jewels, sapphire jewelled barrel, gold balance screws, rounded & polished gold train wheels, gold guard pin—-patent regulator, true or false centre bridge—-crosshatch pattern, damskened nickel, GOLD FILLED ENGRAVING (my capitals), double sunk glass enamel (vitreous enamel) dial, Arabic numerals.”

So, there you have it. The recognized gurus of Illinois watches don’t mention RED lettering on this one! So, don’t do it!

As to S# 4, 736,142, the information in the “blue book” stops at 4,240,140, but it seems to imply that up until the end of the listing, the numbers WERE red, and perhaps by inferences, the S# s after that may also have been in red.
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DaveK
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noelekal noelekal
I think I'll just consider Illinois watches still retaining their fill.

This is my 1926 Illinois, a handsome little size 12 dress watch. The red (plum, I’d say) lettering is really fun

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Waltesefalcon
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Here is my 1897 Illinois Lakeside. As you can see it has no fill left in the engraving whatsoever. I imagine it was originally gold, but I'm not sure. One thing I like about these old Model 6 Illinois is how well the balances run on them. I just picked this watch up to take photos and it ran for thr better part of a minute just from that impulse.
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DaveK
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I made some grometed display straps for my watches this morning. Turned out pretty well 👍

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TexOmega
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Taking my Canadian Regina(Omega) attached to my Canadian custom lanyard out and about this afternoon.
Love the suede, love the color. @Duracuir1
 
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Nupero
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Chapter III: Another Cheap Swiss Pocket Watch

Revue, chrome plated case, caliber 53.

revue.jpg revue (1).jpg
 
Canuck
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I owned a Revue a few years ago. I had it given to me, and I gave it to a friend whose Junghans pocket watch was too far gone to do anything with. Serviceable, reliable, but plain. But it didn’t fit in with what I collect. Yours might have the same movement. Mine is basically a Wittnauer calibre 30. I’d be interested to find out what movement is in your Revue.

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Nupero
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Movement is marked Revue 53. Runs but it's in pretty rough shape – I'm guessing previous owner was not a highly skilled watchmaker 😁

Revue53.jpg
 
Canuck
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Revue was connected to Thommen (Revue Thommen), as well as Wittnauer. Your Revue 53 movement shows some earmarks of Wittnauer.
 
Pastorbottle
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At great cost to the management (me) I got one of my pocket watches back from the watch doctor today
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It needed a new crystal, a couple of jewels replaced and a good clean and lube job.
The watch doctor really likes it and can’t believe it cost me buggerall.
He says that in it’s nearly 100 years it has hardly been used.
It’s not up to the high standard that some of the watches posted on this thread, but I love it!
 
noelekal
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I love it too Pastorbottle!

Love the style of the font in the retirement engraving.
 
Canuck
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I lucked out a year ago and picked up a decent Waltham model 1877 in a hunter case. It needed work, but beyond that, it was in excellent condition. It was offered to me gratis for parts, but he accepted my offer of $50.00 (Cdn.). The following day I decided what the watch needed and checked my stash. I had everything the watch required, on hand. Several hours later, the watch was finished. I love it! The name on the movement is R E Robbins. He is the guy who rescued Waltham from bankruptcy and brought it to the powerhouse firm it became.

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DaveK
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Pastorbottle Pastorbottle
At great cost to the management (me) I got one of my pocket watches back from the watch doctor today
IMG_3339.jpeg IMG_3340.jpeg IMG_3341.jpeg IMG_3342.jpeg IMG_3343.jpeg IMG_3344.jpeg IMG_3345.jpeg IMG_3349.jpeg IMG_3351.jpeg IMG_3352.jpeg IMG_3353.jpeg


It needed a new crystal, a couple of jewels replaced and a good clean and lube job.
The watch doctor really likes it and can’t believe it cost me buggerall.
He says that in it’s nearly 100 years it has hardly been used.
It’s not up to the high standard that some of the watches posted on this thread, but I love it!

I love engravings like this. Nice watch!
 
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