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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Lépine
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Fallout Boy Fallout Boy
Thanks, was the watch probably worn on the thigh???
Please look at the updates on OF webpage. If you are looking at your email, you haven't seen the research I did into these.
No, not possible to wear a watch on the leg in a Japanese fighter and see the time. You would be shot down or catch it on the interior of the plane. The fighter crafts needed you to move your legs to operate the rudder controls. With high G-force, the pilots would typically get slammed into the sides of the aircraft. It doesn't make sense that they would tie things to their legs and risk it getting tangled.
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Reconnaissance aircraft were different, they typically tried to evade getting shot down and didn't engage in combat, for these aircrafts, pilots wore maps or notebooks on the legs because there were no desks to mark observations. And there was a pilot and separate observer/photographer.
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I think the B-Uhrens started that speculation about watches on the thigh. I would like to see photographic evidence that anyone ever did that.
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Canuck
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
It is starting to get a touch chilly here, we finally had our first frost last week, so, I have broken out the vest. To usher in the winter in style I elected to wear my circa 1917 Hamilton 946, pictured here with my 10k anchor chain and 1880 $5 gold piece.
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Call me a copycat! Well, I’m not! I don’t have a grade 946, so I chose my 23-jewel grade 950B. Staged with my late grandfather’s 9-karat rose gold (English) Waldemar chain from circa 1895, fitted with my 1897 English half sovereign coin in coin frame, and my 14-karat pen knife.

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Waltesefalcon
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Canuck Canuck
Call me a copycat! Well, I’m not! I don’t have a grade 946, so I chose my 23-jewel grade 950B. Staged with my late grandfather’s 9-karat rose gold (English) Waldemar chain from circa 1895, fitted with my 1897 English half sovereign coin in coin frame, and my 14-karat pen knife.

IMG_2810.webp IMG_2811.webp
I see you upped the ante by throwing in a pen knife. Very nice!
 
Waltesefalcon
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I'm wearing my vest again today, but decided for a change of pace, and decided to wear my circa 1900 Model 5 Sangamo Special. In my collection this watch is a little odd because it is housed in a sterling, not coin, silver case. Here it is on its sterling chain and with my ivory fob.
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Waltesefalcon
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Today I decided to wear one of my favorite watches, my circa 1887 Illinois Model 2 Grade 5. This one is far from my fanciest watch, but it is an undeniably handsome movement with the bright blue screws standing out against the gilt finish nicely. It is housed in a D&Co. coin silver case, which is plain but hefty.
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Canuck
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
Today I decided to wear one of my favorite watches, my circa 1887 Illinois Model 2 Grade 5. This one is far from my fanciest watch, but it is an undeniably handsome movement with the bright blue screws standing out the gilt finish nicely. It is housed in a D&Co. coin silver case, which is plain but hefty.
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Here is the pocketwatchdatabase info on @Waltesefalcon ‘s fine Illinois watch.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/711580
 
noelekal
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IMG_4808.webp

I picked up quite a tasty 1921 vintage,19-jewel, grade 706, Illinois 16size watch just before Thanksgiving. The case has a nice rosey hue. Haven't given it a test run until today.
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Was an Ebay purchase for too cheap.
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I find the Illinois "Red Dot" dial to particularly appeal to me. A 21 Jewel Illinois Capitol with with the Red Dot dial was picked up a couple of years ago and introduced me to the style. Apparently the Red Dot dials only were supplied on the mid-grade Illinois watches and shouldn't be found on the railroad grade Illinois watches.
 
Canuck
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Not my watch. This one is an 1883 Waltham, 17-jewel, P S Bartlett, 18-size that came to me for service. It was in a sterling silver case (shown) that had suffered badly, resulting in numerous bad dents (shown), and a bezel that defied being screwed on. Movement needed balance staff, repairs to the damaged balance wheel, mainspring, crystal, case, crown, and stem. I had everything I needed, so the watch will be ready for someone’s Christmas stocking. I fitted a decent nickel silver alloy case (no silver in the alloy). The original case is being returned, along with a baggie of the old parts.

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ghce
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
Today I decided to wear one of my favorite watches, my circa 1887 Illinois Model 2 Grade 5. This one is far from my fanciest watch, but it is an undeniably handsome movement with the bright blue screws standing out the gilt finish nicely. It is housed in a D&Co. coin silver case, which is plain but hefty.
20241216_140601.webp 20241216_140622.webp
And what's even better it has those magic words " Adjusted " beautiful watch for sure.

noelekal noelekal
IMG_4808.webp

I picked up quite a tasty 1921 vintage,19-jewel, grade 706, Illinois 16size watch just before Thanksgiving. The case has a nice rosey hue. Haven't given it a test run until today.
IMG_4807.webp
Was an Ebay purchase for too cheap.
IMG_4811.webp

I find the Illinois "Red Dot" dial to particularly appeal to me. A 21 Jewel Illinois Capitol with with the Red Dot dial was picked up a couple of years ago and introduced me to the style. Apparently the Red Dot dials only were supplied on the mid-grade Illinois watches and shouldn't be found on the railroad grade Illinois watches.
Mine ( well the 19 jewel part and red dot dial and sub second and a different model number 😀) says hello.


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noelekal
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I just noticed how the ratchet wheel on my new Illinois watch looks positively chewed up. It's not damaged at all. It's just doing funny things with the reflection of the bright yellow leaves of the shumard oak in the back yard that was overhead.

Texas isn't the coldest place in December, but I've not seen oak trees retain their leaves so long until this year.
 
Pastorbottle
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noelekal noelekal
I just noticed how the ratchet wheel on my new Illinois watch looks positively chewed up. It's not damaged at all. It's just doing funny things with the reflection of the bright yellow leaves of the shumard oak in the back yard that was overhead.

Texas isn't the coldest place in December, but I've not seen oak trees retain their leaves so long until this year.
A bloody side cooler than here I'll wager, 41C (@106F) here yesterday
 
noelekal
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Pastorbottle Pastorbottle
A bloody side cooler than here I'll wager, 41C (@106F) here yesterday
Yeah, but that's what you get when you're down there all upside down on the globe; Texas summer temperatures in December.

Here at the pocket watch photography time of 4:06 yesterday it was 77F.

Now if it had been as cold as yesterday at Canuck's house I'd have been guilty of pocket watch cruelty to take one of the little darlings outside for photography.
 
Waltesefalcon
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noelekal noelekal
IMG_4808.webp

I picked up quite a tasty 1921 vintage,19-jewel, grade 706, Illinois 16size watch just before Thanksgiving. The case has a nice rosey hue. Haven't given it a test run until today.
IMG_4807.webp
Was an Ebay purchase for too cheap.
IMG_4811.webp

I find the Illinois "Red Dot" dial to particularly appeal to me. A 21 Jewel Illinois Capitol with with the Red Dot dial was picked up a couple of years ago and introduced me to the style. Apparently the Red Dot dials only were supplied on the mid-grade Illinois watches and shouldn't be found on the railroad grade Illinois watches.
I recently added a 23j Bunn Special to my collection. It is wearing a Montgomery dial, that is busted up along one side. I have a pretty much perfect red dot dial, that I will likely use as a replacement for the damaged Montgomery for the time being. Maybe someday I'll find a decent Montgomery for it.
 
UNLucky
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I'm working on 2 older pocket watches and I'm have a HELL of a time getting the balance to start. Everything is lined up it just doesn't wanna kick over. I honestly, at this point, prefer wrist watches to work on! I'll post pictures for everyone to enjoy when I get home. Love this thread so far!
 
noelekal
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Perhaps a handy tip will be forthcoming from the experts here.

My suggestion to get a bigger hammer is probably not expedient.
 
UNLucky
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noelekal noelekal
Perhaps a handy tip will be forthcoming from the experts here.

My suggestion to get a bigger hammer is probably not expedient.
Honestly, one of the watches almost became an elite member of the Airborne Rangers last night, until I realized I'm an idiot and needed to walk away. But yea, I almost got a framing hammer. 😂
 
Canuck
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UNLucky UNLucky
I'm working on 2 older pocket watches and I'm have a HELL of a time getting the balance to start. Everything is lined up it just doesn't wanna kick over. I honestly, at this point, prefer wrist watches to work on! I'll post pictures for everyone to enjoy when I get home. Love this thread so far!


Pull the hairspring and roller table off, and try the wheel back in the watch. If the wheel still isn’t free, you could well have pivot problems, or the wheel rim is rubbing somewhere because it hasn’t been adjusted to run true. How is the end shake of the wheel, back in the watch? Too little? Wrong staff? Too much? Wrong staff, jewels either broken or out of position? When the symptoms are like yours, it is a process of elimination to arrive at the problem(s). Eliminate potential problems one at a time.

If the wheel is free if you do the above, then the problem is with the hairspring or roller table. Install either one or the other individually, and try the test again.
 
UNLucky
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Canuck Canuck
Pull the hairspring and roller table off, and try the wheel back in the watch. If the wheel still isn’t free, you could well have pivot problems, or the wheel rim is rubbing somewhere because it hasn’t been adjusted to run true. How is the end shake of the wheel, back in the watch? Too little? Wrong staff? Too much? Wrong staff, jewels either broken or out of position? When the symptoms are like yours, it is a process of elimination to arrive at the problem(s). Eliminate potential problems one at a time.
Great info. I'll attempt all, I'll send pictures and videos. They're not high quality watches (that I know of) so I also wonder if they're just end of life or just inop. We shall see!
 
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