Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck · Feb 19, 2025

A rose cut diamond end stone on the balance staff. Obviously was important to a previous owner to have sprung for a custom made case for it. Do I see stampings in the case back as shown in the image? Is there any way to interpret those if I am correct?

Bernhard J · Feb 19, 2025

The hallmarks date the case to 1874. The makers mark is "WK" and presumably stands for William Knight.

TexOmega · Feb 19, 2025

Home Watch Co circa 1874
18s 7j Model 1857
KWKS

Entry level model produced by American Watch Company (eventually Waltham).

With an American Watch Co coin silver case. Not much labor cost put into the case, the back is smooth like 90% of the front.

Works and fairly accurate over 24 hrs.

ghce · Feb 19, 2025

TexOmega
Home Watch Co circa 1874
18s 7j Model 1857
KWKS

Entry level model produced by American Watch Company (eventually Waltham).

With an American Watch Co coin silver case. Not much labor cost put into the case, the back is smooth like 90% of the front.

Works and fairly accurate over 24 hrs.

Which marking led you to determine coin silver?

TexOmega · Feb 19, 2025

the "s" before the 203

Canuck · Feb 19, 2025

I think I read at one time that the American Watch Co. (Waltham), and the National Watch Co. (Elgin) at one time got into a price war which resulted in the Home watch introduction. Notice the watch isn’t marked for either the American Watch Co., or Waltham.

ghce · Feb 19, 2025

TexOmega
the "s" before the 203

👍

Kapka · Feb 22, 2025

Hi guys

I have an opportunity to add a really cool pice and double my pocket watch "collection". Actually, one pice is not collection, but two is 😀

It Hamilton this time and I really like this watch. It is sort of uncommon grade 960 with beautiful bridge movement and it looks all original to me.

The watch is from 1909 and one of 3000 lever version produced. It is in working condition and dial looks very nice.

I met the guy who owns the watch and took few pictures. I asked if it was for sale and he said maybe, "make me an offer" with smile.
Please help me understand following:
Does the watch look original (movement and dial) ? Are these rare as I think they are?
What should an fair offer be? I researched I ternet but really not many sold or for sale.
It would be a huge addition to my newly started pocket watch journey.

Thank you in advance.
Here are few photos

Canuck · Feb 22, 2025

Here is the pocketwatchdatabase info on the Hamilton 960.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/751731

With a production of 5160, it is certainly fairly low production. This appears to me to be basically a 21-jewel version of the venerable Hamilton grade 950 which has 23 jewels. Another similar version of the 960 is the 19-jewel Hamilton grade 952. Too bad about the crack near the 11 on the vitreous enamel double-sunk dial. The subject watch has gold train wheels, and it appears to be in decent condition. My collectors guide shows a price somewhat lower than the aforementioned grade 950. But it would be an excellent addition to your growing collection.

With over 22,000 of the 23-jewel grade 950 produced, and just over 7,000 of the grade 952, the 960 certainly is more scarce, if not really rare.

Kapka · Feb 22, 2025

Thank you for confirming my thoughts. I'm a bit Insecure how much I should offer for this watch. Whould 800 EUR/USD be on a low end or fair to offer?

Canuck · Feb 22, 2025

This certainly would be a more worthy acquisition than that 18-size piece of carp you were looking at. Be prepared to spend to have it serviced if you buy it. It would not be the deal of a life time than your first one was. Try him at 600, then maybe he’ll counter offer at less than 800. Let us know.

Kapka · Feb 22, 2025

LoL 😆 I'm happy to get good deal every 5 years or so. Thanks for advice I'll feel the situation tomorrow. Maybe I can trade something too.

Will give an update anyway.
Cheers

ghce · Feb 22, 2025

Let this one slide at auction today, normally I dont care but I dont like missing out on Illinois PW's.

This was the seller only info other than he didn't know if it went which is a big red flag for a deceitful seller.
I suspected something nice. The size, 45 mm diameter but possibly just a 12s.

The price got to US$100 approx., at that point I pulled out, annoying grrr.

Canuck · Feb 22, 2025

That appears to be a Franken watch. The pendant appears to be base metal with the plating worn off, yet the case appears to me to possibly be coin silver. Gold plated bezel on a white metal case with the opening for the chapter ring being too small for the minute markings. I think you’re better off without that turkey!

ghce · Feb 22, 2025

Canuck
That appears to be a Franken watch. The pendant appears to be base metal with the plating worn off, yet the case appears to me to possibly be coin silver. Gold plated bezel on a white metal case with the opening for the chapter ring being too small for the minute markings. I think you’re better off without that turkey!

You may be right, I certainly didn't like the dial condition compared to the shiny looking glass, that and the short sub second hand and overall poor dial. This dial style and composition I have seen on Illinois watches but usually on sub 16 size watches.
The seller would have improved his chances of a good return if he got the back off and took a movement shot but at the final price you could find a better defined example elsewhere.

Canuck · Feb 23, 2025

ghce
You may be right, I certainly didn't like the dial condition compared to the shiny looking glass, that and the short sub second hand and overall poor dial. This dial style and composition I have seen on Illinois watches but usually on sub 16 size watches.
The seller would have improved his chances of a good return if he got the back off and took a movement shot but at the final price you could find a better defined example elsewhere.

I mentioned to someone on this message board a few days ago, the money that you spend on repairs eats into your collecting budget. Don’t collect repairs! Collect watches! Do you really want to add to your collection such watches as the subject watch? If you buy one like that, then have to get involved spending a bunch of money and effort trying to turn it into a better watch, I suggest you walk! If you encounter a really rare one that needs work, or if it is a watch with a lot of sentimental worth, there’s room for the odd watch like that in a collection. But otherwise, buy condition, condition, condition. Buy stuff you’ll enjoy owning! At least that is my point of view.

Duracuir1 · Feb 24, 2025

Working on some old 8 Oz gloves today. My next post was a double for some unknown reason. So I changed it to show my Smiths. She resides in my shop.

Late entry…

Gloves repaired. These just look good hanging in my leather shop…

Duracuir1 · Feb 24, 2025

Some may recall this watch that I got for pennies a couple months ago.

It had a nice movement so I bought a dial on EBay…

When the dial arrived it looked nicer in person than in photos… but not as nice as what the original dial would have looked like. It was also apparent that it would not fit.

I sent the watch to Canuck and asked that he do his magic with the original dial. The missing 9 and other imperfections notwithstanding, I imagined it would still look like a conversation piece.

Behold Canuck’s work. He is observing how the watch is performing for a few days. I can’t stop looking at the finished result

TexOmega · Feb 24, 2025

“Collect Watches Not Repairs” would look good on a T-shirt.

Someone tell our Australian Overlords

Bernhard J · Mar 1, 2025

I do not normally buy movements, but here I could not resist. It is a Glashütte movement by Grossmann from around 1867, with a pointed-tooth lever escapement. It has some technical features that are typical for early Grossmann watches, for example winding wheel, ratchet wheel, escape wheel and lever made of aluminum bronze, Grossmann fine adjustment, concealed ratchet with its own ratchet wheel under the large “ratchet wheel”. All cocks and bridges bear a “9” hallmark on the underside, the final digit of the serial number. The condition is flawless, the dial is perfect, the hands are original, only the winding stem is missing. Early Grossmann watches were still signed “Dresden”. Later Grossmann watches were then signed “Glashütte” and had the usual three-quarter plate and Glashütte escapement.

I will give the movement a service, make the missing winding stem and then see if I can find a suitable case.

Copyright first two photos: Dr. Crott Auktionen, the other ones are by myself.