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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

TexOmega
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Hampden Watch Company
18s 23j Special Railway model#3
Circa 1903

Gold damaskeened in two colors.

Luckily, over the last 120 years or so, nobody harshly cleaned this movement and it just sparkles in hand, plus a full complement of gold screws and pristine screw heads rounds out “the handsomest, most finely finished and closely timed movement made in America.” As stated in their Manufacturers’ Price List Catalog (1903) and priced at $70 retail.

Double sunk porcelain dial as prescribed, however, not the prescribed Fleur-de-Lis handset, but Hampden hands from the era.

I had my watchmaker place into a Dueber-Hampden display case 'cause who wants to hide this artwork?

Double hinged case is a bonus.



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TexOmega
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And, not to be confused with the New Railway from 1899, of course..

Special Railway X2 single and double sunk



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“New Railway”

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Edited:
 
JimInOz
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One of my little Seikos.

Nov. 1974 Seiko 5740-0080 “Lord Marvel” 23J. Priced at 21.000 yen new in 1974!
Hi-Beat 36000BPH caliber 5740C manual wind pocket watch.

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Movement shot.

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Canuck
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Two of us locally, pool our railroad standard pocket and wrist watches to display them in railroad related shows (2 of them) each year. When the show is over, we break down the watch display, doing our best not to muddle the watches. After a show we did in April, I discovered I was short one of my Keystone Howard series 5 watches. I phoned my friend to enquire. He had it. I got it back today. Welcome back Mr. Howard! Canadian (24-hour) Montgomery double sunk vitreous enamel dial. Dam I like these series 5s.
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Duracuir1
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At a thrift store for $5.

I saw the watch as a boat anchor but my interest in how folks wore them is always high. In this case I could see a small piece of leather.

So here are the photos. @DaveK perhaps this can be helpful to you also.

Watch photos included, of course. And when I removed the bezel the minute hand, which appeared to be missing, fell out. It must have been lying on the outer edge of the dial.

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So back in the bag it goes. The chain (a pretty common style) stays out… will clean it up.
 
Canuck
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The leather fitment with the pear shaped hole in it could be slipped over a button on a vest, or trouser waist band. I sure wouldn’t trust that style of chain when it came to pull that lunker out of a watch pocket! If the chain let go and the watch fell, it could land on your foot! Ouch!
 
noelekal
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A little 2-watch collecting side tangent accomplished with the recent acquisition of an Illinois Texas Special.

I saw an example of a Illinois Texas Special a few years back and thought it would be keen to own one. Being born and bred Texan I determined I needed to occasionally carry a worthy watch.

I "accidentally" acquired an Illinois Texan some time back while watching Ebay for a Texas Special, but missed another Texas Special that was put on Ebay out of Montreal.

A Texas Special turned up on Ebay last week.

Both these are not railroad grade, but rather common mid grade Illinois watches. The Texas themed model marked watches apparently are not very common. Apparently, a retailer back in the olden days had a few made up with both Texan and Texas Special markings. An internet search does not reveal the company who originally ordered these models. The Texan movement is a lever set, 21-jewel 706 movement with a single sunk dial that dates to 1916. The Texas Special is a pendant set, 17-jewel Illinois 604 movement with double sunk dial that dates to 1917. Both are 16 size watches.

The Texan keeps good time. The jury is still out on the Texas Special. It's only been running since Monday when I took delivery on it. Seems to be keeping time. The Ebay seller represented that it has been recently serviced, but that regulator is really cranked over for a watch that is keeping time and the spring is missing. Color me skeptical.



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Both watches together.

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Canuck
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Dudley Masonic Watch. Basically, a 12-size Hamilton with custom bridges showing Masonic lodge symbols. Dudley had worked for Hamilton, and when his business folded, he went back to work for Hamilton. Limited market, and watches were not big sellers.

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Waltesefalcon
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My old Illinois Model 9 Bunn Special, circa 1921, has languished for years in this tired, old, very brassed case that it probably lived in its entire life. Today, a new (to me) sterling case arrived in the mail and I recased this old watch.
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While it is just a plain jane case, I find it much more pleasing than the old one.
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JimInOz
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Canuck Canuck
Two of us locally, pool our railroad standard pocket and wrist watches to display them in railroad related shows (2 of them) each year. When the show is over, we break down the watch display, doing our best not to muddle the watches. After a show we did in April, I discovered I was short one of my Keystone Howard series 5 watches. I phoned my friend to enquire. He had it. I got it back today. Welcome back Mr. Howard! Canadian (24-hour) Montgomery double sunk vitreous enamel dial. Dam I like these series 5s.
IMG_3196.webp IMG_3197.webp IMG_3199.webp IMG_3200.webp
I meant to ask but forgot.
What's that object inside the case?

Screenshot 2025-06-28 at 10.45.16.webp
 
Canuck
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This lever set Howard series 5 is in a “swing ring” case. To expose the movement as you see it, the crown and stem should be pulled outward into a setting position (as with a stem set model) and movement hinged outwards. The arrow is pointing at the winding stem. The hinge on the swing ring is at the stem, making this possible.
 
Alpha
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The usual suspects still hanging around 👍

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TexOmega
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18s, Aurora Watch Co circa 1886

Hamilton Watch Co was the successor as Columbia bought their assets in 1892.

Open Morning Glory hand set

Few and far between….

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river rat
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I guess you can call this a pocket watch just larger than most. US Navy Longines Torpedo Boat Watch I picked up last month. Was used for navigation on smaller craft the Navy had like Torpedo Boats and patrol boats due to their rough ride a chronometer with fusee could not take the abuse of the sea. These were used in WW1 and even in WW2.
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Next to its WW2 brother the Hamilton model 22.
 
Canuck
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I once bought an 18-size Elgin from NAWCC member Ed Kiefft at an NAWCC mart about 30 years ago. He’s now deceased, but at that time, he told me he had 850 Auroras! When the Hamilton Watch Co. was founded, the name was to be the Columbia Watch Co. Was the name too close to Columbus? Was there another reason they shunned the Columbia name? Lancaster Pa. is in Hamilton county, so the name Hamilton was settled on.
 
ghce
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Canuck Canuck
I once bought an 18-size Elgin from NAWCC member Ed Kiefft at an NAWCC mart about 30 years ago. He’s now deceased, but at that time, he told me he had 850 Auroras! When the Hamilton Watch Co. was founded, the name was to be the Columbia Watch Co. Was the name too close to Columbus? Was there another reason they shunned the Columbia name? Lancaster Pa. is in Hamilton county, so the name Hamilton was settled on.

850 Aurora's, what a collection to behold!

I presume there would have been all the other usual suspects in his collection too.

I bet his family had fun ( not) disposing of the collection unless of course it's still in the family.
 
TexOmega
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Canuck Canuck
I once bought an 18-size Elgin from NAWCC member Ed Kiefft at an NAWCC mart about 30 years ago. He’s now deceased, but at that time, he told me he had 850 Auroras! When the Hamilton Watch Co. was founded, the name was to be the Columbia Watch Co. Was the name too close to Columbus? Was there another reason they shunned the Columbia name? Lancaster Pa. is in Hamilton county, so the name Hamilton was settled on.


Why they are few and far between.....NOW!😀
 
Canuck
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ghce ghce
850 Aurora's, what a collection to behold!

I presume there would have been all the other usual suspects in his collection too.

I bet his family had fun ( not) disposing of the collection unless of course it's still in the family.
Auroras was only one of the makes he collected. I don’t remember how many other makes he collected.
 
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