Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

JimInOz · Aug 2, 2025

damfuzzy
Please forgive my newbie mistake as the serial number is correctly 5781611, and therefore the PWD indicates 1922 as the production year. This makes much more sense when considering the handsome Elgin Giant hunter case the movement was blessed with.

damfuzzy

Very nice movement in great condition.
It looks to be a caliber 17''' NN LX 17P (37.6 x 5.05mm) which was introduced in 1917,

17''' - diameter in ligne (1 ligne = 2.558mm)
NN - New Negative setting method
LX - Lépine
17P - 17 Jewels

I would date the movement to around 1921.

damfuzzy · Aug 2, 2025

Thank you so much Jim in Oz! May I ask if the graphic you kindly posted is from an open source, and if so, what its reference might be, please? The family will greatly appreciate the information. Thank you.

JimInOz · Aug 2, 2025

It's from a huge Omega reference book, "A Journey Through Time", often noted as AJTT and is one of my best references for Omega related material.

TexOmega · Aug 3, 2025

A favorite Hamilton both in and out. Love the dial font on this era Hamilton signature.
16s Grade 970 circa 1902 Pendant Set
One of 2900 produced
Put a loupe on that damaskeening!!

Canuck · Aug 3, 2025

The pocket watch data base site info on the handsome Hamilton 970. As stated by @TexOmega , this watch is pendant set, and it is listed as railroad approved. It certainly has everything one would expect a railroad standard watch to have, otherwise. Someone was given free license to use his imagination with the damask patterns. 127 years old! Almost hard to believe! Likely didn’t spend too long in the bib overall vest pocket of a railroader, along with “clinkers” and sand from having been washed with the dog’s bed. The data base doesn’t mention the gold train wheels.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/78427

damfuzzy · Aug 4, 2025

JimInOz
It's from a huge Omega reference book, "A Journey Through Time", often noted as AJTT and is one of my best references for Omega related material.

Thank you for the information on what certainly must be the "bible" of Omega watchmaking. In fact, using the calibre information you supplied, Jim in Oz (thank you!), I was able to find a reference from the ranfft website matching the base calibre of this movement.

Here: https://ranfft.org/caliber/8344-Omega-17LIBN

This information shows the 26513 + baseplate designator used with an entirely different set of bridges, and even from an alternate manufacturer. I suspect the Regina name to be a sub-brand of Omega?

Getting back to the subject movement, I thought perhaps a picture of the beautiful Elgin Giant 14K case might be interesting for everyone. It is interesting to note that the circa 1921 jeweler installed this Lepine (open face) movement in a hunter case. Perhaps this was done by request of the owner who had the attractive case monogrammed.

TexOmega · Aug 4, 2025

Yes, Regina was a name used by Omega. Many "Regina" watches sent to Canada to sell throughout the country, by-passing their handful of Factory Stores selling "Omega" watches.

Both low and high grade watches can be found with the Regina name.

gilb12 · Aug 4, 2025

TexOmega
Yes, Regina was a name used by Omega. Many "Regina" watches sent to Canada to sell throughout the country, by-passing their handful of Factory Stores selling "Omega" watches.

Both low and high grade watches can be found with the Regina name.

Exactly. We can see it in this example from Calgary (Watson Bros).

They are nice watch to collect imho 👍👍

Canuck · Aug 4, 2025

Watson Bros. Diamond Hall (Calgary) was the local agent for Howard tower clocks. In 1905, they supplied the Howard tower clock in our original (the long gone) Central High School (re-named James Short School).

TexOmega · Aug 5, 2025

Pretty close to the Tip Top of Omega's pocket watch movements and a favorite of mine.

Canuck · Aug 5, 2025

TexOmega
Pretty close to the Tip Top of Omega's pocket watch movements and a favorite of mine.

Indeed a cut above the more typical movement found behind a Regina dial. I have a far more pedestrian version which I may (or may not) show later today.

Later that day! This one’s inaugural exposure herein. Belonged in my spouse’s family. Pedestrian compared to the Regina shown by @TexOmega.

damfuzzy · Aug 10, 2025

Thank you all again for your help in my effort to refurbish this lovely 17''' NN LX 17P in a very handsome Elgin Giant 14K case, and especially to Jim In Oz for the exact definition of the calibre. Perhaps you might like to see six images of my completed work?

May you all be well. And use brass tweezers. : )

Canuck · Aug 10, 2025

What appears to me to be odd about your Omega is that it might be an open faced movement in a hunter case. Typically, a hunter cased movement has the crown (winder) at the 3:00, rather than at the 12:00 as it is with your watch. Strange!

damfuzzy · Aug 10, 2025

Canuck
What appears to me to be odd about your Omega is that it might be an open faced movement in a hunter case. Typically, a hunter cased movement has the crown (winder) at the 3:00, rather than at the 12:00 as it is with your watch. Strange!

I appreciate your observation and I agree with you. In fact, I mentioned this in an earlier post above. The gorgeous case is 14K and monogrammed, so the 1921 jeweler might not have informed the owner/buyer (who was in love with it but who may not have been familiar with open face/hunter case watch case mechanics) about this fact. I wonder if Omega may not have had a hunter movement back then. But as you can see, both the case and movement appear pretty high end. Interestingly, the movement was non-running when I received it, and the crystal was absent. When I disassembled the movement, I found a single strand of dark wool fouling the pallet fork. Possibly from a men's three piece suit? The movement was otherwise pristine. And, with the hunter case protecting the dial minus glass, our subject watch may have made it through 100 years of time "unrunning" but rather unscathed otherwise. I was lucky to find a flat crystal of the exact diameter needed that worked with the hunter case lid closure and hand clearancess.

Canuck · Aug 15, 2025

Regrettably, I don’t own this one. I’ve shown it here before, and I’ll beg your indulgence by showing it again, before it goes back to its owner.

This watch is a Hamilton Ball watch, 23-jewels, basically, a Hamilton grade 950E (E stands for Elinvar). This movement is sort of transitional between the earlier Hamilton grade 950, and the later 950B. The case is white gold filled, and its condition is exquisite, as is the ORRS Ball vitreous enamel, Montgomery 12-hour dial, and the movement. Movement S# B649675, Wadsworth Ball Model white gold filled case S# 7802262.

Here is the pocketwatchdatabase information on this handsome artifact. Not extremely rare, but very rare in this condition.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/ball/B649675

The data base dates this watch is circa 1941. In 1941, the 950B was introduced, so I believe this one to be earlier than 1941. That, plus by about 1941, Hamilton had changed the design of the spokes on the train wheels. This watch has “swedged” spokes on the train wheels, where Hamilton no longer swedged the spokes after 1941. The 950E (this watch) was introduced circa 1931. This one is from the second run of this model. I believe it was likely made circa 1935.

Duracuir1 · Aug 16, 2025

I met a 32 year old guy from Michigan a few days ago. He came into my shop asking if I had pocket watches.

He buys and repairs them and had a nice looking Illinois (photo of one of his repairs). It had a beautiful movement and I will try to get photos.

Nice to see a young guy interested in pocket watches, and repairing them. I suggested he join OF and look for this thread…

He has not yet replied.

Then, yesterday, a regular visitor brought in this tool. (See pics).

I see Tissot on it and did a Google image search. Something to do with mainsprings.

Canuck will know.

Canuck · Aug 16, 2025

The tool is a hole punch, deigned primarily for punching holes in mainsprings. The outer tip is deigned to permit the tool to be used to punch a new hook inside a mainspring barrel. I have the same tool, likely pre-owned when my late father acquired it about 80 years ago.

AdamVT227 · Aug 17, 2025

Hi, I have this Elgin Grade 303 7J SN-24666011 from my great grandfather Im currently restoring.
after disassembly I spotted that the Lower balance jewel hole is cracked.
When I tried to look for one for sale I saw different letters after the part number.

This is one I saw for sale on ebay, but not sure if its the correct part.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/365718427075

Any help will be highly appreciated.

TexOmega · Aug 18, 2025

Two circa 1920’s/30’s Gruen gentleman's pocket watches, 12s.....one has both a pentagon shaped case and glass crystal with cool looking pentagon shaped sub-dial.

The second style they offered had a round crystal.

The one with "Precision" has the nicest movement made/assembled in a separate building with their best watchmakers.

At one point this was called Medalist and another Harvard

Canuck · Aug 18, 2025

Inspired by @TexOmega ‘s handsome Gruen, I found this on line. Most U S watch companies produced karat gold “prestige” models for presentation. The one that comes to mind right off is the Hamilton “Masterpiece” 12-size watch with the grade 922 Masterpiece movement. Keystone Howard, Elgin, Waltham, and possibly others had similar offerings. Back to the Gruens above. The Gruen 50th anniversary model as shown, joined the flock.