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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck
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I think I have the details correct. B W Raymond was the chap who helped set up the land deal where Elgin initially built its factory. Your Elgin is a manual winder. These are free sprung. That is, there is no traditional regulator on them. The arms on the balance wheel are in the shape of two semi-circular volute curves, each with a tiny weight on them which are moved over the balance arms, speeding up or slowing down the rate. These watches are not designed to be shock resistant, but the unusual balance arms are known to flex a bit in the event of a blow. In the photo I showed, there are 4 Accutron 214 models like yours. These were not the first railroad standard wrist watches, but they revolutionized the market for wrist watches for railroaders. They were the first widely accepted, and very successful railroad standard wrist watches. I have often had occasion to wonder how these Accutrons performed for crews that operated diesel/electric locomotives.

I just noticed that there are 3 12-hour dials among the railroad wrist watches. The Hamilton, the Elgin, and one Accutron 214. The rest are 24-hour dials. One of my Accutron 214s has the double hour hand.

(Apologies for turning the pocket watch thread into a thread about wrist watches!)
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Waltesefalcon
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To go along with Canuck's post above, here is a photo of Elgin's durabalance. When this watch came to market, only Patek already had a free sprung balance out.
Durablance Picture.webp
 
Canuck
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
To go along with Canuck's post above, here is a photo of Elgin's durabalance. When this watch came to market, only Patek already had a free sprung balance out.
Durablance Picture.webp
A picture is worth a thousand words! @Waltesefalcon , thanks for that.
 
gilb12
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Im in love with this old (1815) verge Fusee Pocket Watch 馃槏馃槏馃槏馃槏


PS: Still working nicely for the entire lenght of the chain 馃槏

IMG_20250910_170908.webp IMG_20250905_094201.webp IMG_20250910_170704.webp
 
Canuck
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Quite remarkable. I am reminded of the two late 18th century verge pocket watches (one English, one French) that I encountered at an appraisal clinic I was involved in, earlier this year. I posted pictures at the time. Both of these watches were repeaters, and while I didn鈥檛 run the risk of winding either of them fully, they both ran quite nicely. The cases were both at least 18-karat gold, and both were works of art! Modern watches (in my opinion) don鈥檛 hold a candle to watches like the one posted by @gilb12 . Thanks for posting.
 
gilb12
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Canuck Canuck
Quite remarkable. I am reminded of the two late 18th century verge pocket watches (one English, one French) that I encountered at an appraisal clinic I was involved in, earlier this year. I posted pictures at the time. Both of these watches were repeaters, and while I didn鈥檛 run the risk of winding either of them fully, they both ran quite nicely. The cases were both at least 18-karat gold, and both were works of art! Modern watches (in my opinion) don鈥檛 hold a candle to watches like the one posted by @gilb12 . Thanks for posting.



I Completely agree 馃槏馃槏
 
gilb12
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It鈥檚 also amazing to think, in my opinion, about all the history this watch has lived through, thanks to the watch papers I found inside it 馃槏馃槏馃槏


A fantastic piece of history imho 馃槏

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TexOmega
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Two eras of Bunn Special:
1917 Illinois Watch Co. Springfield
1931 Illinois Watch Springfield via Hamilton who bought them 1928.

IMG_8928.webp IMG_8929.webp
 
kfranzk
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I show here a few pocket watches for the British Army in WWI including an alarm watch, two chronographs and a transformation to a wrist watch. Konrad
British Lot 11 pocket WWI ~2.webp
 
Canuck
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Heritage Park Railway Days 2025. Our exhibit at the show. 98 pocket watches, 17 wrist watches, 3 railroad standard wall clocks. Fun, fun. Talked until I was hoarse.

IMG_3414.webp IMG_3415.webp IMG_3416.webp IMG_3420.webp IMG_3417.webp IMG_3419.webp
 
Canuck
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Duracuir1 Duracuir1
Bump from page 6.

I saw this at a garage sale. A victim of the crucible.

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A buffing ought to do it! Such a shame. It would cost a great deal more to restore this to its former glory than a well preserved, completely original 936 would cost. This is what the pocketwatchdatabase site says about this artifact:

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/244115

A friend recently bought a Hamilton grade 940, not running, but well preserved, and all there, for $400.00 (Cdn.) A bonus. An excellent, local private label, double sunk 24-hour dial. The case is poor, but useable until a donor can be found. Calgary NWT = North West Territories. Alberta became a province in 1905. Named after a daughter of Queen Victoria.

IMG_3382.webp IMG_3383.webp
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Waltesefalcon
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I really like 18s Hamiltons. I only havetwo but they are both among the most accurate watches I've ever owned. My 940 set me back about $200 ten or so years ago, it was my first 18s Hamilton and my oldest Hamilton being produced in 1903.
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Canuck
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I too have a Hamilton grade 940. Private label for retail jeweller GM Rioch, in Kenora Ontario. Bought at an NAWCC regional in Portland, Ore., close to 40 years ago. Not many Canadians at that regional, and any U S pocket watch collectors didn鈥檛 see it, or weren鈥檛 interested. I paid $250.00 (U S). At the same time, at the same dealer鈥檚 table, I bought my Hamilton grade 944, private label for D R Dingwall, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dial says D R Dingwall Limited, with no place name, so I鈥檓 sure it had also been overlooked. Also $250.00 U S. These started me buying Canadian private label watches. I now have 7, but always looking.
 
Canuck
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
I really like 18s Hamiltons. I only havetwo but they are both among the most accurate watches I've ever owned. My 940 set me back about $200 ten or so years ago, it was my first 18s Hamilton and my oldest Hamilton being produced in 1903.
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Looks like coin silver (.800 or .900), or possibly sterling silver. A plus. And it would seem as though it is original to the movement.
 
Waltesefalcon
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Canuck Canuck
Looks like coin silver (.800 or .900), or possibly sterling silver. A plus. And it would seem as though it is original to the movement.
It's coin silver. It is not original to this mov't. In the second photo, if you look closely you can see another screw mark on the case right next to the upper dog screw.
 
Waltesefalcon
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This thread is getting too low on the front page, so time to show and tell.

Today I'm wearing my Illinois Model 6 Bunn Special, circa 1903. I've owned this old watch for a few years now, it's a terrific time keeper and other than an ugly scratch on the mov't I think it's gorgeous.
20250925_082634.webp 20250925_082654.webp
 
Canuck
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My contribution. Also an 18-size Illinois. Double-sunk vitreous enamel, Montgomery 12-hour dial, with Gothic numerals, and one hairline crack. I bought this in Portland, Ore. about 40 years ago. Fahys gold filled case, 25-year grade, showing wear, but no brass.
Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
This thread is getting too low on the front page, so time to show and tell.

Today I'm wearing my Illinois Model 6 Bunn Special, circa 1903. I've owned this old watch for a few years now, it's a terrific time keeper and other than an ugly scratch on the mov't I think it's gorgeous.
The pocketwatchdatabase site info on @Waltesefalcon 鈥檚 handsome Illinois.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/1729840

I too have an 18-size Bunn Special Illinois. I bought it 40 years ago, in Portland, Ore. Double-sunk vitreous enamel, Montgomery 12-hour dial (unfortunately a small hairline) with Gothic numerals. This one is newer than the subject Illinois posted by @Waltesefalcon. The pocketwatchdatabase site info on mine.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/1916379

IMG_3455.webp IMG_3454.webp IMG_3452.webp IMG_3451.webp
 
Canuck
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Canuck Canuck
My contribution. Also an 18-size Illinois. Double-sunk vitreous enamel, Montgomery 12-hour dial, with Gothic numerals, and one hairline crack. I bought this in Portland, Ore. about 40 years ago. Fahys gold filled case, 25-year grade, showing wear, but no brass.

The pocketwatchdatabase site info on @Waltesefalcon 鈥檚 handsome Illinois.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/1729840

I too have an 18-size Bunn Special Illinois. I bought it 40 years ago, in Portland, Ore. Double-sunk vitreous enamel, Montgomery 12-hour dial (unfortunately a small hairline) with Gothic numerals. This one is newer than the subject Illinois posted by @Waltesefalcon. The pocketwatchdatabase site info on mine.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/1916379

IMG_3455.webp IMG_3454.webp IMG_3452.webp IMG_3451.webp
Came time to put this Illinois Bunn Special back into storage. I find that it runs nicely, face up, but not face down. Broken balance staff?I鈥檒l find out, later today.
 
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