Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

TexOmega · Apr 18, 2026

Wore this as predicted.....grade 950B year 1950…….& Record Store Day was rainy, cool and productive.

TexOmega · Apr 18, 2026

bobertdob
Decided to wind up my 1879 Rockford for the day. Even though a full hunter AI confirmed it to be Railroad grade prior to the standardization rules which emerged about 1893. Would look nice in the hands of a conductor in his suit. Beautiful watch with its 4 oz silver case

Love this era Rockford

Open is from 1876, Hunter from 1877...both have GW Ladd cases, and absolutely gorgeous.

bobertdob · Apr 18, 2026

bobertdob
Decided to wind up my 1879 Rockford for the day. Even though a full hunter AI confirmed it to be Railroad grade prior to the standardization rules which emerged about 1893. Would look nice in the hands of a conductor in his suit. Beautiful watch with its 4 oz silver case

Not too sure anyone is interested but this Rockford is unusual. The PWDB identifies it as a Rockford Model 1 by serial number however since it is both stem and key wind its actually a model 2 and I believe one of the few watches Rockford produced at their factory converting Model 1 pure keywind movements into Model 2 movements which offered both Key and Stem wind...followed by the model 3 which is stem only....so technically its an 18S 15J stem wind with a key wind arbor on the movement but not in a keywind case. There is quite a bit of info on the NAWCC forums about these early Rockford watches...this one runs well...gains roughly 1 minute over three days.

TexOmega
Love this era Rockford

Open is from 1876, Hunter from 1877...both have GW Ladd cases, and absolutely gorgeous.

Stunning watches thx for displaying. I see very few early Rockfords here.

ghce · Apr 18, 2026

My 1901 18s 1892 Waltham for RR day on a Duricars leather lanyard. 125 years old and working like a new one!

Canuck · Apr 18, 2026

TexOmega
Wore this as predicted.....grade 950B year 1950…….& Record Store Day was rainy, cool and productive.

If the s# is S16016, here is what the pocketwatchdatabase says about it (the 950B I mean.) the information is correct for the watch, even if I mis-read the s#.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/S16016

Canuck · Apr 18, 2026

bobertdob
Not too sure anyone is interested but this Rockford is unusual. The PWDB identifies it as a Rockford Model 1 by serial number however since it is both stem and key wind its actually a model 2 and I believe one of the few watches Rockford produced at their factory converting Model 1 pure keywind movements into Model 2 movements which offered both Key and Stem wind...followed by the model 3 which is stem only....so technically its an 18S 15J stem wind with a key wind arbor on the movement but not in a keywind case. There is quite a bit of info on the NAWCC forums about these early Rockford watches...this one runs well...gains roughly 1 minute over three days.

Stunning watches thx for displaying. I see very few early Rockfords here.

Often called ”transitional” key wind. Produced at a time when demand for true key winders still existed. This transitional key wind could be fitted to a key-wind open faced case, or hunter case if it was for someone who wanted a key winder. Or it could be fitted to a stem wind hunter case.

I have two “transitional” Illinois stem wind model 2 Railroaders in hunter cases. In order to adapt the hunter case model 2 to an open faced case, Illinois produced the model 3 (fifth pinion) model which resulted in what had been a hunter only movement, becoming an open-faced case movement with the seconds hand at the 6 which was appropriate for a open faced watch.

Waltesefalcon · Apr 19, 2026

bobertdob
Not too sure anyone is interested but this Rockford is unusual. The PWDB identifies it as a Rockford Model 1 by serial number however since it is both stem and key wind its actually a model 2 and I believe one of the few watches Rockford produced at their factory converting Model 1 pure keywind movements into Model 2 movements which offered both Key and Stem wind...followed by the model 3 which is stem only....so technically its an 18S 15J stem wind with a key wind arbor on the movement but not in a keywind case. There is quite a bit of info on the NAWCC forums about these early Rockford watches...this one runs well...gains roughly 1 minute over three days.

Stunning watches thx for displaying. I see very few early Rockfords here.

Like Canuck, I own examples of transitional Illinois, both Model 2 and Model 3. I think that these watches occupy an interesting time in American watch making.

Waltesefalcon · Apr 19, 2026

ghce
My 1901 18s 1892 Waltham for RR day on a Duricars leather lanyard. 125 years old and working like a new one!

In my opinion, the 1892 was the best looking mov't Waltham ever made. There is just something about how the balance is just slightly recessed into the plate that makes it look really good to my eyes.

Canuck · Apr 19, 2026

Waltesefalcon
In my opinion, the 1892 was the best looking mov't Waltham ever made. There is just something about how the balance is just slightly recessed into the plate that makes it look really good to my eyes.

Agreed! One characteristic of the 1892 model Waltham. I am unable to recall any other American watch company who made a full plate, 18-size movement with visible winding wheels! Elgin made 18-size movements with visible winding wheels, but their movements weren’t full plate. Can anyone recall another U S watch manufacturer who produced an 18-size full plate movement that used any system other than behind the dial “rocker bar” type winding?

TexOmega · Apr 19, 2026

Canuck
If the s# is S16016, here is what the pocketwatchdatabase says about it (the 950B I mean.) the information is correct for the watch, even if I mis-read the s#.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/S16016

#S10016

TexOmega · Apr 19, 2026

My Illinois model 3 with 5th pinion.
Private label from Bangor, Maine(reminds me of the Roger Miller tune, “King of the Road”.)
And another gorgeous GW Ladd case, with both killer knurled AND coin edge design and thick glass crystal.

It came with a key, too.

Circa 1881

Waltesefalcon · Apr 19, 2026

I know I've posted this Miller grade, Model 3 on my Illinois thread, but here it is again.

I also have this lovely little Grade 5 Model 2.

I have two Grade 4 Model 2 Illinois, with the second one, the "Railroader" being one I really enjoy having with its mov't engraving. I even appreciate the irony of the Railroader not being approved for rail road service. It just goes to show that men have always loved trains.

Aroxx · Apr 19, 2026

Hi! (Martha here, typing this message for Alex) These are my (Alex’s) pocket watches, given to me about 3 years ago by my former mother-in-law. They’ve been in storage since my stroke and we just went over to get them today. They have been sitting around a looong time and I’m thinking about getting them serviced- the Elgin runs, but the Waltham doesn’t. I don’t know how old they are but if anyone has any idea, please let me know.

Canuck · Apr 19, 2026

The Elgin:

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/3275915

The Waltham:

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/10665463

Waltesefalcon · Apr 19, 2026

Aroxx
Hi! (Martha here, typing this message for Alex) These are my (Alex’s) pocket watches, given to me about 3 years ago by my former mother-in-law. They’ve been in storage since my stroke and we just went over to get them today. They have been sitting around a looong time and I’m thinking about getting them serviced- the Elgin runs, but the Waltham doesn’t. I don’t know how old they are but if anyone has any idea, please let me know.

Alex, what a lovely pair of ladies watches your ex-mother-in-law gave you. That 14K case the Elgin resides in is very nice. Thank you for sharing them.

I hope you're doing well.

Canuck · Apr 20, 2026

Google Images tells me that is a green or brown anole. They can change colour. Where I live (Canadian prairies) at this time of year, the wild fauna that we deal with (jack rabbits) also change colour. Right now, they are gradually changing from white to brown.

Duracuir1 · Apr 20, 2026

Like the above post… not a watch… I have a collection of ball gloves and mitts.

This one was due for a conditioning…

I had not noticed the button before. It has a locomotive. I have some with airplanes and brand names. But here…

A loose connection to the posts of the last few days. Choo choo!

TexOmega · Apr 20, 2026

Canuck
Google Images tells me that is a green or brown anole. They can change colour. Where I live (Canadian prairies) at this time of year, the wild fauna that we deal with (jack rabbits) also change colour. Right now, they are gradually changing from white to brown.

Yes, this little guy was on my rustically built fire pit using brown SE Oklahoma sandstones and was brown when spotted, it was traveling around struttin' his stuff , marking his territory and rounding up his harem....there were 2(that I spotted) green ones in and around my irises and daylillies. One scurried up to say Howdy….

Waltesefalcon · Apr 20, 2026

Here at Casa Walter we have horny toads (Texas Horned Lizards).

Canuck · Apr 20, 2026

No lizards where I live. Snakes? Yes, but thankfully, nowhere nearby!