Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

TexOmega

Nifty HZ Culver variation you mention, congratulations. Post pictures when possible.

My grade 12 Model 1 Series 1 Circa 1871 National Watch Co in a MD Ogden variation with 11j.
18s with 3 oz coin silver case
KWKS with key. Winds well runs well enough.

bobertdob

Thats a really nice early Elgin you have. I rarely see the original National pocket watches. Glad you provided the pic of the M D Ogden movement. Mine is of the similar timeframe labelled H.Z. Culver. My entire watch weighs in at 184.1 grams so I assumed its a 4 oz case as the movement should be around 60 grams plus or minus. Your case and mine have a nice patina which I love to see on these old pocket watches. I am considering leaving mine as is since the patina is very even and rich looking in hand. I have inspected my watch and observed that it runs but stops which I believe is just the need for an immediate cleaning. The balance is good and the escapement is functioning as the second hand moves nicely when it runs...I hope to get it cleaned in a month or so. I have a few pocket watches in with my watchmaker including a nice early 1872 Longines needing the cannon pinion tightened up...so I have to wait awhile... I am not familiar with the Ogden or Culver names it would be really interesting to know more about these early National models I assume there will be more named movements....

Waltesefalcon

In addition to the 1873 Model 1, 9j, Hoyt Grade, I have four more Model 1s covering fourteen years of production.

An 1874 11j, Currier Grade, this one runs and has a hand set. I just repaired the dial. The seconds bit was detatched and chipped. I need to pick up some plaster to fill that chip, and it needs a new crystal before I clean it and reinstall the hands.

An 1874 15j, Miller Grade, this one has several broken jewels. I don't have any jewels for it, so this one is lower down the service list.

An 1883 11j, Grade 101. This one runs and keeps time. I bought it a few years ago from @TexOmega after being a bit smitten with wavy dameskeen pattern.

And lastly, an 1887 11j, Grade 99. This one ran when I bought it a few years ago but it needs a service now.

bobertdob

Thank you for the Illinois Key Wind pics. My 18S 15J Adj Miller Grade was made in 1875. I was particularly impressed with the case inside a case construction its serial 35552 and the outside case has what looks like a Bulls Eye Crystal which interested me greatly. Not typically found on American movements but this is Canada so likely the initial owners British oriented preference. I just got it this week so its in the queue for cleaning and a second hand. I got it for a very good price ($117)...I think I might have paid that for the empty Fays No 1 Silverore case but the package with that Illinois mvt was compelling at that price!!

bobertdob

Thank you for the Illinois Key Wind pics. My 18S 15J Adj Miller Grade was made in 1875. I was particularly impressed with the case inside a case construction its serial 35552 and the outside case has what looks like a Bulls Eye Crystal which interested me greatly. Not typically found on American movements but this is Canada so likely the initial owners British oriented preference. I just got it this week so its in the queue for cleaning and a second hand. I got it for a very good price ($117)...I think I might have paid that for the empty Fays No 1 Silverore case but the package with that Illinois mvt was compelling at that price!!

bobertdob

Thank you for the comment on the Model 1 dials. The second Illinois I got last week was an 18S 11J model 1 Grade 6 Class 5 made in 1886 but the dial is fancy and interesting. This watch came in its leather pouch. The case is beautiful being 194.29 grams coin silver so its likely a 5 oz case. I have a spare movement with the appropriate 2 screw winding arbor guide so when it goes in for cleaning it will become a complete movement again. The leather case was a nice touch!! But I do like the fancy dial in nice condition.

Waltesefalcon

I really like your Miller! That pair case really is pretty scarce for an American made watch. If you look closely you'll notice that mine is marked 'adjusted' on the balance cock and yours isn't. Yours also has the early two line address dial. I'll go ahead and call dibs on it in case you ever decide to part with it. One of my collecting goals is to pick up one example of each of the original Illinois named grades.

Canuck

One that I have shown here before. The audience keeps changing, so perhaps some folks might not have seen it. This watch (on a long chain) and two other watches were offered to me for free. The guy who offered them had also received them for free. I was really only interested in this one, so I offered $100.00 (Cdn.) for it. He said it was all on nothing, so I took all 3 for $100.00. He said he’d give the money to the guy he got them from, so I upped the ante to $150.00 so he’d get $50.00 out of it. Several days later, I checked out the chain on this watch. It was 40” long, and weighed 16.5 grams! It took a while, but I found a 10 karat stamp on the chain! I figured it was worth about $450.00 for scrap. I gave the chain back to my friend! Call me dumb.

The watch is a private label for the jeweller Porte & Markle in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It likely predates 1907 since that is when they sold the business. Canadian gold filled case, movement by Electa (Swiss) which was associated with Gallet. The movement is marked 23-jewels, but only 19 of them do anything. There are four “dummy” synthetic ruby cap jewels that are there for decoration! Legislation was enacted at one point which meant that only functional jewels could be included in the jewel count. This one came under the wire. On an earlier post (while the movement was not identified), a poster on this message board recognized the movement as an Electa, and was kind enough to identify it for me. Thumbs 👍.

I usually expect to see Swiss watches with friction set jewels and undecorated finish on the plates. But for a Swiss movement, I find this one to be quite attractive.