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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

watchmann44232
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Found a Waltham. It's in the mail and will report in when it arrives. However same seller has another and he asked if I'd be interested. However with this one I am at loss.

It appears to be Waltham Size 18s Appleton Tracy Co marked movement PW in hunting config with serial 1447335 (prod. date ~ 1880-1881). But the regulator gives me a pause: it looks a bit like Woerd 1870 B, but isn't. And I cannot find this kind of regulator hardware in anything I look at[1][2][3][...].

Any thoughts what am I looking here / what is going on with this PW?

appleton01.webp appleton02.webp


[1] https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guide/company/waltham/regulators
[2] https://blog.pocketwatchdatabase.co...-appleton-tracy-co-marked-on-waltham-watches/
[3] https://www.pricelessads.com/m57/monograph/changes.html
 
watchmann44232
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Thank You @Canuck! So it was a collection of parts then. 👍 And for clarity - I did NOT purchase above watch. Sorry about the confusion. It's just from a same seller that I purchased another Waltham asking if I would be interested.
Edited:
 
watchmann44232
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I suppose no point to keep up the 'suspense'. Below is what is in the mail / I did purchase:

  • Waltham Vanguard model model 1892 with serial 7011077 from ca. 1895-1898 (possibly only second full [production] run of 18s OF Vanguards?), 18s, 21j, OF, Church 1892 regulator
  • [Fahys] Coin No 1 case (Silver) with stallion gold inlaid decoration (decoration was $1 extra at the time)
  • Dial is single sunk Waltham dial, but presumably not original to this movement as according to [NAWCC] the block letters only appeared around 10M++ serial
  • Spade & Whip hands seem like dial and period appropriate, even if not original to this watch

All in all I am pretty excited about this find. Actually that is an understatement - I am very excited. I hope my analysis stands, and finding this early(ish) Vanguard in what I would maybe call honest condition here in Europe is pretty exciting (vs. trying to buy one from Ebay from a US seller, which would feel almost cheating... ). Also, while the dial is very simplistic compared to original double sunk dials, I feel whoever put it there did a good job.

waltham01.webp waltham02.webp waltham03.webp waltham04.webp


As for the seller, he moves estates and other scrap and unfortunately he wasn't able to share how the watch has found it's way to the old world (I've purchased from him before and at least then items were as described, so to speak).

[Fahys] https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/gui...ch-case-co/grades/Fahys-Coin-Silver-No-1::318
[NAWCC] https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/waltham-vanguard-with-roman-numeral-dial.132882/
[production] https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guide/company/waltham/source/waltham-gray-book-serial-list/37
 
Canuck
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The Waltham 1892 model is a favourite of mine. I have a CPR, two CRTS, and a Vanguard or two. I’m pleased you hadn’t bought that turkey with the wrong balance cock.
 
watchmann44232
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Thank You. That Vanguard I suspect will always hold a special place in my collection (many firsts for me there). Overall, Waltham, Illinois, Elgin and Hamilton pocket watches are really growing on me.

CPR, CRTS - Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian Railway Time Service I presume.
 
Canuck
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watchmann44232 watchmann44232
Thank You. That Vanguard I suspect will always hold a special place in my collection (many firsts for me there). Overall, Waltham, Illinois, Elgin and Hamilton pocket watches are really growing on me.

CPR, CRTS - Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian Railway Time Service I presume.
Precisely! Well done!
 
noelekal
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watchmann44232 watchmann44232
Thank You. That Vanguard I suspect will always hold a special place in my collection (many firsts for me there). Overall, Waltham, Illinois, Elgin and Hamilton pocket watches are really growing on me.

CPR, CRTS - Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian Railway Time Service I presume.
That's the four brands I found myself gravitate to and of them I find myself pulling for the Illinois the most. I need to branch out into other American brands as well as adding an Omega and Longines or two.
 
Canuck
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I’d include Keystone Howard in my personal list. And E. Howard as well.
 
noelekal
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Oh, I need to report back on the "Great Pocket Watch Spillage" of April 24, 2026 I reported here on April 29th.

All watches tested to still merrily tick and keep time and are none the worse for the experience. Given that they all clattered to the floor in an avalanche and some appeared to hit pretty hard I feel fortunate indeed!
 
Canuck
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noelekal noelekal
Oh, I need to report back on the "Great Pocket Watch Spillage" of April 24, 2026 I reported here on April 29th.

All watches tested to still merrily tick and keep time and are none the worse for the experience. Given that they all clattered to the floor in an avalanche and some appeared to hit pretty hard I feel fortunate indeed!
The most important consideration is, have you taken measures to assure this never happens again? Odds are you won’t be so fortunate if this ever happens again!
 
noelekal
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True that Canuck. I did move the case to achieve that end.
 
bobertdob
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Canuck Canuck
Precisely! Well done!
Yes very well done! I think its important to have a plan and try to stay within that plan but be clever enough to modify it as you progress so as not to build too many multiples of the same thing and to be able to expand your plan as you progress. Your target watches are about where I think I was in about 1985 and then I wanted to explore Columbus, Burlington and Southbend, expand my acquisitions of Illinois, dedicate a lot of time on early American key winds and then begin into the Private Label watches beginning with the Regina and Charles Stark which is just the Omega being mass marketed outside of Omega's contracted sellers on Regina and Illinois and Aurora on Charles Stark....which led to the T Eaton Gallet and Pequegnat pocket watches and interestingly the Longines pocket watches Private Labelled into the UK and Canada....Ive got a 19B Russell 16s in for cleaning now and a 20B 18S to AS Murray London Ontario in my collection for years and Longines Express RRs...fabulous watches....and for the last two years the magnificent E Howards collecting two Series IIIs including a Marshans a Series VII hunter and a Series VIII stem wind..... once you have your plan I found it important to develop a scoring system since I buy most of my pocket watches using either the Hibid or iCollector auction platforms of online trading.....I basically have come to handicap each watch I am considering well before the auction as to its value from both a personal and investment perspective. The handicap is based on known information and usually pictures and I rarely stray beyond that enveloppe..... Good luck with your pursuit...I think its been a great hobby and an enriched study in history but my wife on the other hand has expressed other thoughts....
Because there is so much money tied up in this hobby its important to maintain a log of all your inventory. My family has insisted on this.....and to be honest thats justified....so many of my better watches have been obtained at auction for literally chump change as estates have been liquidated. Most of the estate auction houses on Hibid and iCollector do not know anything about pocket watches and rarely list them properly....I don't want to leave my family at that jeopardy....Sorry if this note has gotten too heavy but its been that kind of day for me.....cheers...Bob
 
Canuck
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I, on the other hand, have no plan re: the building of my collection. When I find what I like in a condition I like, at a price I like, I buy it. I like Canadian private labels (Swiss and American), Waltham, Keystone Howard, Keystone, Elgin, Illinois, and a smattering of English watches. But the preponderance of my collection is wrist watches.
 
ghce
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bobertdob bobertdob
Yes very well done! I think its important to have a plan and try to stay within that plan but be clever enough to modify it as you progress so as not to build too many multiples of the same thing and to be able to expand your plan as you progress. Your target watches are about where I think I was in about 1985 and then I wanted to explore Columbus, Burlington and Southbend, expand my acquisitions of Illinois, dedicate a lot of time on early American key winds and then begin into the Private Label watches beginning with the Regina and Charles Stark which is just the Omega being mass marketed outside of Omega's contracted sellers on Regina and Illinois and Aurora on Charles Stark....which led to the T Eaton Gallet and Pequegnat pocket watches and interestingly the Longines pocket watches Private Labelled into the UK and Canada....Ive got a 19B Russell 16s in for cleaning now and a 20B 18S to AS Murray London Ontario in my collection for years and Longines Express RRs...fabulous watches....and for the last two years the magnificent E Howards collecting two Series IIIs including a Marshans a Series VII hunter and a Series VIII stem wind..... once you have your plan I found it important to develop a scoring system since I buy most of my pocket watches using either the Hibid or iCollector auction platforms of online trading.....I basically have come to handicap each watch I am considering well before the auction as to its value from both a personal and investment perspective. The handicap is based on known information and usually pictures and I rarely stray beyond that enveloppe..... Good luck with your pursuit...I think its been a great hobby and an enriched study in history but my wife on the other hand has expressed other thoughts....
Because there is so much money tied up in this hobby its important to maintain a log of all your inventory. My family has insisted on this.....and to be honest thats justified....so many of my better watches have been obtained at auction for literally chump change as estates have been liquidated. Most of the estate auction houses on Hibid and iCollector do not know anything about pocket watches and rarely list them properly....I don't want to leave my family at that jeopardy....Sorry if this note has gotten too heavy but its been that kind of day for me.....cheers...Bob
People with a plan usually end up at a satisfactory conclusion and having a plan focuses the mind on the important purchases.
Me, even though I know better than the shot gun approach still tend to just buy what pops up though my focus these days is pretty much just US RR but that of course in itself is a very wide field.
In times past I used to buy Brit and Swiss but there are just too many disappointments with them and 9.5 times out of 10 I find myself regretting the purchase, some people are slow learners!
 
Waltesefalcon
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I have always gravitated towards Hamilton and Illinois, and my "plan" if you can call it that is simply to acquire one of each of the original named Illinois grades, as well as one of each of the 992 and 950 variations. Once I accomplish that "plan" I'll probably have another one develop. Other watches I like pop up and I buy those as well, hence my Columbus Railway King, my 1892 Waltham, etc.
 
Canuck
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This thread has existed now for bit over 5 years. It has 319,000 + views, and 6,000+ posts. We are now at 294 pages. I am sure the moderators are besieged with requests to have new categories added to the forum list. But the popularity of pocket watches seems clearly evident to me. I realize it would have to be a “catch all” forum since there are so many brand names that have come along. But since there is a dedicated forum for “Other Brands” of wrist watches, I wonder if a forum for generic pocket watches might have a place. Just my thoughts.
 
Waltesefalcon
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Canuck Canuck
This thread has existed now for bit over 5 years. It has 319,000 + views, and 6,000+ posts. We are now at 294 pages. I am sure the moderators are besieged with requests to have new categories added to the forum list. But the popularity of pocket watches seems clearly evident to me. I realize it would have to be a “catch all” forum since there are so many brand names that have come along. But since there is a dedicated forum for “Other Brands” of wrist watches, I wonder if a forum for generic pocket watches might have a place. Just my thoughts.
If we had a dedicated "pocket watch" sub forum, then my Illinois thread would have a home.
 
bobertdob
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Canuck Canuck
I, on the other hand, have no plan re: the building of my collection. When I find what I like in a condition I like, at a price I like, I buy it. I like Canadian private labels (Swiss and American), Waltham, Keystone Howard, Keystone, Elgin, Illinois, and a smattering of English watches. But the preponderance of my collection is wrist watches.
I am also really interested in Canadian private labels having started to find them often on Regina watches a few Charles Stark Illinois and Aurora watches but more recently a Mallet PL Hamilton 924. I have a Pequegnat Swiss PL and an W Egger 23J 12 Size Swiss PL I have been unable to identify for years....and off coarse the T Eaton Gallets....
 
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