Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck

The story doesn’t end there. In 1890, the Canadian Horological Institute was founded in Toronto, by Henry Playtner. The institute was set up to teach basic watchmaking skills to those with no horological training, to offer upgrading to watchmakers with experience, and to teach some students to actually build a complete watch. One of the students was the son of G W Beall. He actually built a watch. After the institute training, this fellow worked in the Beall store as a watchmaker. He eventually bought the business. I like to think that perhaps, at one time, he may have worked on my Waltham.

Playtner, the founder of the institute, folded it about 1915 or so. He was inactive for a time, but eventually accepted the position as the general manager and head instructor at the Elgin School of Watchmaking in Elgin, Ill. He left after about 3 years because of interference from Elgin management. The President of Elgin, C H Hulburd placed his son in the school as a mole, and ol’ C H wouldn’t let Playtner run the school the way he wanted.

I bought this watch from an acquaintance about 15 years ago for (what I considered at the time), too much money. But since I have come to know quite a bit about the provenance of the watch, I realize he did me a favour by selling it to me, too cheap. I learned the background on my Waltham from the CHI book.

A friend, Gary Fox of Ottawa, has written two excellent books of interest. One book is on the Canadian Horological Institute, and the other is on the Elgin School of Watchmaking. These books are available from the author. Contact [email protected]. If interested.

AHW

Newly acquired, but not running Longines 19CH from 1891. It appears to be missing a lever on the chronograph mechanism and a broken mainspring, but hopefully there are no other unpleasant surprises. It has a really beautiful dial and movement so it would be very nice to get it up and running again.

bobertdob

Good luck with your project I only have a few Longines and nothing as incredible as your watch here but I did pick up an interesting Longines 16 Size Silver hunter British Private Label and had it cleaned and adjusted through the winter/Spring and got it back last wednesday. It was made in about 1872 and is the 19B key wind/set movement. Had a problem with the canon pinion that made the hour hand a bit erratic but good to go now... I have tried to pick up interesting and older Longines pocket watches and pleased to find a few over the years including an interesting Express Leader 18 Size Railroad watch.

Canuck

Try turning the bezel counter-clockwise wise, slowly, and listen for a “click”. This often indicates the thread in the bezel has aligned with the thread on the case.

Waltesefalcon

This is the way.