Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck · Feb 23, 2021

Borosilikat
I love the third!, the Waldemar looks extremely fancy and antiquated, do you think it would fit a watch such as mine ?
And I am grateful that you made such a long and detailed post, you did not write more than I wanted to know at all, in fact I am always eager to learn more about watches and their history 😀
Great chains all!

You said the “ Waldemar looks extremely fancy and antiquated.” I think you must be confusing the Waldemar with the fancy chain on the small Waltham hunter watch. The Waldemar is about as basic as it gets, and would suit your watch, in my view.

Mad Cow · Feb 23, 2021

Great idea this one, am enjoying the show. 🍿

Canuck · Feb 23, 2021

Another favourite of mine. An 1857 model Waltham watch, 18-size, key winder, key set, produced circa 1875. 15 ruby jewels. This watch is listed as “adjusted”, but the Waltham “grey book” doesn’t specify what “adjusted” meant in about 1857. This watch would likely have qualified for “railroad use” in that era, when standards for railroad watches were loose. This one is in a coin silver open-faced case. “Coin silver” in the U S A usually meant .900 fine silver, while in Europe, “coin silver” was usually .800 fine silver. The Waltham “grey book” doesn’t specify, but I suspect this one has a “slow train”, or 14,400 beats per hour, rather than typical 18,000 bph on later models. Note that the dial is marked American Watch Co. AWCo. was located in Waltham, Mass. the company later became known as the American Waltham Watch Co., then, later just Waltham.

Borosilikat · Feb 23, 2021

Canuck
You said the “ Waldemar looks extremely fancy and antiquated.” I think you must be confusing the Waldemar with the fancy chain on the small Waltham hunter watch. The Waldemar is about as basic as it gets, and would suit your watch, in my view.

Yes you are right, my bad and thank you I think it would too 😀

Canuck · Feb 23, 2021

Probably 40 years ago, I was visiting an elderly aunt who knew my interest in watches. She gave me my late grandfather’s 9 karat rose gold English Waldemar pocket watch chain. It differs from any of the chains shown in this thread thus far in that it is about 12” in length with a swivel for a pocket watch on one end, and a spring ring for a pen knife on the other end. There is no “T” bar in the middle, so it goes through a button hole. It differs from other chains in this thread in that it has a short accessory chain toward the one end the chain. Possibly designed for a signet. I hang a late 19th century English gold Half-sovereign coin in a coin frame on that accessory chain. Watch on the swivel end, and a 14-karat gold pen knife on the other end. When the chain is worn, the coin shows, hanging in plain view in front of the vest.

The grandfather I refer to was born circa 1870, served on the London constabulary circa 1895, played cornet in the London police band in the Crystal Palace in front of Queen Victoria, circa 1897, and was a sergeant in the British military during the Boer War. Colourful guy!

Mad Dog · Feb 24, 2021

Thanks for initiating this thread, Doug. 👍

I dig the railroad machines...here’s a 23j Vanguard from the late 1920s [on the @DaveK lanyard] for Waltham Wednesday...

LesXL · Feb 24, 2021

Funny... Just bought my first pocket watch yesterday, to arrive in the coming days. Simple Omega one that was for sale here this week. Will post some pics once in my hands.

I want to add some more to my collection. I do remember having one (prolly a cheap one) when I was 16 yo, and going to school with it as I found it super cool... While ally peeps were wearing their Search watches.

So, a bit of nostalgia, but I have seen, here and else, some truly incredible dials and movements.

Is Sir @DaveK the one crafting landyards? I know I had seen them on my Instagram, and here as well, but wasn't remembering who it was?

DaveK · Feb 24, 2021

The best things come in threes 😗 My 3 Hamiltons

A gent’s size 12 cal 912 17j adjusted movement from 1926. True story, I thought the dial had wheat on it, turns out, its weed

Two cal 992b railroaders. CDN dial from 1945, Montgomery dial from 1940, the first year of production

The two 992bs are in the Hamilton #11 case. The #11 is my favourite because of the “speeding train wheel” motif around the case

DaveK · Feb 24, 2021

LesXL
Funny... Just bought my first pocket watch yesterday, to arrive in the coming days. Simple Omega one that was for sale here this week. Will post some pics once in my hands.

I want to add some more to my collection. I do remember having one (prolly a cheap one) when I was 16 yo, and going to school with it as I found it super cool... While ally peeps were wearing their Search watches.

So, a bit of nostalgia, but I have seen, here and else, some truly incredible dials and movements.

Is Sir @DaveK the one crafting landyards? I know I had seen them on my Instagram, and here as well, but wasn't remembering who it was?

Ohh, congrats on that watch, it’s a nice one. I’ll PM you about the lanyards, many thanks 🙄

Canuck · Feb 24, 2021

This one comes with a story, but I’ll abbreviate it. The case is a patented Ball 20th Century case, with a patented “stirrup” bow. But it came to me with a Waltham Vanguard movement in it. Was that bad news, or good news? Well, good news, actually, because I owned a Ball grade 999 (Hamilton) movement in a Waltham Vanguard case! What are the chances? A quick switcheroo, and the movements were abruptly in correct cases. Correct, except for one thing. The Ball 20th Century case originally came with a 23-jewel Hamilton movement in it, but it now houses a 21-jewel Hamilton movement. Circa 1915. When this watch was made, time service rules mandated that “private label” railroad watches were out! A railroad approved railroad watch must have the manufacturer’s name on the dial.....no more private labels! Ball bought all his movements from watch manufacturers such as Hamilton, Elgin, Waltham, Illinois, Aurora, Hampden, Howard, Seth Thomas, etc. But his watches had BALL on the dial! Essentially, private labels. Ball did a lot of “finishing” work in his shops in Cleveland, so he was able to qualify as a manufacturer.

DaveK · Feb 24, 2021

Canuck
...patented Ball 20th Century case, with a patented “stirrup” bow...

I take it that the special bow’s purpose is to protect the crown from the chain/lanyard?

amcclell · Feb 24, 2021

Mad Dog
Thanks for initiating this thread, Doug. 👍

I dig the railroad machines...here’s a 23j Vanguard from the late 1920s [on the @DaveK lanyard] for Waltham Wednesday...

This is what I'm talking about. I'll get one some day.

Canuck · Feb 24, 2021

DaveK
I take it that the special bow’s purpose is to protect the crown from the chain/lanyard?

The bow shown on the 20th Century Ball case was only one of similar types of bows that came along over decades. The concensus seems to be that the purpose was to keep the lanyard or swivel away from the crown. Anther arrangement that had a similar purpose was the “bar over crown” as shown on this Hamilton 950B. After 1892, most railroad approved watches were lever set, so there was no risk of the attachment pulling the crown out into a hand setting position, causing the watch to stop.

Bar over crown. This is the 950B with a @DaveK lanyard attached. I have always preferred a leather attachment when fitted to a gold filled case.

Canuck · Feb 24, 2021

I collect mostly American railroad grade and railroad approved watches. Swiss companies such as Universal Geneva, Zenith, Longines, and Omega also produced watches for use on railroads. Swiss railroad watches were more popular in Canada than in the USA, but some American railroad time service rules allowed Swiss-made, railroad grade watches. The watch pictured herein is Swiss. It has a private label dial marked for A Logan, Greenwood, British Columbia. Greenwood is about hiking distance from the US border. This watch is an Omega, but the movement is marked Louis Brandt & fils. Louis Brandt was the founder of the company that became Omega, early in the 20th century. This watch has 19–jewels, and it has all the requisite features to make it suitable for railroad use. It is known as grade CCR. This watch has a lengthy history with me which I have told before, so I’ll spare you. Circa 1908.

DaveK · Feb 25, 2021

CaliberKingPin · Feb 25, 2021

Very lovely watches guys,

Love the display of the four on the mantle very cool.

Speaking if pocket watches I’m actually on the hunt for one I’m looking for this movement.

Unitas 6498 movement or the clone made in China Unitas 6498 or Seagull 3620.

The watch repair lessons I’m going to be taking use this movement so to have one to follow along with would be great.

I would prefer one that is maybe not working or not in great shape as I’m going to be taking it apart!

Anyone have any leads please let me know.

Thanks

tikkathree · Feb 25, 2021

EDIT: I'm sorry that using an android in the hand scrambled the sequence of text and photos and the sequence of the photos (I mean, why would you?) Grrr: here we are now tidied up.

Okay here are the ones which are to hand. Not to hand are a 1953 commemorative watch and a weighty silver-cased key-wind job which I don't enjoy winding.
I tend to buy completely on impulse and will go for months, maybe even a year without even looking then suddenly an itch will come over me, you guys know the feeling.

The Omega and the Trenton hunter have had regular use over the past ten or so years and will take up duty when we are once again released from covid lockdown requirements. The rather dressy Alan Cooley was a limited run production by a local jeweller/watchmaker of that name who was trading about 50 miles away from me: it deserves use and will probably get it once covid restrictions blah blah blah. The chrono just caught my eye and well......

JimInOz · Feb 25, 2021

CaliberKingPin
Very lovely watches guys,

Love the display of the four on the mantle very cool.

Speaking if pocket watches I’m actually on the hunt for one I’m looking for this movement.

Unitas 6498 movement or the clone made in China Unitas 6498 or Seagull 3620.

The watch repair lessons I’m going to be taking use this movement so to have one to follow along with would be great.

I would prefer one that is maybe not working or not in great shape as I’m going to be taking it apart!

Anyone have any leads please let me know.

Thanks

I would recommend that you don't use the clones, just get a genuine ETA/Unitas movement, you'll be happy you did.

The clones aren't built to the same standards as the originals and that leads to problems getting things back together and adjusting properly.

Even getting a "non-working" or a "basket case" is for later when you know what you're doing.

I can't remember what @Mad Dog used, but I think it was a genuine ETA.

Canuck · Feb 25, 2021

Early on in my collecting endeavours, I was approached by a friend who was trying to help a friend who was in financial difficulty. This chap had a watch he needed to sell. This is it. The owner named a price, and given his situation, I paid his price. I told my friend that if the owner was ever able to sort out his finances, I’d sell him the watch for what I paid. Never heard from him! The watch is a Hamilton 992B in a model #7 gold filled case, double-sunk vitreous enamel 24-hour (Canadian) dial. Every collection “needs” a 992B, even though many don’t consider them to be a grail watch because there are a lot of them around. But the condition of this one makes it fairly desirable. Circa mid-1940s.

Waltesefalcon · Feb 25, 2021

My first really nice watch that I ever bought for myself was this Hamilton 992. It comes from 1927, has a pretty decent Montgomery dial, and is in the fairly desirable "bar over crown" Wadsworth case. One of my favorite details about this case is that the crown is marked "Hamilton Railroad" on the top.