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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

  1. LesXL Apr 3, 2021

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    Got it! Thank you, Sir
    Fingers crossed I might have an Illinois watch tonight :)
     
    Edited Apr 3, 2021
    noelekal likes this.
  2. TexOmega Apr 3, 2021

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  3. Canuck Apr 3, 2021

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    Here’s the skinny on @LesXL ‘s Illinois watch:

    https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/illinois/4557476

    The Meggers & Ehrhardt “blue book” on Illinois says:

    Temperature, three positions, isochronism, jewels in raised settings, rounded spoke train wheels and polished gold centre wheel, patent regulator, gold inlaid or regular, damascened, nickel gold or black filled engraving, gilded or nickel polished oval headed plate screws, double sunk glass enamel dial.

    The subject Illinois watch is single-sunk, not double-sunk, but I feel the dial is correct. The listings in the “blue book” are based on observed examples, and perhaps the sample they describe, had the double-sunk dial. This grade was introduced in 1912 (s#2415001), and by 1924 or 1925 when the subject watch was made, the double-sunk dial was likely no longer used on this grade. Nice watch. Not railroad approved.

    They also say that all but the earliest s# were double roller, even if the movement is not marked. The subject watch can safely be said to be double roller, even though it is not marked. This watch would have been approved for use on urban transit.
     
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  4. LesXL Apr 3, 2021

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    Thank you for your insight.

    I had also done my homework and looked at the PW website. I checked the grade 606 picture gallery and saw most had the Illinois Central written on the dial. That triggered my question to the Oracle here :)

    A few more hours to go. The thing is that not many of those are available here in Europe. I've seen many nice ones in the new Continent, but with postage and import taxes, it makes no sense.

    I have my PW piggy bank for when the pandemic is over and I can go back to visit my sister... And do some shopping !! ;-)
     
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  5. Canuck Apr 3, 2021

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    If you win it, how about posting some pictures? Best of luck!
     
    LesXL likes this.
  6. LesXL Apr 3, 2021

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    For sure! ... Got an Elgin somewhere above the Channel on my way to start with.

    And hopefully, the Illinois next, clock is ticking :)

    I blame all of you guys for bringing me into the dark side!

    Oh, and a lanyard that should be around Iceland now, before arriving to the Old Continent.

    April could become Christmas !
     
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  7. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Apr 3, 2021

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    Its been a rough few days here at the Katzenjammer residence...

    First this virtually NOS dial shows up in the mail, so I spent a pleasant hour fitting it to my silver cased 15j 18s Elgin movement.

    P1020325.JPG

    Best seen with the bezel off as the crystal has seen better days (100 years ago!)
    P1020326.JPG

    And then my watch maker says the deal he was brokering for another customer for an old Hamilton fell through and was I still interested in the nasty thing... so that HAD to come home.

    P1020329.JPG P1020334.JPG P1020331.JPG

    from 1926 its under 100 years old, so kinda new for my taste.... but I suppose it'll do.
     
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  8. LesXL Apr 3, 2021

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    I didn't get it... Sold for 340$. I thought that I could get better deal when I go back to the US.

    I'm sad :-(
     
  9. Alpha Kilt Owner, Beagle Parent, Omega Collector Apr 3, 2021

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    My thanks for your information and kind comments :thumbsup:

    Acquired a number of years ago from a Brocante in the south of France whilst on holiday.
     
  10. Fritz genuflects before the mighty quartzophobe Apr 3, 2021

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    I'm starting to forget wrist watches exist. I mean, I'm wearing one right now but they just don't seem to matter!

    GOOD THREAD!
     
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  11. LesXL Apr 3, 2021

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    Soon to be Sub-forum
     
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  12. Canuck Apr 3, 2021

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    The dial on your Elgin. The decoration is called “jewelling”.The decorative bits are hand applied while the enamel was soft following the firing. When the dial had cooled, a coat of powdered clear glaze called “flux” was sprinkled on, and the dial fired again. If you catch the dial in a glancing light, you’ll see the decorative bits are “under-glaze.” They are completely submerged in the glaze.

    Quite a decent Hamilton 992. Well done!
     
  13. Canuck Apr 3, 2021

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    I suspect you’ve bought an @DaveK lanyard. I am wearing my Howard series 9 pocket watch on mine, today. You'll love it!
     
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  14. TexOmega Apr 4, 2021

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    16s Rockford RR grade 545 Model 5
    21j circa 1903

    ED10B615-1B6F-4869-A4DF-296A6C1C26B5.jpeg DB953EB8-2270-407F-ACC3-1B98662632E4.jpeg 835C1301-B4B6-4EFA-96D7-81DFC9AAD39A.jpeg 7770E2EB-F1EB-4D51-9013-86BBE13C5F12.jpeg 0978FD39-9292-435B-866C-8AFBB032DFEE.jpeg
     
  15. DaveK Yoda of Yodelers Apr 4, 2021

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    Beautiful movement on that Rockford. ::love::
     
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  16. Canuck Apr 4, 2021

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    The skinny on @TexOmega ’s handsome Rockford.

    https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/rockford/620349

    (Quoted from Michael Harrolds book, American Watchmaking, a Technical History of the American Watch Industry, 1850-1930)

    One of the few companies to last 40 years was Rockford. They maintained a business in the railroad trade but also offered average and lower grade models. Production was never high, and on the average they manufactured in two weeks what Elgin made in one day.

    In business from 1874 until 1915, in Rockford, Ill.
     
  17. TexOmega Apr 4, 2021

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    If y'all noticed, my Rockford was an Internationally sourced PW....... Case was made in Canada, but I doubt it was the original.
     
  18. Canuck Apr 4, 2021

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    I didn’t see any extraneous case screw marks. Maybe the movement was exported to Canada, and then cased in a Canadian case. There was a time that many U S watch manufacturers didn’t case their movements. They were shipped in a container to the distributor or retailer, and cased when the customer bought the watch.

    I look at a perfect double-sunk vitreous enamel dial such as your Rockford has, and it occurs to me that, if the case suffered to the extent that it was replaced, the dial most likely would show signs of damage, as well.
     
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  19. TexOmega Apr 4, 2021

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    Possibly.

    I never tried to learn case numbers and how to date them(maybe for the 992 and 992b)for a bunch of the manufacturers. Some on the NAWCC forum did and could quote that info.
     
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  20. Canuck Apr 5, 2021

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    About 115 years ago when this artifact was made, when you wanted to buy a watch, you didn’t walk into a jewellery store to view a panoply of ready to wear watches, all arrayed in their point of sale display boxes, ready to be wound, set, and put in the pocket. Rather, you had to choose the movement, dial, hands, and case, after which the store watchmaker would fit the components of your choice, together.

    When it came time to choose the movement for your watch, this is likely what you were presented with, to start. A box with a movement in it!

    Then you chose the dial, hands, and case.

    95C7A9FB-9014-416E-9BAA-EA88844A2555.jpeg F1CACDA2-6D1E-4ECA-B67B-3E92FE0125AA.jpeg

    The movement in this watch might be an example of the sort of “eye candy” designed to help a customer make a choice. Two-tone, nicely damascened and engraved, but only 11-jewels, and unadjusted! Probably would appeal to someone who wanted “pretty”, before they wanted a high quality, precision time keeper. The movement is not marked “adjusted.” This is an 1883 model Waltham, made in about 1903. The 1883 model was produced in open faced and hunter cased models, in stem wind, lever set models, and stem wind, stem set models, and everywhere from 7 jewels, to 21-jewels. I have even seen them as key winders! It was produced from 1883 until about 1915, and there were millions of them made.

    67CD5CD8-B3CF-4F18-B5DE-ED98BAFBABFD.jpeg 13B43478-5AAD-434E-BE3F-5D50741935BF.jpeg

    Here’s the skinny on this artifact.
    https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/11375821
     
    Edited Apr 5, 2021
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