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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck
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The marginal minutes on a dial were common to the Montgomery style of dial. Montgomery was a competitor to Ball, and I very much doubt Ball would have used the Montgomery dial in his hey day. But the Ball 435B (above) with the marginal minute dial came along a long time after Ball left this earth, so here we have a Ball Watch with a marginal minutes dial. The Ball 435C dial I showed above has no marginal minutes.
 
Waltesefalcon
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Sure enough, when you zoom in on @TexOmega 's 435B you can see the Swiss style cap jewel fittings. Thanks for sharing that bit of information @Canuck .
 
TexOmega
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Hamilton 4992B Master Navigation Watch circa 1943-4
Hacks
Leather carry case is a bit less supple than when issued.

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Canuck
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TexOmega TexOmega
Hamilton 4992B Master Navigation Watch circa 1943-4
Hacks
Leather carry case is a bit less supple than when issued.

IMG_1577.webp IMG_1578.webp IMG_1579.webp IMG_1580.webp IMG_1581.webp
A friend of mine has one of those. They were available in chrome plated case (yours), or sterling silver cases.
 
Spanakopita
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Canuck Canuck
Likely a coin silver case.

From the pocketwatchdatabase site.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/9326329

It seems to me to be quite late for a key winder with an estimated production date of 1899.
Yes, that correlates with what I was told elsewhere, it's a model 1883 from 1899. The case is sterling silver (as shown by the lion passant) and hallmarked 1900 in Birmingham (England). The Maker's mark on the case is A.B for Waltham Watch Company (AB - Alfred Bedford was the manager of Waltham Watch Co, Holborn Circus, London).
 
Spanakopita
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ghce ghce
Looks quite nice, great if it has sentimental value. If you want to collect PW's it's best to go for those with a higher Jewel count with 15 Jewels being your minimum unless it's for a particular rare or low production, special inscription etc otherwise 15 to 23 jewels. The other feature to look for is the words adjusted or adjusted to X number of positions. Rail Road grade watches are ultimately always good value and many collectors just look only for those.
The good thing about PW's is that they are abundant though as I say avoid the lower Jewel counts.
I came across a few recently while doing some tidying up in the library. They were my grandfather's but I don't remember him actively using them.
There's a lot of social history in a pocket watch for potentially not much money. Arguably, American pocket watches, such as Waterbury and Ingersoll, did as much for the democratisation of time-keeping in the late 1800s as Japanese quartz watches in the late 1900s.
 
Spanakopita
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Tonight's watch is a Rotherham & Sons (Coventry, England). It's inside a sterling silver Dennison case from 1919. I'm told that Rotherham had a longstanding relationship with Gallet (this watch contains Gallet's Electa movement) ultimately buying the Electa movement factory from them in 1926.

As you can see, sadly, at some stage the case was opened by barbarians.
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Canuck
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This watch is not Swiss, it is of English make. The name on the dial is Stewart Dawson of Liverpool, though he had numerous branches throughout the British Commonwealth. Key wind, key set, no fusee, English lever escapement, circa 1885. The one posted by @Spanakopita reminds me very much of this watch. Many watches of the era of my watch have a cannon pinion quite different to the cannon pinion on later watches. This watch came to me as part of a package of watches. Someone unfamiliar with the workings of the cannon pinion on this one had given up, and the watch needed work when I got it. Sterling silver case, vitreous enamel dial, hands not original. Picture includes the 66 gram sterling silver Waldemar pocket chain, and a silver Canadian 50¢ piece in a coin frame. The picture also includes an image of a Stewart Dawson store. The name of the jeweller is still around, I am told.

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TexOmega
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Illinois Bunn Special model 6 made between 1900-02 since that is the time frame they added the pink gold to the yellow gold inlaid circle. Added pink designates this as 3rd pattern.

image.webp 1894417-33773caac86cc4e061dc65236fe19b20.jpg.webp
 
Waltesefalcon
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TexOmega TexOmega
Illinois Bunn Special model 6 made between 1900-02 since that is the time frame they added the pink gold to the yellow gold inlaid circle. Added pink designates this as 3rd pattern.

image.webp 1894417-33773caac86cc4e061dc65236fe19b20.jpg.webp
An absolutely stunning example!
 
pdxleaf
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I
TexOmega TexOmega
1914 grade 946

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This is sssstunning.

What's the story behind it?

How did you find it? Were you looking for one or did you trip over it? Did it pop up in a public sale or was it a private offer? Did you learn any info on previous owners?

I see watches like this and my mind goes to how, where...
 
TexOmega
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No exotic story.
I collected pw's many years before wrist, and the 2 or 3 watch Forums (that are still around) were getting onto the WWW so many more people showing/talking about their pw's. Same with online auctions. Not necessary traveling to the watches when annual watch conventions, flea markets and pawn shops were your only major options.
Bought this one in mid 2000's off a large internet public auction.
All the years of reading and looking is rewarded when one like this pops up and you know the chances of seeing another in this condition are minimal.

Thanks for the comments.

Display back and front have the very thick glass. My watchmaker serviced and switched out the worn out gf case(not original) for this very robust 18S case, which easily doubles as a defensive weapon in a pinch.

Can't beat the fonts from Illinois Watches from this era.....Gothic
 
Waltesefalcon
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My Model 6 Bunn Special is much like @Canuck 's. I do keep an eye peeled for one like @TexOmega 's but those are few and far between by comparison.
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I do have a two tone Bunn, but it's a completely different beast: a 17j Model 5 Bunn.
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TexOmega
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Pro tip when you are out and about or seeking online:

The earliest, least common and correct dial variant for model 6 Bunn Special pws have 2 characteristics, heavy Gothic Old English Arabic numerals and the “open” top “4”

Good luck

IMG_1643.webp
 
Waltesefalcon
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TexOmega TexOmega
Pro tip when you are out and about or seeking online:

The earliest, least common and correct dial variant for model 6 Bunn Special pws have 2 characteristics, heavy Gothic Old English Arabic numerals and the “open” top “4”

Good luck

IMG_1643.webp
There's an early Model 6 Bunn Special mov't on Ebay right now and the reason I don't jump on it is that the open top 4 dial is badly cracked and I think I'd drive myself crazy looking for one.
 
pdxleaf
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
... I think I'd drive myself crazy looking for one.

Speaking of going crazy, I started the hunt for one of these dials, should anyone have a lead.😬

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