Ingersoll-Trenton in display case This is one not seen often since roughly 15 are documented out of a production run of 1500. All movements would fall within the serial range: # 3,239,721--3,467,222 and scattered in blocks throughout that range. Mine is # 3,419,407 and made post 1908, after Ingersoll bought Trenton WC. 19j because they capped the pallet fork pivot jewels and advertised it as " 21j performance at 15j prices!" RR grade and not so much RR approved since it was pendant set. Yet, the last RR regulation for accepting pendant set movements was 1908, so, maybe a spur here or there may have approved this watch but certainly not on a mainline. Double Roller and 3-finger bridge on this decorative movement Swiss made enamel dial with midnight blue/blackish (not red) 5 minute markers Was happy to find this watch in a "lot" of PW's I bought but this one was not mentioned in the advert...Bonus!! This was 10-15 years ago, and listed as a 1-Star watch then, when I did this research. Maybe a few more have surfaced since.
Sharp! A new one to me. The pocket watch data base doesn’t know a lot about this grade, so I have omitted the “skinny”on this one. From the Shugart issue 2014 guide. Trenton watches were marketed under the following labels: Trenton, Ingersoll, Fortuna, Illinois Watch Case Co., Calumet U S A, Peerless, A C Roebuck, Locomotive Special (I showed one of those, earlier. That one was a junker.), Marvel Watch Co.,and Reliance Watch Co. Serial number 3,419,771 of this grade is shown in the Shugart 2014 guide. And, of course, Ingersoll sold to U S Time Corp. Timex. This watch would likely also have been accepted on urban and inter urban lines.
A colleague’s great grandfather’s watch. Ordinary looking compared to ones in this thread, but quite a priceless family treasure! This guy always said he did not get my love of watches. This one has helped him understand. I like the hands!
The PocketwatchDatabase has been running a series this week on Instagram on the history of custom photos on PW dials. Interesting stuff. https://www.instagram.com/p/CNSIwLULyaG/?igshid=1np7t4er89wx
Looks like that one has has a rough time. But onto its good points. The style of gold plating on a two-tone silver case, is called a “galonne” finish. It was popular in Europe, in the last decade or so of the 19th century. The case is stamped .800, which is otherwise known as “coin silver”. At one time, silver coinage (.800 fine) was replaced with cheaper base metal, and tons of silver coins were turned into silver flatware, silver hollowware, decorative metal trim, pocket watch cases, etc. etc. The European standard for coin silver was .800, and American coin silver was .900 fine. The cuvette. Is engraved Ancre, for anchor escapement instead of cylinder. Spiral Breguet refers to the overcoil hairspring, and 15 rubis refers to the 15-jewels. You may notice that the cuvette (inner back cover) is stamped metal, which means it is not silver. The barleycorn finish on the case back, the vacant cartouche (shield) and the hand-engraved surround is particularly attractive. The movement is seemingly in decent condition, and average to better than average for the era. Too bad about the messy vitreous enamel dial!
The Dominion Railways Waltham 1883 model! A grail watch for some collectors. I showed one, earlier in this thread. The picture on the dial is hand-decorated in multi-coloured vitreous enamel. All done free-hand! A separate firing in a kiln for each colour. Look for the forward I included, earlier, covering production of vitreous enamel dials.
On a trip to England some years ago, we were in London. We went to the Clockmaker’s Guild Museum. One of the artifacts on display was a Waltham pocket watch, probably in a Dennison case. On the topic of dials with enamelled images, the subject watch had a picture of a young woman, and her child. I know you won’t sleep unless I tell you! About the subject of the image. Anyone care to take a guess at who the mother and child are?"........................................ I though not. The painting done in fired vitreous enamel is, wait for it................! I just know you won’t sleep unless I tell you. It is........! .
Today, I'm sharing an odd watch for this particular thread. It's my Elgin B.W. Raymond wrist watch with a 780 movement. Why am I showing this watch on the pocket watch thread? Because this thread has shown an interest in railroad watches and the B.W. Raymond wrist watch with a 730a movement was the first wrist watch approved for use on US railways. The 780 is a later development of the 730a. You might notice that it lacks a regulator, that's because it is equipped with Elgin's proprietary "durabalance" balance wheel that uses moveable weights positioned along the spiral arms of the balance for regulation. Below is a decent write up of the durabalance. http://elginwatches.org/history/fm.html
You have to wonder about this “expert”, calling the dial “porcelain enamel” and turbillion! (As in tourbillon). But interesting, nonetheless.
The Turbillion was made of the more desirable stainless steel and there was a considerable wait time. You had to buy the lesser Turmillion to even be considered as a Turbillion owner. That’s my knee slapper for today!
Illinois Bunn Special with Montgomery Dial 4th Rayed Pattern Model # 9(no Motor Barrel) circa 1917 RR grade and approved
Winston Churchill’s wrist watch and pocket watch, the “Turnip”. Exquisite taste in pocket watches. https://richardlangworth.com/churchills-pocket-watch-wristwatch
A Five Minute History of the Pocket Watch. In an earlier post, I mentioned King Charles II (King of Scotland, 1649-51, King of Scotland, England, and Ireland, 1660-85) who instructed his tailor to fashion a waistcoat (vest) with pockets in which he could carry his pocket watch. This was in an era when pockets in clothing were not fashionable. This is an article on 17th and 18th century watches. You will notice that many of the earlier ones have only an hour hand. Eye candy! The man (or woman) in the street didn’t carry a watch, or possibly didn’t own a timepiece of any sort. https://fiveminutehistory.com/watches-of-a-bygone-time/
The skinny on this one comes directly from the Meggers and Ehrhardt “blue book”- adjusted to temperature, six positions, isochronism, ruby jewels in raised gold jewel settings, gold balance screws and train wheels, patent regulator, two patterns of damaskeening, nickel, black filled engraving, double sunk glass enamel or sunk second silver metal dial, Arabic numerals, some cased at the factory after 1924. This handsome example of @TexOmega ‘s appears to have not done service in the bib overalls of a railroader! Condition! And I see only one repair number inside the case back! Serial numbers 3,076,001 to 4,383,400, 1917 to 1924. This fine example is from a run of 1,000.
Elgin grade 581 Pendant set B.W. Raymond with metal Montgomery dial 16s gold gilt 22j Sweep Seconds modification for US Army A.C. 12hr version of the Master Navigation Watch Nickel Illinois Case 1942
The skinny on @TexOmega ’s Elgin. Reminiscent of the equivalent version of the Hamilton 3992B. I didn’t know Elgin did this model. Dressed to the nines with gold plated movement, jewels in chatons with screws, adjusted to railroad standards, but in a utilitarian nickel case. Pendant set, not lever set. I have seen elsewhere that these were used by hydrographers, back in the day. It seems that some of this model were done with nickel plates, as well. A curiosity. https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/40470977
An enjoyable visit to 'Fort George' a few years back https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/fort-george-p245961 and on perusing the museum came upon this piece, sorry about the image quality.