Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

noelekal · May 5, 2021

A couple of noob questions for which I've not uncovered satisfying answers.

What is a false bridge as opposed to a true bridge?

This did not provide an answer, but was interesting none the less.
https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/reference/plates

Seems to be unique to pocket watch discussion, but what are runs? Production quantities are self evident. The link provides example within.
http://www.kirxklox.com/project/editorial_cms.php?id=2

river rat · May 5, 2021

Here is another Waltham model 1857 key wind but a P.S. Bartlett 11 jewel movement made around 1866. What made me collect these early key winds was they were around in the wild west like Wyatt Earp mite of carried one. Right now I don't live far from Virginia City MT a gold rush town a little history of it
Virginia City, Montana – A Lively Ghost Town – Legends of America

The case is in great shape no other screw marks so movement and case have been together maybe from the beginning.

Canuck · May 5, 2021

@noelekal ,

Excellent questions. First, I’ll show you a 16-size Waltham Crescent Street, assembled, and dimantlled. The arrow points at the FALSE bridge over the escape wheel in both pictures. In the second picture, you will see the escape wheel bridge is attached to the larger bridge. That is called a false bridge.

Next, a Hamilton 902, 12-size. Likewise the watch shown assembled and dismantled. In both pictures, the arrows point at 3 bridges. In the one of the watch dismantled, you will find the two small bridges are NOT attached. These are bridges, not false bridges.

Runs. When a watch making firm decides to make some more of a particular movement, they go to their serial number ledgers to pick out a BLOCK (of say 1,000) of thus far unused serial numbers. That BLOCK of serial numbers is set aside for the entire RUN of that particular movement. If it is a popular movement, they may set aside a BLOCK of, say, 10,000 numbers. On a less popular movement they may set aside a block of 500 numbers. They manufacture that movement until the BLOCK of numbers is used up producing that particular RUN. That comprises a RUN. A BLOCK may be used up in a short time. Or it may take much longer for that BLOCK to be used up.

Canuck · May 5, 2021

@river rat ,

The skinny on your Waltham.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/231179

Coin silver (.900 fine?), barleycorn engine turning, Open cartouche. You can often judge how much these old pelters have been enjoyed by previous owners by the state of wear on the barleycorn. Your looks to have been enjoyed,

TexOmega · May 5, 2021

Hamilton 992
Circa 1910
Absolutely gorgeous movement esthetics
Illinois Watch case Company
And a not often seen double sunk dial is the capstone

noelekal · May 5, 2021

Would that Hamilton be in a competitor's case TexOmega?

TexOmega · May 5, 2021

One could have a movement placed in any case that fit it at the time of purchase and of course change it over time.

This is how I bought it.

Canuck · May 5, 2021

noelekal
Would that Hamilton be in a competitor's case TexOmega?

The Illinois Watch Case Co. was not affiliated with the Illinois Watch Co. It was part of the Elgin Giant Watch Case Co. The IWCCo. Trade mark was registered in 1894. The company was located in Elgin, Ill. This information from Warren Neibling’s book History of the American Watch Case.

I don’t see any extraneous case screw marks on the case flange around the movement, so it would seem it was original to the movement.

My 992 (it seems), is newer than @TexOmega ‘s. It is in a Wadsworth case that doesn’t show up in the Shugart book. as a “Hamilton” case. My 992E does show up in a recognized Hamilton case. I also checked my two 992Bs, and my 950B, and they are in Hamilton cases. These last three are in Wadsworth cases. So it would seem that, as of the 992E (replaced the 992), these watches might have been shipped, cased.

I’ve never seen a two-tone 992. The markings on the dial are unlike anything I have seen.

TexOmega · May 5, 2021

And don't forget the periods after "Hamilton" and "Service".

Cherry on Top, fontwise.....

Hamilton was lapping the field in this era for high quality/beautiful RR grade pocket watches for the common man, in the US.

DaveK · May 6, 2021

TexOmega
And don't forget the periods after "Hamilton" and "Service".
Cherry on Top, fontwise.....
Hamilton was lapping the field in this era for high quality/beautiful RR grade pocket watches for the common man, in the US.

A very cool dial and a stunning movement. Those periods are interesting. Nice purchase!

In 1939 at least (I don’t recall when they started) Hamilton was marketing their watches as coming cased and factory sealed.

noelekal · May 6, 2021

At those 1939 list prices, stack 'em up 'till I can't see over the top of 'em.

Of course in 1939 $60-$75 was harder to come by than today's collectors' prices for the same models.

river rat · May 6, 2021

Here is one of my Hamilton 992B since we are posting Hamilton's. Interesting case bar over crown since these are lever set prevents a dummy pulling the crown up to change the time and doing damage to the watch. Got this at a antique store that only sold antique watches and clocks it was called the store in the Nile's distric in Fremont Calif that little section called Niles almost became Hollywood they filmed silent movies' there before the sound movie's Charlie Chaplin even filmed a movie or two there. Bought a few watches there and was a good place for parts closed up now there still antique stores there but less watches to be had there. Same case as the model 10 in that advertisement above,

river rat · May 6, 2021

And I like how Hamilton did the extra stuff like the crown.

river rat · May 6, 2021

Elgin and Waltham did wind indicator railroad watches but has any one notice Hamilton never did wind indicator railroad pocket watches. Only wind indicators Hamilton did was Navigation timepieces like the model 21 and 22 and and the torpedo watch. I once passed on a Hamilton torpedo watch the one in pocket watch form with both boxes for 2000 bucks I guess I was stupid passing on it. That torpedo watch also came in a gimble box.

noelekal · May 6, 2021

I like both that bar-over-crown feature and the Hamilton Railroad marking.

I'm not through with the wristwatch want list and am finding myself "nestled all snug in my bed, while "visions of pocket watches dancing in my head." And, it's the fault of the enablers here. Y'all are to blame. Despite years of the desire, I managed to resist all pull of pocket watches clear back to the 1980s when a pawn shop friend/bank customer of mine kept me tempted with a generous selection of watches in his sales case. He talked of pocket watch lore and promoted 'em, but I never partook. All that resistance over the years got me was behind in collecting.

It's fun to keep up with this thread and pursue the internet refrences for more information. Perhaps I can learn enough to avoid pitfalls before I venture too far down the rabbit hole.

river rat · May 6, 2021

noelekal
I like both that bar-over-crown feature and the Hamilton Railroad marking.

I'm not through with the wristwatch want list and am finding myself "nestled all snug in my bed, while "visions of pocket watches dancing in my head." And, it's the fault of the enablers here. Y'all are to blame. Despite years of the desire, I managed to resist all pull of pocket watches clear back to the 1980s when a pawn shop friend/bank customer of mine kept me tempted with a generous selection of watches in his sales case. He talked of pocket watch lore and promoted 'em, but I never partook. All that resistance over the years got me was behind in collecting.

It's fun to keep up with this thread and pursue the internet refrences for more information. Perhaps I can learn enough to avoid pitfalls before I venture too far down the rabbit hole.

My Problem is I like them all pocket watches, Clocks, and wristwatches. I have slowed down on pocket watches my collection big enough there. And I been concentrating on vintage wristwatches mainly vintage issued and vintage divers but if a dissent priced pocket watch pops up like that Zenith WW1 Corps of Engineers pop up at the best price I seen in years I just had to have it for my military collection first pocket watch in years. Every body who collect vintage watches should have at least one vintage pocket watch in there collection the movement like a piece of art and was made when the USA was one of the top watchmakers in the world when the USA knew how to manufacture a lost art today.

noelekal · May 6, 2021

Good post river rat.

I could get into clocks too, but ... don't get me started. We have two that chime. We don't need any more or we'll be sounding like the clock repair shop every quarter hour.

river rat · May 6, 2021

For one of the pit falls. Here is one I did when first getting in this hobby 15-20 years ago. Just because it looks pretty I should of paid less due to it being a re-case. Even though the case looks mint most likely Hamilton never sold it in this case or hand variation. Maybe one I should of passed on. You want original case and hands and movement on a railroad pocket watch will hold it's value better. This is the only type of case railroad case you pull the crown to get to the movement. You unscrew bezel off then pull crown there a notch to use your finger nail there a hinge on the case and the movement swings out. A good one to use and not keep as a safe queen.

river rat · May 6, 2021

noelekal
Good post river rat.

I could get into clocks too, but ... don't get me started. We have two that chime. We don't need any more or we'll be sounding like the clock repair shop every quarter hour.

You use that battle ship as a aviator you need a US Navy deck clock they don't chime the tick it more quiet than most clocks. Chelsea a little better than Seth Thomas.

noelekal · May 6, 2021

There you go.

Trying to influence me to go down the rabbit holes.