Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck · Jul 29, 2021

Jones in LA
Grandad's 1924 Waltham just got out of rehab today, here are a couple of Before and After shots:

Before

After

Before

After

If you'll recall from an earlier posting, the watch was not running when I took possession of it, probably due to a mainspring-related issue. The crystal was likely a 1940s or 1950s acrylic replacement that was not UV resistant. One OF member voiced concern about the degrading crystal releasing a corrosive substance that could have damaged the hands irreparably.

The work done during rehab was not as extensive as I might have imagined. The mainspring and balance jewel were replaced, and the missing screw was replaced by a newly fabricated one (I'll have to ask the watchmaker about what appears to be a newly missing screw). The hour and minute hands were successfully removed, cleaned, and re-installed. The second hand did not survive -- it disintegrated during removal, so what we see is a replacement and I think they did a good job on selection. An attempt was made to source a mineral crystal that would work with this watch but the search was not successful; a modern acrylic crystal was installed instead.

I'll have to admit I was a bit disappointed by the condition of the dial -- it was previously masked by the damaged and clouded acrylic. The linear striation at 10:30 is rather mysterious in origin, maybe the result of an accident that broke one of the previous crystals? Grandad was a farmer and I have the vaguest recollection of him pulling a pocket watch out of the top-centre pocket of his denim overalls, so this watch seems to have survived a fairly dangerous environment.

Of course, just the satisfaction of being the owner of this bit of our family's past far outweighs any concern about the watch's appearance 😀

If only I’d have known! I can supply a NOS antique GLASS crystal for your Waltham. I very much doubt a mineral (tempered) crystal would be available in that size. If interested, send me a precise metric caliper measurement of the seat where the crystal is to fit. I would be distressed to have the watch returned to me with a missing plate screw!

I won’t comment on the abilities of the tech who did the job, I’ll let a picture of my Waltham Colonial exhibit what your watch should have looked like with a thorough conditioning and cosmetic facelift.

Jones in LA · Jul 29, 2021

Canuck
If only I’d have known! I can supply a NOS antique GLASS crystal for your Waltham. I very much doubt a mineral (tempered) crystal would be available in that size. If interested, send me a precise metric caliper measurement of the seat where the crystal is to fit. I would be distressed to have the watch returned to me with a missing plate screw!

I won’t comment on the abilities of the tech who did the job, I’ll let a picture of my Waltham Colonial exhibit what your watch should have looked like with a thorough conditioning and cosmetic facelift.

Thanks @Canuck for the offer on the glass -- I'll take it into consideration. Yes, after sending them Before and After photos, I spoke to the shop where the work was done on my watch -- they're pretty embarrassed about the new missing screw.

Wow -- your work on that Waltham Colonial is spectacular.

Canuck · Jul 29, 2021

Jones in LA
Thanks @Canuck for the offer on the glass -- I'll take it into consideration. Yes, after sending them Before and After photos, I spoke to the shop where the work was done on my watch -- they're pretty embarrassed about the new missing screw.

Wow -- your work on that Waltham Colonial is spectacular.

I have an admission re: my Waltham Colonial. It was presented to a guy in 1937, commemorating 25 years of service to the firm he worked for. It has NEVER been used! But when I do one of these, I shape an orange wood stick, coat it with jewellers rouge, put it in my flexshaft, and polish the chatons the jewels are in. Most bench people won’t spend the time on antiques. They look at them as an interruption in their daily work. They like to pump out as many repairs as they can, so the antiques go wanting. Pity!

DaveK · Jul 29, 2021

My c1926 Elgin is powered by a 15 jewel grade 315 movement, one of apx 1M that were made during the 315’s run. Inside the caseback is marked “Scepter”, which to the best of my research means it is likely rhodium-plated “German silver”. Today the watch is proudly wearing a white gold chain courtesy of the very kind and generous @Fritz! Thank you sir, you are a true gent 👍

Fritz · Jul 29, 2021

DaveK
My c1926 Elgin is powered by a 15 jewel grade 315 movement, one of apx 1M that were made during the 315’s run. Inside the caseback is marked “Scepter”, which to the best of my research means it is likely rhodium-plated “German silver”. Today the watch is proudly wearing a white gold chain courtesy of the very kind and generous @Fritz! Thank you sir, you are a true gent 👍

Well don’t they make a swell looking couple... good to know it went to a good home!

Canuck · Jul 29, 2021

Here’s the skinny on @DaveK ‘S Elgin.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/29097276

I have a B W Raymond grade 571, an 18-size B W Raymond from the first run of this model, and an average grade, 17-jewel Elgin hunter I bought on a deal from a jeweller that was closing. He showed me two watches (one the Elgin), and asked me to make him an offer. I said, how about all the coin of the realm that I had on me. I paid about $275.00 for the two I don’t remember what the other one was. Too many watches to try to keep track! I’m a Waltham and Hamilton guy, so 3 Elgin’s is enough. My 18-size B W Raymond watch is 120 years old, bought in the Pacific North West by a great uncle of my wife’s. He fought in the civil war, was a sheriff for a time, a farmer in Kansas, and finally a farmer and business man in Spangle, Washington. That’s the only one that stays. The other two? Meh!

noelekal · Jul 30, 2021

DaveK
My c1926 Elgin is powered by a 15 jewel grade 315 movement, one of apx 1M that were made during the 315’s run. Inside the caseback is marked “Scepter”, which to the best of my research means it is likely rhodium-plated “German silver”. Today the watch is proudly wearing a white gold chain courtesy of the very kind and generous @Fritz! Thank you sir, you are a true gent 👍

Woo hoo! That chain really goes with the watch.

Zapatta · Jul 30, 2021

Never seen movement like this. Anything interesting here?

Waltesefalcon · Jul 30, 2021

Zapatta
Never seen movement like this. Anything interesting here?

Are the plates aluminum? They are very bright.

noelekal · Jul 30, 2021

It does have the hue of bright aluminum.

Zapatta · Jul 30, 2021

Waltesefalcon
Are the plates aluminum? They are very bright.

No idea, found it online locally. I have never seen plates and placement of jewels like that.

Jones in LA · Jul 30, 2021

After getting the fugitive screw replaced I thought I'd post a couple more photos of my Grandad's Waltham Colonial, this time in light more favourable to the watch.

Turns out that the affair of the missing screw was quite a scandal (as it should be) within the shop where I had the rehab done. Four different individuals walked up to me today and apologized for what happened.

The watch looks like it has some promise as a timekeeper: in a stationary 12-Up, slightly reclined position, wound once every 24 hrs, it's averaging about +0.8 sec/day.

Waltesefalcon · Jul 30, 2021

Zapatta
No idea, found it online locally. I have never seen plates and placement of jewels like that.

I'm a little surprised that it's marked Swiss, as it looks a lot like Soviet workmanship to my eyes. I'm also surprised to see that it's jeweled.

Note: everything I say comes from speculation.

TexOmega · Aug 4, 2021

My Hunter Cased version
18s Rockford KWKS
Circa 1876
GW Ladd 4 hinge GF case
DP Blake Jewelry

Doesn't have the micro-regulator as the Open Face example shows.

Jones in LA · Aug 4, 2021

Really digging this new 97-year-old technology on my desktop 😀

Canuck · Aug 4, 2021

So, tell us about it. Can’t read the name.

I answered the question myself! This is the Waltham that you showed earlier. The before and after shots. The one that had the missing screw after the “repair”. Your Waltham will still around by the time other people will have given in the “latest electronic craze”, time and again, and then ended up discarding the item when it is rendered obsolete by the next gimmick. Enjoy!

DaveK · Aug 4, 2021

TexOmega
My Hunter Cased version
18s Rockford KWKS
Circa 1876
GW Ladd 4 hinge GF case
DP Blake Jewelry

That’s a pic of the shop where it’s from? How cool!

TexOmega · Aug 4, 2021

Yes, in business a long while, from what I remember, opening a few years prior to 1876.

noelekal · Aug 11, 2021

Wearing this one today and featured it over on WRUW. Very pleased with this watch which will always be the TexOmega watch to me. I get sentimental, so shoot me.

But wait!

There's more.

I was in an antique mall a few weeks back and gathered in this Burlington 19 jewel watch for cheap. Didn't run so the guy knocked off a large sum. Didn't know a thing about it before hieing myself home to do research on the internet.

Stuck it in a watch pocket of my jeans for a day and it took to running and keeping time so it probably is dying for a service and a lube. Won't run cold. It'll have to get in the queue.

Needs a crystal pretty bad. The movement is attractive to me. I didn't find a good source to date the watch in my searches. Apparently the movement is an Illinois product.

Dial is quite nice beneath the battered crystal.

Canuck · Aug 11, 2021

The skinny on @noelekal ’s Burlington.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/burlington-watch-co./2717534

Burlington apparently sold their watches by mail order, and they are a private label Illinois. The pocketwatchdatabase.com actually calls the watch an Illinois. It states that the Burlington had “limited approval” as a railroad standard watch. I am not certain just when the standard changed, but after the the change, the standard stipulated that the era of the private label (eg. Burlington) watch was no longer accepted as railroad standard because the actual manufacturer’s name was not the name on the dial. But the attached report on the Burlington points out that it had everything that the railroad standard Illinois version had. So it appears that it was a discretionary matter that some railroads might accept the Burlington.