Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

DaveK · Oct 21, 2021

How cool is that! Thanks @Canuck

Erik_H · Oct 22, 2021

Hamilton navigational chronograph model 23. Used by US Army Air Force, Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, and Air Council of UK during WW2.

Alpha · Oct 23, 2021

Fired up the Elgin this evening,

SW4323 · Oct 25, 2021

Hello!

Found this in a flee market.
What is it and any value?

Canuck · Oct 25, 2021

A couple comments. First, in my opinion, there is no way the movement has 23-jewels! Maybe 15, or 17, maximum. Ancre Ligne Droit (right angle lever). No, it is a straight line lever. Chronometre? I very much doubt it. Spiral Breguet (Breguet overcoil hairspring)? Can’t tell. Unfortunately, the dial is in rough shape. The case is either coin silver (0.800 or 0.900) or maybe sterling silver. You don’t show the markings inside the case back, so I can’t tell. Late 19th century, Swiss, pin set. The balance cock is marked Avance, Retard, (not Fast and Slow) which likely means it was for domestic use in Switzerland. The silver case is trimmed with gold, and thus it is a “gallone” case. I don’t know whether anyone other than the Swiss used the process. Value? That is a matter of personal opinion, and I prefer to not offer an opinion.

Waltesefalcon · Oct 25, 2021

SW4323
Hello!

Found this in a flee market.
What is it and any value?

As Canuck pointed out there's a lot to take in on this watch and none of it is really promising. I'd walk away.

Fritz · Oct 25, 2021

TexOmega
Same reason cowboys took art and color with them on their cattle drives.

Damn!

I need a pair of those for on my Vespa!

Fritz · Oct 25, 2021

wore the recently purchased 18s 3/4 plate, grade 367 Elgin for the last 16 days (yes, without getting it serviced first, terrible I know!!)
anyway it gained less than 1s a day for those 16 days... not too bad!

looking at the regulator: check out the castle nut on the curved threaded rod... think about manufacturing that...

changed it out today for a nice 23j Hampden Special Railway from 1899. Made back when you could still get a hunter case watch with a Roman dial into RR service... but those days were truly numbered!

Canuck · Oct 25, 2021

Up for grabs. Free to whoever might want this orphan watch, and who will pay the postage in Canadian dollars. Background: This watch was given to a friend of a friend, and he gave it to me. I want to give it to somebody who might be interested in English watches (which I am not!)

Details- Dial marked Stewart Dawson, Liverpool. Case is hallmarked Birmingham (England), case makers trade mark S D & Co. (Stewart Dawson & Co.), date letter for 1885-86. Sterling silver. Case S# 124238. Single sunk vitreous enamel dial is dirty, but in excellent condition. Missing a glass, hour hand, and seconds hand. Movement marked Stewart Dawson, Liverpool, s#124238. Loomes lists Dawson in business in Liverpool, 1878-1888. Movement is a gilt 3/4 plate design, key wind, key set, English lever escapement, appears to have 15 ruby jewels. Balance staff is good, as is the steel hairspring. I haven’t tried winding it, so no report on the mainspring.

Anyone interested in this watch for the cost of the postage, PM me.

DaveK · Oct 25, 2021

What a great gesture @Canuck

vibe · Oct 26, 2021

I reckon this one is pretty fancy, belong to my grandpappy. Green, rose, white, and yellow gold.

Canuck · Oct 26, 2021

I am at a loss for words! Wow! Vanguard, 23-jewels, 1892 model, diamond endstones, box-hinged 14-karat four colour gold case! Just WOW! Double-sunk, 12-hour vitreous enamel dial. Wow, just WOW, None finer in my opinion. And the condition of everything is to behold. You are very fortunate! Here’s the skinny on the movement.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/12500125

vibe · Oct 26, 2021

It has always been kept in a wool covering, so it has very little wear on the case. I think it was a bit too ostentatious for my grandfather, so he wore a seiko. My mom had this one serviced in 2003 before she gave it to me for graduating college.

Canuck · Oct 26, 2021

vibe
It has always been kept in a wool covering, so it has very little wear on the case. I think it was a bit too ostentatious for my grandfather, so he wore a seiko.

A Seiko! Considering that the Seiko brand rose to prominence in the late 1950s, but weren’t common until likely the mid 1960s or thereabouts. Then your Waltham was probably inherited by your grandfather, considering the the watch is almost 120 years old! The Waltham would have been a very expensive watch when it was new. Do you know anything of the history of the watch before he acquired it?

vibe · Oct 26, 2021

It was originally owned by my great grandfather and passed down to my grandfather, then my uncle, then my mom when my uncle died and then to me. My Grandfather wore a LeCoutre memovox in the 60's but wore a cheap Seiko quartz through the 70's and 80's.

Fritz · Oct 26, 2021

vibe
I reckon this one is pretty fancy, belong to my grandpappy. Green, rose, white, and yellow gold.

WTF!

pardon my french but what a piece! it amazes me to no end that items like this can still turn up.

and in such beautiful condition as well.

without getting into really, really complicated watches it would be very hard to surpass that watch. Made when America was at its peak!

now... if only it was on an @DaveK magic lanyard...

vibe · Oct 26, 2021

It is actually on a quite long rose gold 18k Chain. I turned the chain into a necklace and a bracelet for my wife but she never wears it!

Fritz · Oct 26, 2021

vibe
It is actually on a quite long rose gold 18k Chain. I turned the chain into a necklace and a bracelet for my wife but she never wears it!

Oh man... you means there's more!!!

Canuck · Oct 26, 2021

Your great grandfather had impeccable taste! An added benefit is that it appears to have spent it’s life in the same family. You are the envy of almost everybody in this forum.

Canuck · Oct 26, 2021

Were she your girl friend and not your wife, I would call the chain situation a “missappropriation” (mis-spelling intentional). But since she is your wife, we could call it a “mrsappropriation”. Or a “msappropriation”.