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Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
A new arrival here. A 1923 Hamilton 920, 23 jewels, sapphire pallet jewels, ruby pivot jewels, gold train and center wheel, adjusted to five positions, in a 12s 25 year warranted case. All in all, one fine timepiece. The dial is slightly damaged but it really doesn't present badly in person.

The skinny on @Waltesefalcon ’s slick Hamilton grade 920. Add lever setting to that, and it would be railroad grade, but not railroad approved because it is a 12-size. Safety mainspring barrel. What can you tell us about the case material?

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/1912319

I have included an image of the19-jewel version of the grade 920. This one is a grade 902, but it is virtually the same movement as the 920, except for the jewel count. I did this one for a friend several years ago.

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Waltesefalcon
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It's just in an old yellow gold filled 25 year Hamilton case that's pretty heavily worn. It is a swing out case, which I always think of being kind of sophisticated.

My apologies for the terrible photos. I am going to blame the poor lighting.
 
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Jopi
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Canuck Canuck
It is unusual to find a case that has niello in such deeply sculptured carving on the case back. I’ve never seen a niello case as nice as that. The French engraving on the balance cock is a bit unusual. I don’t see a serial number on the movement, but the fact that it is pin-set might indicate very early 20th century? What does the engraving inside the case back say about the case material?

There are no hall marks or such inside the case. Only a number. Is that a serial number or a number of the case?

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Canuck
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Waltesefalcon Waltesefalcon
It's just in an old yellow gold filled 25 year Hamilton case that's pretty heavily worn. It is a swing out case, which I always think of being kind of sophisticated.

My apologies for the terrible photos. I am going to blame the poor lighting.


The Hamilton is, after all, 100 years old. This one shows signs of having been loved, and used, a LOT! These were made to be used, and nobody though the watch would still be around in the 21st century. If the case is showing brass anywhere, it doesn’t show in your pictures. A light buff would likely make a world of difference.
 
Canuck
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Jopi Jopi
There are no hall marks or such inside the case. Only a number. Is that a serial number or a number of the case?

20211109_015607.jpg

I’d call it a serial number. The absence of a quality marking (i. e. Karat mark), I’d call the case gold filled. But nice!
 
Waltesefalcon
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Canuck Canuck
The Hamilton is, after all, 100 years old. This one shows signs of having been loved, and used, a LOT! These were made to be used, and nobody though the watch would still be around in the 21st century. If the case is showing brass anywhere, it doesn’t show in your pictures. A light buff would likely make a world of difference.

There is a small amount of brassing along the bottom edge of the case but it's barely noticeable. I agree with you that this one shows a lot of use, I'm willing to bet that this was someone's prize watch once upon a time.
 
Zapatta
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Hey guys, what is oldest recorded serial number on Omega pocket watch? Yesterday had a opportunity to hold 1.2 mil serial silver cased with no name on the dial.
 
Canuck
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Well, before the company changed its name from Louis Brandt et Freres, to Omega, circa 1903, all the company produced was pocket watches. Small ones for women, and larger for men. According to the Omega serial number list I checked, the serial number range they were using (Louis Brandt et freres) in 1895, was around one million. That same list indicates that, by 1902 (still Brandt), the serial numbers were at about two million. Where the serial numbers were at when the name changed to Omega is anyone’s guess. But if you are referring to an “Omega” watch with a one million serial number, it is probably a Brandt. If you need a more precise answer, you might try Omega for an abstract. The earliest one I’ve held (to my recollection) is my 1906 Brandt, s# 2508737.

You might be asking how it is that a 1906 Brandt would be made by Omega when the name changed in 1903. I also have an even later Brandt, s# 3215769, which was produced circa 1909. Omega produced high grade watches for railroad use, and on them they used the Brandt name. These two Brandts are grade CCR models for railroad use. They used the Brandt name on prestige wrist watches as recently as the 1990s.

@DaveK has a couple older Omega pocket watches. He might chime in with the serial numbers from his Omega pocket watches.
Edited:
 
DaveK
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Zapatta Zapatta
Hey guys, what is oldest recorded serial number on Omega pocket watch? Yesterday had a opportunity to hold 1.2 mil serial silver cased with no name on the dial.

I’m no where near competent on the history, but I’d like to be. I’ll look up my Omega serials later on today. Until then, this post from @wagudc can confuse the timeline further for us, but maybe also confirm the serial range at apx 1M. @wagudc, can you confirm the date of publication?

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Canuck
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I wonder if Brandt was producing “Omega” brand watches, before the name of the company (Louis Brandt & freres) officially changed the company name from Brandt to Omega, in 1903? Questions such as “what was the earliest” are so difficult to answer with a black or white answer. The 1898 ad doesn’t specify whether it was Brandt or Omega that placed the ad. I suspect it was Brandt marketing Omega brand watches. So the next question to pop up might be, “what was the earliest BRANDT Omega brand watch”, or “what might be the earliest OMEGA brand Omega watch”! Sigh!
 
DaveK
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Canuck Canuck
…So the next question to pop up might be, “what was the earliest BRANDT Omega brand watch”, or “what might be the earliest OMEGA brand Omega watch”! Sigh!

And, what was the earliest Regina watch ::stirthepot::

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TexOmega
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Illinois Private Label
18S MODEL 6 17J GRADE 69 RR GRADE CIRCA 1913
FORT & GOODWIN SPECIAL

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Zapatta
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Nothing much to add, he found it on flea market somewhere on Balkans. He is a collector of military pocket and wristwatches.
 
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Zapatta
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Considering to make this trio my first entrance into pocket watches. Issued for railroads of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians (later Kingdom of Yugoslavia). Nothing special but has historical importance. What do you guys think?
 
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Helvetia History
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Canuck Canuck
I wonder if Brandt was producing “Omega” brand watches, before the name of the company (Louis Brandt & freres) officially changed the company name from Brandt to Omega, in 1903? Questions such as “what was the earliest” are so difficult to answer with a black or white answer. The 1898 ad doesn’t specify whether it was Brandt or Omega that placed the ad. I suspect it was Brandt marketing Omega brand watches. So the next question to pop up might be, “what was the earliest BRANDT Omega brand watch”, or “what might be the earliest OMEGA brand Omega watch”! Sigh!

The Brandts registered the Omega name in 1894.

MHMQss9.jpg

Have a look at my site here for more info on early Omega and the General Watch Co.

https://www.helvetiahistory.co.uk/history
 
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