Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Alpha · Apr 27, 2022

On the desk today so no concerns over safety 😉

Canuck · Apr 27, 2022

Alpha
On the desk today so no concerns over safety 😉

Worn today on my @DaveK mystery braid lanyard, my Porte & Markle (Winnipeg) private label Electa (by Gallet). So also no danger!

fiberguy · May 2, 2022

Several years ago I inherited a box of mostly Elgin pockets watches. A couple months ago I dug them out of their resting place to try and get a better look at exactly what each one is, of the 20 some pieces, 2 actually run. This one runs erratically, and surely has not be serviced in a very long time as evidenced by all of the dirt inside the movement.

Canuck · May 2, 2022

fiberguy
Several years ago I inherited a box of mostly Elgin pockets watches. A couple months ago I dug them out of their resting place to try and get a better look at exactly what each one is, of the 20 some pieces, 2 actually run. This one runs erratically, and surely has not be serviced in a very long time as evidenced by all of the dirt inside the movement.

This one looks like it was made for the Turkish market, but it is odd that the dial is marked in Roman numerals, not Turkish!
Turkish numerals:

fiberguy · May 2, 2022

Canuck
This one looks like it was made for the Turkish market, but it is odd that the dial is marked in Roman numerals, not Turkish!
Turkish numerals:

i was highly surprised when i opened the case back and saw the ornate movement parts. Google is not giving me much info.

Waltesefalcon · May 3, 2022

I would be highly surprised if Google helps with this one. If the case is Swiss then you can start narrowing the date down by going over the hallmarks. The Swiss hallmark system was not nearly as precise as the English so you can't get an exact year the way you can with English marks. Before 1881 the hallmarks are all over the place and you'd need to spend some time researching them. Here are the hallmarks used from 1881 to 1995 though, I hope this helps. The link is to the website where I found the picture.

https://www.silvercollection.it/DICTIONARYEUHALLMARKSWITZERLANDANCIENT.HTML

noelekal · May 3, 2022

Picked up last year just before or during our move. It was the year of the expansion wing for pocket watches at The Home For Wayward Watches and all caused by TexOmega, Canuck, and all you other fine denizens of this thread.

A wind indicator Waltham Vanguard from 1924.

This photo was a retake later this afternoon.

Canuck · May 3, 2022

noelekal
Picked up last year just before or during our move. It was the year of the expansion wing for pocket watches at The Home For Wayward Watches and all caused by TexOmega, Canuck, and all you other fine denizens of this thread.

A wind indicator Waltham Vanguard from 1924.

This photo was a retake later this afternoon.

I recall earlier in this thread when @noelekal was expressing his doubts about what his priorities should be in starting a collection of pocket watches. Having been a regular in following this thread since those earlier posts, he has had great opportunities to develop an itch, and to find interesting watches to help scratch that itch. Speaking of scratch! It is indeed good to have the scratch to solve the itch. The Vanguard is a fine addition to any pocket watch collection. Many Vanguards have diamond endstones top and bottom of the balance staff. I am unable to tell if this new addition is so equipped.

Here is what the pocketwatchdatabase.com says about this stellar example.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/24570106

noelekal · May 3, 2022

That jewel appears to lack any color. Looks like a clear piece of glass to my uneducated eye.

I thought that it was earlier Walthams that featured the diamond end stone. Don't know if they were still making them that way by the 1920s.

I never know how much to trust my own online research.

Canuck · May 3, 2022

If that endstone has no colour, and if it has triangular facets on the top surface, then your watch is fitted with rose cut diamond endstones. I have several Vanguards of the vintage of yours (one with up/down indicator) that are equipped with diamond endstones. These don’t improve the performance of the watch AFAIK, but I quite like them.

noelekal · May 3, 2022

Thanks for the tidbit. I'll take a really close look.

TheGreekPhysique · May 14, 2022

Let me preface this by saying: I am no pocket watch buff.

During my watch hunting today I came across two pocket watches. I didn't buy them but thought they looked really cool so I figured I'd share them with you guys.

First one was a Hamilton. This one was very hard to photograph correctly. In person it had a two tone dial with the outer portion looking like a light pink in certain lighting and angles. Dial was pristine. Here are some pictures where I tried my best to capture what it was like in real life.

Next up was an Elgin. Dial looked like it really took a long time to create. Again, I am not a pocket watch guy and I don't know if these are bottom of the barrel stuff.

I just thought they looked so beautiful in person that I thought Id share!

Canuck · May 14, 2022

The Hamilton and Elgin appear to me to be 12-size watches. The fancy dials were designed to appeal to those who needed “dress” watches. In an era of the three-piece suit, the smaller 12-size watch was better designed for wear in a vest, being smaller in diameter, and much thinner than the 16-size models. The case on the Hamilton appears to me to be “green” gold. This is an alloy as used in yellow gold, but with a touch of silver added to the alloy to turn the alloy a faintly greenish hue. Green gold was popular in 12-size watches. I have two 12-size watches, but I favour the larger 16-size railroad standard models.

TexOmega · May 15, 2022

The Hamilton is top notch, screams 1920's. Extremely nice .

amcclell · May 15, 2022

I was into my watchmaker and he had one of the Zenith alarm pocket watches with the two barrels that wind in each direction of the crown. It had the art deco radium hands and dial numerals, and a sil er case, much like the one in the link below.

https://www.hautetime.com/a-zenith-legend-gandhis-alarm-pocket-watch/15085/

He knows I am a collector of Zenith wrist watches, so he brought it out to show me. It was lovely but at $1,500 Canadian, I thought it was too expensive. Does anyone have any idea what these are worth these days, as it is an interesting complication?

Alpha · May 15, 2022

Escaped from the safe this evening and my apologies for this one popping up again but when you only have a couple of pw's 🙁

Canuck · May 15, 2022

The sense of what an object might be worth is pretty much a personal thing. $1,500.00 Cdn. seems high. If I had a stash like that looking for a watch to buy, I’d look for a long time, I’m afraid. You might set out to research the market in search of a Zenith you don’t have, and one that you might get a lot more use out of.

Canuck · May 15, 2022

Alpha
Escaped from the safe this evening and my apologies for this one popping up again but when you only have a couple of pw's 🙁

There really is no reason that you should feel you have to apologize for showing your Elgin, any time it pleases you to do so! I don’t recall if you have given us the movement s# so we can check the pocketwatchdatabase site to find out more about it.

Alpha · May 16, 2022

Canuck
There really is no reason that you should feel you have to apologize for showing your Elgin, any time it pleases you to do so! I don’t recall if you have given us the movement s# so we can check the pocketwatchdatabase site to find out more about it.

Yes you kindly did supply information previously 🤦

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/17499124

Canuck · May 24, 2022

I did something today that I rarely do! I sold a pocket watch! I sold it to a volunteer at our local Heritage Park. He operates one of the steam engines, and other rolling stock at the park. The watch is from circa 1952. It is a 1623 model (16 size, 23 jewels), Waltham Vanguard which I bought about 20 years ago. This watch is from the second last run of this model, before Waltham folded. So it is about 70 years old, and I am the third owner. Neither of the first two owners used it, and I haven’t either. So this watch is one notch below new old stock, as I see it.

This case is totally original, the brushed Butler finish on the case back has never been disturbed.

From the pocketwatchdatabase.com site.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/33768571