Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

jove14 · Jun 11, 2022

My pocket watch is by John Hargreaves of Wigan which is also my home town so I am really pleased with this find on the bay a few years ago.
I also have in my watch/pocket watch collection another six Wigan made pocket watch movements by various makers.
This one is hallmarked silver with the leopards head for London, others I have seen made by J Hargreaves are hallmarked for Chester.
John Hargreaves most likely bought in the silver case and fitted his own movements in them.
It has a beautiful fusee movement but I have yet to get it restored, so at present I don't use it.
Joe.

Canuck · Jun 11, 2022

The case maker’s mark C.H in a cut corner rectangle was the trade mark for case-maker Charles Harris, 6 Norfolk Street, Coventry. Dated 1878. This information from Phillip Priestley’s book on Watch Case Makers of England. Date letter H in a shield with London hallmark indicates 1883.

Discussed in an earlier thread. My opinion remains unchanged.

DaveK · Jun 11, 2022

noelekal
… Has a neato "red ball" dial which apparently was used with the Capitol model. …

]

That’s a fun dial. Those red dots are new to me, I clearly haven’t seen enough Ball watches

Canuck · Jun 12, 2022

Canuck
Today (again), I’ll wear two watches. My usual wrist watch (my Rolex Date-Just), and my recent discovery, my 1911 Elgin, 18-size, 15-jewel pocket watch with single sunk 24-hour vitreous enamel dial (perfect). After I completed the repair, I reported my recent discovery of this watch in a drawer of junk watches. I’ve done a bit of “tweaking” over the past week, and I now have so it loses about 5 seconds per day. One more thing I have to do is to locate a new crown for it. The watch is a bear to wind with the badly worn crown that’s on it! Total expense thus far? I had all the parts I needed, on hand. NOS genuine Elgin parts inherited from my late father. Mainspring, balance staff, foot hole jewel, glass crystal, seconds hand. I’d guess original parts (from the 1960s), approximately about $15.00, plus labor. So, a nice, fun watch, cost me nothing out of pocket. Why not collect watches? 😀

Canuck
I never cease to be amazed at the performance of this old pelter which was rescued from a pile of scrap watches, about one month ago. After a complete service, including many parts, this watch has become my “go to” pocket watch. In the first week or so after servicing, it lost about 20 seconds. With one minor regulation, the watch now has shown NO VARIATION in the past week. Here’s the scoop on this amazing watch.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/15850212

Based on the railroad standard 30-second per week variation as laid down in railroad standards, long, long ago, this watch is performing to railroad standards. With the information included in the pocketwatchdatabase site, one might not expect such performance from a non-railroad watch. Love it!

This one is now 34 seconds slow in two weeks, since last re-set. Railroad accuracy.

DaveK · Jun 12, 2022

Hi all,

Some guidance on this would be welcomed. I’d be interested in picking up this s-12 1923 Elgin for cheap at an auction, just because it’s described as running, the dial is fun and the movement is high quality.

Here’s why I might pursue it for more cash though - it is listed as gold-filled, but the case says 14k. There are no hallmarks that I can see. Do we know if this is actually 14k solid gold? Solid gold would make sense in the roaring 20’s given the quality movement and sweet dial. Or, in 1923, did 14k without hallmarks mean 14k gold-filled? Or maybe it’s fake?

Here’s the pocket watch database background on the movement https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/elgin/25505500

Thx in advance for your thoughts 👍

Canuck · Jun 12, 2022

By the time this Elgin was made, the Federal Trade Commission had come down HARD on case makers that took liberties with how they marked their cases. Gold filled cases with karat gold markings. I think Dueber was one of those who was an offender. I am quite certain the case will be as advertised…….14-karat gold.

TexOmega · Jun 12, 2022

gold numerals and hands, also

noelekal · Jun 12, 2022

Well, there you have it from not one, but two respected pocket watch guys here.

Wow!

DaveK · Jun 12, 2022

noelekal
Well, there you have it from not one, but two respected pocket watch guys here.

Wow!

What a great group of exceptional people here. I look forward to reporting back in a few days.

TexOmega · Jun 12, 2022

I posted a 1926 WG version last year. I would bet the case was made by Wadsworth, too.

These are fun little dress watches.

Yours' has quite an Art Deco dial, very nice.

Cdnwatchmaker · Jun 13, 2022

I will be working on this one soon.

TexOmega · Jun 13, 2022

Should be quite the runner, please give us an update on your experience servicing this classic RR grade PW and resulting accuracy 120 years later.

Appears a few fumble fingers got to the watch before you over the years. Still a CLASSIC

Canuck · Jun 15, 2022

I have two of the19-jewel grade CCR versions of the subject Brandt. These were railroad standard in Canada, back in the day. Louis Brandt founded the company that became Omega.

Canuck · Jun 15, 2022

I did two minor repairs for a brother collector this morning. You might find the watches interesting.

The first one is an 18-size, 19-jewel Ball grade 999. It used the base model Hamilton grade 944. This was made by the Hamilton Watch Co., of Lancaster, PA., and finished by Ball in Cleveland. Ball chose the grade number 999 for many of his railroad grade watches, in honour of the speed record set by the New York Central locomotive 999. Most of Hamilton’s grade numbers were 9xx. You can read about ole 999 on Wikipedia, here:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Central_and_Hudson_River_Railroad_No._999

The second one is also by Ball. The dial is decorated with a 3 colour enamel logo in the form of the initials BRT which am quite certain meant Brotherhood of Railroad Telegraphers. It has a 16-size, 17-jewel movement by the Waltham Watch Co. These Ball 16-size models all bear a strong resemblance, regardless of who made them. How to tell this is a Waltham? The arrow points at a typical triangular hairspring stud. Each manufacturer retained his original stud design on Ball watches.

Canuck · Jun 15, 2022

Earlier today, I posted a picture of my recent addition, my 18-size Elgin. I posted it in the WRUW thread. I though I’d post it again, here, and spare the folks on that board. It is unprecedented that I would post the same watch, twice on any given day. I make an exception, today.

When I uncovered this watch several weeks ago, I loved the 24-hour dial. The movement required a bunch of work. The gold filled case had about 1/3 of the gold finish worn through to the brass. A thorough buff improved that. The movement repairs turned out very well, and I am thrilled with its performance.

The story continues. Recently I was scavenging in my stash, looking for something else. Lo and behold, I stunmbled on the case the movement is now in. Nice gold filled case, NO BRASS, case back artistically engraved. Meet my new Elgin.

MarktheTime · Jun 17, 2022

Sorry for the cross post with the UG pocket watch thread, but couldn’t resist….!
This beauty just moved from a fellow member’s pocket in Australia to my pocket in Philadelphia, but couldn’t be happier to have “picked this pocket” (on friendly terms, of course!) from half way across the globe! Love the simplicity, but also the applied Arabic numerals and funky font…as well as the pop of blued steel in the subdial! Vintage Universal Geneve is the best!

Canuck · Jun 17, 2022

MarktheTime
Sorry for the cross post with the UG pocket watch thread, but couldn’t resist….!
This beauty just moved from a fellow member’s pocket in Australia to my pocket in Philadelphia, but couldn’t be happier to have “picked this pocket” (on friendly terms, of course!) from half way across the globe! Love the simplicity, but also the applied Arabic numerals and funky font…as well as the pop of blued steel in the subdial! Vintage Universal Geneve is the best!

We’ll accept your apology once you post a picture of the movement! Kidding! NEVER apologize for touting a new acquisition, especially one so worthy! I’ve been guilty of double posting, myself. As recently as Thursday, with my recent acquisition, my 18-size Elgin. Never feel you have to apologize over a matter of pride. We’re all here for a bit of that!

MarktheTime · Jun 17, 2022

Canuck
We’ll accept your apology once you post a picture of the movement! Kidding! NEVER apologize for touting a new acquisition, especially one so worthy! I’ve been guilty of double posting, myself. As recently as Thursday, with my recent acquisition, my 18-size Elgin. Never feel you have to apologize over a matter of pride. We’re all here for a bit of that!

Ha, thanks - and agreed! Better pics to follow when I find a minute to open it up, but see below from one it’s previous owner snapped. Caliber 268…and no spacer ring to hide a tiny movement. This one’s the real deal!

Canuck · Jun 17, 2022

The stamping inside the case back make me think of the cases Omega used in that era. Particularly the “ENVERSTEEL” stamping which refers to the alloy in the case. The equivalent Omega quality stamp was their copyrighted Everbrite marking. Thanks for posting.

Jopi · Jun 18, 2022

Inherited this Omega. I try to learn more about it. I looked up the serial number but the lists I found varied somewhat in the date, but 1910-1914? Can that be correct? Also, can anyone tell me something abot the movement?