Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs

Canuck · Sep 17, 2022

If you try to improve the worst areas, you run the risk of defacing the areas that are well preserved. Check with your shop and see what he says. But if it were mine, I’d leave it! (My Waltham Colonial from 1937 sends salutations.) mine came to me, complete with its original linen sachet with the Keystone Watch Case Co., label, the vinyl display case, and outer shell. It appears Mr. Kobel who received it as a presentation, never used it!

TexOmega · Sep 17, 2022

The one thing with metal dials to worry about when cleaning is whether the black track, numerals and markings float away or not.

Also, it appears some corrosion or some such is around the 12.......more may flake off from moisture sliding beneath the finish by capillary action.

Id use a bit of Rodico, only

Beat me by this much, Canuck

DaveK · Sep 17, 2022

Canuck
If you try to improve the worst areas, you run the risk of defacing the areas that are well preserved. Check with your shop and see what he says. But if it were mine, I’d leave it! (My Waltham Colonial from 1937 sends salutations.) mine came to me, complete with its original linen sachet with the Keystone Watch Case Co., label, the vinyl display case, and outer shell. It appears Mr. Kobel who received it as a presentation, never used it!

That’s fun, mine was a presentation watch as well

WestCoastTime · Sep 17, 2022

Canuck
...

It appears Mr. Kobel who received it as a presentation, never used it!

The Waltham looks brand new. Makes me wonder what the story is for why the owner was reluctant to use it (too nice? not a wristwatch? fed up to his neck with Winnipeg Paint & Glass after 25 years ?...).

Canuck · Sep 17, 2022

WestCoastTime
The Waltham looks brand new. Makes me wonder what the story is for why the owner was reluctant to use it (too nice? not a wristwatch? fed up to his neck with Winnipeg Paint & Glass after 25 years ?...).

I also sort of wish I knew why he didn’t use it! I bought the watch at auction for less than the scrap value of the 14-karat gold case (based on current prices). I bought it when gold was ~ $800.00 oz. (Cdn.).

TexOmega · Sep 17, 2022

Start of Fall means time to wind most/many/all of my PW by Halloween.

Always gives a smile, my Hamilton 993 in a gorgeously handsome 14kt gold case.

Model 2 Circa 1914

Canuck · Sep 17, 2022

TexOmega
Start of Fall means time to wind most/many/all of my PW by Halloween.

Always gives a smile, my Hamilton 993 in a gorgeously handsome 14kt gold case.

Model 2 Circa 1914

If the serial number is, as I read it it, 1051926, then this is what the pocketwatchdatabase.com says about it.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/1051926

@TexOmega ’s handsome hunter cased Hamilton 923 has all the features of the open-faced Hamilton railroad grade 992. The listing shows the 993 as not being railroad approved, and that is the only difference. The hunter case model was not railroad approved when this one was made. The double sunk vitreous enamel dial is outstanding. I have a 993 in my parts bin. Movement only. It has been ratched, The owner’s home was broken into, and the vandals took what they wanted, but vandalized a lot of the stuff they left. The owner wanted the case re-purposed as a pendant (locket) for his wife. My thought is that many folks bought watches such as this because they wanted a railroad standard quality movement, but were prepared to invest a great deal more for a much more luxurious watch. Indeed a beauty!

TexOmega · Sep 17, 2022

Yes, thank you

This is/was one I did not mind paying a bit more than Market about 20 or so years ago.

Ask me how many I have run across since........only one parts movement at about half what I paid. It had been scavenged but still showed the serial number.(You mean you didn't carry your copy of Shugart back then?)😁

The guy was happy after a little waltz around and I've stayed happy since, so Win-Win.

TexOmega · Sep 24, 2022

My 996, 19j variety
circa 1916
RR grade
Damascening tops for Hamilton in my book for RR grade PW’s.

Canuck · Sep 24, 2022

That has to be probably one of the best looking 16-size Hamiltons. It is the first one I’ve ever seen. If I read the s# correctly, this is what the pocketwatchdatabase.com has to say about it.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/hamilton/1179703

Scarce rather than rare, but not often seen.

TexOmega · Sep 24, 2022

The 996 and 990 are my tops

990 posted earlier

TexOmega · Sep 26, 2022

When I bought this 992B years ago, it was (and still today) a mystery.

I believe the bow is a yellow gold replacement. Crown still has a rose gold glow but worn a bit.

Rose Gold case, unique I guess.

Next to my yellow gold case of the same design.

Canuck · Sep 26, 2022

My reference calls both of the styles, #11 cases. However, the listing shows the #11 case as being bar over crown, which neither of yours are! The yellow gold one has a bow as pictured in my reference, but the bow on the rose gold one doesn’t show on any of the Hamilton cases. The case certainly appears to be rose gold, but the bow appears to be yellow. So it very likely is a replacement. Unfortunately, the reference doesn’t refer to choices in colour. Rose, yellow, green, white. But yours sure looks like rose gold. Both cases by the Keystone Watch Case Co.

TexOmega · Sep 26, 2022

Have you seen many 992B's in a Factory Advertised 16s RR case in rose gold?

Only one for me in person or otherwise.

my Shugart does not show a BOC for model 11

Canuck · Sep 26, 2022

As to 992Bs in rose gold cases? No! Not in any of the case styles offered. I have seen the occasional railroad standard pocket watch in WHITE gold filled cases, but no 992Bs in white gold. I don’t recall ever seeing a 992B in GREEN gold, in the flesh. But I know they exist. Don’t ask about case style number of any of them in green gold.

As to the Shugart listing of Hamilton pocket watch case styles, you are correct. The style #11 does not show a BOC. But the listing at the bottom of the page lumps styles 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 11 as having BOC cases. I have highlighted the listing. The only case style shown with BOC is style #17. Yet I have a 950B and a 992E in style #14 cases, both with BOC.

it sometimes seems to me that reference material doesn’t answer every question we might have.

numbers

TexOmega · Sep 26, 2022

I interpret the footnote as to indicating the #'s 3,4,5,6,8,10,11..... PLUS the COB(middle row far right) were gold filled.

Maybe we are saying the same thing

DaveK · Sep 26, 2022

I have two 992b’s with #11 cases. I have two 992b’s period, but saying it that way made me feel special ☕

1940, looks very yellow gold

1945 has a rose gold hue, but with a yellow gold tone on the bow as well

I’m 1939 at least, all #11 cases were “natural gold” - see top left of the ad. Maybe they changed the recipe a bit and had these colour variations

Canuck · Sep 26, 2022

To return to the information in the Shugart book, the case style #14 doesn’t show a BOC, but I have two of the style #14 cases that are BOC! You may be correct that the footnote only states that the 7 styles listed are gold filled, plus, “the cross bar model” (style #17), but not that they are equipped with the cross bar. Clearly, things changed over the years.

TexOmega · Sep 26, 2022

DaveK
I have two 992b’s with #11 cases. I have two 992b’s period, but saying it that way made me feel special ☕

1940, looks very yellow gold

1945 has a rose gold hue, but with a yellow gold tone on the bow as well

I’m 1939 at least, all #11 cases were “natural gold” - see top left of the ad. Maybe they changed the recipe a bit and had these colour variations

mmmmmmmmmmm, Marginal Minutes!!!

nice double

Canuck · Sep 26, 2022

So often in this hobby, seeking answers to questions only results in more questions!

If I an not mistaken, the marginal minutes are found on Montgomery dials. Especially ones with the 6 in the seconds bit. Or on a Canadian 24-hour Montgomery dial, the 18 would be in the seconds bit, as it is with this Keystone Howard series 5 with 24-hour Montgomery dial. Busy, I know,