Engraved cases... how do you feel?

0uss · Apr 21, 2020

If the engraving is done right, i think it contributes to the watch's uniqueness and cool factor. Came across this solid gold 2619 and the engraving looks lovely imo.

And this Zodiac was part of my collection and the engraving told a story that deserves to be heard! 😁 It was a gift for 25 years of dedicated service in a german company. The owner worked there from 1944 to 1969. Quite neat 😉

Stosh · Apr 21, 2020

jsducote
I don't mind a well-executed inscription, especially those conveying emotion from giver to recipient, but it would drive me to drink (a lot more) if I had no idea who it is. Similarly, I hate driving past a park or building named after someone and have no clue who it is.

I bought an engraved retirement watch recently. I Googled the guys name, It's a unique name so it had to be him. Found his obit also. Mentioned where he worked and it jibed with where the company he worked was located. He got it in '73 and just passed a few years ago.

Who knows how long he or the family had it, but it kind of makes me think I actually bought it from him.

Stosh · Apr 21, 2020

Stosh
I bought an engraved retirement watch recently. I Googled the guys name, It's a unique name so it had to be him. Found his obit also. Mentioned where he worked and it jibed with where the company he worked was located. He got it in '73 and just passed a few years ago.

Who knows how long he or the family had it, but it kind of makes me think I actually bought it from him.

I forgot,but I posted the watch a few days ago. It's on page 2.

Canuck · Apr 22, 2020

Have you ever run into a cheap watch (Caravelle, Timex, Westclox) with engraving on the back expressing (for example), “everlasting love”? The watch may be up to, say 5 years old, but it is totally shot. Kinda pathetic. Perhaps the expectation was the relationship wasn’t going to last.

In my stash of hundreds of orphan watches, I can probably count 25% of the women’s watch that are engraved (for example) Betty, from Bob, Xmas 1950. One can only pause for a second, and wonder at the tale that watch could tell if it could speak! And you can only wonder if the original owner’s child or grandchild might be wondering where mom’s/granny’s watch is now. Sad, really.

Waltesefalcon · Apr 23, 2020

I don't seek out engraved watches but there is a trench watch owned by a member here that I'd like to get my hands on for the engraving as it belonged to an Army officer out of OKC during the first World War.

verithingeoff · Apr 23, 2020

Patrik83
Does anyone actively seek for engraved watches? I would believe it’s quite rare.

I generally don’t like engravings. However, with that said, some of them has a certain beauty, but I have yet to see one that actually (for me) add value. Most often no taste was put in to it and just looks bad.

It seems that the most popular thing is for people to put their own name on a watch. Not sure why. I have a friend that put his name on all his watches. He was surprised I don’t.

I guess it can be good in the morning:
“Ah, it seems that this is my watch. Let me put it on.”
For example Marlon Brando’s Rolex
The engraving itself is just dam ugly so for me it detracts value. The value is added by being a celebrity watch not the inscription (again just my view).

Claps with an engraving. This detracts value for me and I would think for most others also.

The GW would add value for me as it's my initials

NikoMartinez_SYD · Apr 23, 2020

In my opinion, if you have some attachment to the engraving, or there is some historical relevance to it it is great - however a random set of initials or '25 years service' with no context to me is not ideal and id prefer a clean non-engraved caseback.

Als 27 · Apr 24, 2020

I think an engraved case back if correctly carried out gives an insight to the history of said item.
I've had a few beautiful pieces in the past ... ( over thirty years ago )
One that comes to mind was a beautiful solid gold case omega was given on retirement to an accountant 1946
the inscription was exquisitely carried out..🥰
This watch was placed complete with the box in a drawer & never saw the light of day for many many years..
The original owner pass away & the widow sold it on to a jeweler in Brighton England.
I saw the item just days after the jeweler took possession of the item as he knew i was a collector..
I purchased the item. I paid if i recall correctly £575....
i had purchased several vintage watches from him in the past Bulova, omega, jlc, tissot...
The engraving told me a story of this watch ....
I truly regret to this day selling this item several years ago.....🙁🙁🙁

Canuck · Apr 24, 2020

A number of years ago, I bought a Waltham Colonial (12-size), 17-jewel pocket watch in an open faced 14-karat gold case, at auction. It had been presented to a fellow on his 25th year of service with his employer. It came with its original leatherette box, outer shell, and linen sachet with the case makers name on it. It was presented in 1937. The watch was never used. The case back has the owner’s initials on the back, and a lengthy attribution on the inside of the case back. I bought it for very little more than the scrap value of the case. Just goes to show that at that auction, nobody wanted a pocket watch, or perhaps nobody wanted an engraved pocket watch. Would you have passed on it?

Als 27 · Apr 24, 2020

Canuck
A lovely lovely piece with a story to tell, which will out last you & i put together.
Would i have passed it by.... no i don't think i would ....
It's a treasure 😀👍

Canuck · Apr 24, 2020

Als 27
Canuck
A lovely lovely piece with a story to tell, which will out last you & i put together.
Would i have passed it by.... no i don't think i would ....
It's a treasure 😀👍

Looking beyond the watch itself, there is information on line about the Winnipeg Paint & Glass company. In 1903, shortly after its founding, the building it was situated in burned to the ground. But the business rose from the ashes, and lived on. There was another fire in 1959, after which, it appears, the company ceased operation. Now if only there was a way to find out more about the original owner.

Als 27 · Apr 24, 2020

Canuck
I agree Totally with your statement ... Finding out information of the original owner,😕😕😕
That's the added mystery.... with a bonus if you can crack it 🥰
Another chapter in the history of that special little pocket watch....
The Winnipeg Paint & Glass Company 1903 - 1959 didn't seem to have much luck in the fire department 🙁🙁

sonicosa · Apr 24, 2020

As long as I find the engraving to be attractively done, it’s a bonus to me. I love getting to know something about one of the watch’s previous owners, and quite likely the original owner.

For me, it gives the watch a bit of charm the same way a beautiful patina or perfectly ghosted bezel will do. What makes an engraving even a little more special to me is the fact that it’s not part of the watch that is presented to the world. It’s a secret kept between the timepiece and the skin on my wrist.

Tying a name to the watch let’s me consider the person on a first name basis at times when I wear it. I’m going on a bit here... but honestly I do think there is a bit of magic in it. It gives these devices that were invented to track time a link to the past that is warm and human (along with all the wonderful design, mechanics, and innovation that went into the creation of the piece itself).

Here are the 2 engraved cases in my collection:

I’ve tried searching Charbonneau’s in the past and came ip with zilch. In my mind, it sounds like the name of a department store. Here’s to you, Lou. 👍
(Also, March is my birth month.)

I was able to find some information on this one. I believe it was tied to a textile company in Switzerland. Here’s also to you, Hans.

While I do (clearly) enjoy the engravings myself, I would anticipate it affecting the value adversely if I were to sell either of these. My assumption is there is a smaller pool of collectors who would want or value the less pristine case, making for lowered demand.

MRC · Apr 24, 2020

There was a Lou Lavacheck living in Oregon who was in real estate and also involved with a Portland OR scheme of some sort that involved a "Charbonneau annexation" whatever that may have been (TL😁R - some sort of land or political boundary deal?). $1 000 000 in real estate deals in 1974 would have been going some ....

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/37773483.pdf
https://pamplinmedia.com/lor/48-news/372234-255574-from-our-vault-singing-in-beautiful-harmony-

sonicosa · Apr 24, 2020

MRC
There was a Lou Lavacheck living in Oregon who was in real estate and also involved with a Portland OR scheme of some sort that involved a "Charbonneau annexation" whatever that may have been (TL😁R - some sort of land or political boundary deal?). $1 000 000 in real estate deals in 1974 would have been going some ....

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/37773483.pdf
https://pamplinmedia.com/lor/48-news/372234-255574-from-our-vault-singing-in-beautiful-harmony-

This is incredibly interesting, thank you so much for sharing.

verithingeoff · Apr 24, 2020

Here's a Moeris issued to Queensland railway, the engraving is quite crude so may have been done by the wearer

Then we have an Omega military

A Patek Philippe

and finally my Omega Savonnette from 1911

Canuck · Apr 24, 2020

This one may well have an engraved case. I had it in my hands about 25 years ago, but I don’t remember the case back. The dial is personalized. Eleven of the numerals have been replaced, starting at the 7. M A X I M O T A J E S. He was the president of Ecuador for several years, late in the 19th century. It was sold at auction by Sotheby’s in New York. Somebody didn’t mind it.
.

Als 27 · Apr 25, 2020

Another thing which always remains in my train of thought
Is the craftsmanship the skill & dexterity that went into building & assembling these by-gone vintage pieces...
Built & assembled by a very steady hand & keen eye sight ...
What a sense of pride the craftsman must have felt on completion of a working assembled watch.
A fantastic skill set ....
More often than not the craftsman building these beautiful pieces probably could never afford to own one
on the income of those by-gone days.......
I for one raise my hat to today's watch repair craftsmen & the ones here on this forum
The skill, dexterity, patient, & above all the knowledge & experience, determination ......
These are the craftsmen who keep these vintage works of art alive.😀

coronado · Apr 27, 2020

This watch was presented to the recipient exactly 102 years ago today. Lots of information here for me to follow up on.

Steve D70 · Apr 27, 2020

Here’s mine, it’s an Israeli military inscription apparently and I don’t mind it at all.

Engraved cases... how do you feel?

0uss

Stosh

Stosh

Canuck

Waltesefalcon

verithingeoff

NikoMartinez_SYD

Als 27

Canuck

Als 27

Canuck

Als 27

sonicosa

MRC

sonicosa

verithingeoff

Canuck

Als 27

coronado

Steve D70

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