(BTW, I'm nervous after the whole fish teaching post.)

I inherited my grandfather's watch when my father passed. I tend to be a little skeptical about family stories, but I was told my grandfather bought this from a jeweler in the late 50's or early 60's. I really don't know anything about it. It works. It looks very nice. It seems to have relatively little wear. I never saw my dad wear it but my grandfather did show it to me a few times when I was a boy.

Any help is appreciated. Even a hint the right direction would be a start. Any idea of model or a ballpark on year. I'm guessing a need to find a jeweler and take it to them, but I thought I'd start here and see if someone knows anything.

 

Welcome!

Don't worry too much about "fishing"— that's for people looking to buy a new old watch, and what to be careful of and watch out for in the churn. Since you're NOT looking to buy (or sell, I hope!) most of the cautions don't apply. The most important part of the watch's history and the greater part of its value, you already know and already have: Its history in your family, and its personal value as an heirloom. It's probably not worth a billion dollars. Or a million.

To find out specifics (when it was produced, the calibration number, movement serial and case model number) you'll need to see inside the caseback, so a jeweler or watchmaker would be best able to tell. Other OF members (other than I) could probably hazard a few reasonable guesses in the meantime. Is it solid gold? Gold plate?

 

Is it gold or gold plate? I don't know. I really don't know anything about watches. I apologize. Unfortunately, lots of the details are lost to time. I'll never know where or why it was bought or why it was important to them. That's why I'm interested in finding out what I can about the watch. Even if it is just the technical details, that's more than I have now and is it least attainable at this point.

 

Take it to a jeweler and have them pop off the case back. Photograph the info on the inside of the case back, and the numbers on the movement. That will be the starting point. Nice heirloom!!!