How much to spend on a vintage pocket watch ( Waltham or Elgin )

I very much doubt you’ll find any antique or vintage Elgin or Waltham in the range of $100.00, that is worth buying. People pay that much for “donor” watches from which to cannibalize parts for another project watch. And if you buy one, count of it costing mega bucks in doing what it needs to make it run. But maybe i’m wrong. Keep us posted.

There are a lot of low end Waltham pieces out there. As well as some that are worth a lot.

Do some research into them so you know what to look for. Call local watch makers for service quotes on Waltham’s. They are not hard to service.

Yes at least 3-5

I would not be cheap I like Railroad pocket watches there better quality they sell between 250-500 bucks a service between 150-250 depending on the watchmaker the ones who know what there really doing when they service one around the 250 range you pay for what you get. I started out with pocket watches when I started remember these pocket watch sit in a dresser draw longer than a wristwatch so some times 60-100 years with out a service I remember I got a Hamilton 940 18 size railroad pocket watch off fleabay on the first wind pop went the mainspring remember service is important why I say spend more why pay more for the service than the watch is worth some thing I had to learn was like throwing money away. I had to learn not to be cheap in this hobby.


See I had the pocket watch addiction bad for a while before I switched to vintage wristwatches. One piece of advice get a watch chain the type you can attach to a belt loop so if you drop it out of the hand when checking the time it don't hit the concrete that happen to me once maybe why I like wristwatches these days. The book (complete price guide to watches) I used that for the price guide and never paid more than that book said it was worth it's spot on for pocket watches prices but don't use it for wristwatches it's way off on wristwatches it under values them funny who ever wrote that book in touch with pocket watches prices but completely lost with wristwatches. I got most of these on the cheap days of fleabay just wished I was into wristwatches at the time watches were cheap and some at NAWCC marts. See if there is a NAWCC club in your area and if they have a mart at there meeting mite be a cheap way to pick one up and you get to see it in person also antique fairs and antique watch shops and flea markets were I got most of these.