"Pocket watches"... out with 'em! Come on, lets see them!

My attic find after my parents passed -- I assume it was a great-grandparent's 1912 Hamilton. I had the caseback off once to check on the serial number but forgot to take a picture. I have it hanging under glass but don't know much about it. The wear on the back shows it was well used.

Missed this thread up until now.

I've admired pocket watches from afar for years. Had a customer/friend who owned a pawn shop and collected railroad watches gleaned from the railroad town in which we both lived. He tried to get me to take the plunge, but I never did, knowing full well I didn't need another collecting rabbit hole to dive into.

Here on the Forum I began loitering about in the "Calling All Pocket Watch Buffs" thread that Canuck began, looking longingly at the lovely shared images and taken in the lore the pocket watch Forum denizens are providing . https://omegaforums.net/threads/calling-all-pocket-watch-buffs.127856/ More recently TexOmega kicked me off into the rabbit hole despite my best efforts, by providing me with a watch similar to a silver cased Waltham my great grandfather owned. After that I spent 2021 in fun and frolic on Ebay, gun shows, shops, and antique malls gathering pocket watches. Do not have them all serviced yet or even photographed. Two are out for service just now.

The TexOmega Waltham of kindness. With a cool blue laynard provided by DaveK, it's great fun to wear around town.









I began reading about pocket watches online and developed an appreciation for the pre-Hamilton Illinois watches. No rhyme or reason for the attraction to Illinois, but they appealed. Particularly the Illinois Sangamo Special. I think it was from the model's name along with the fact that Sangamo Special represented the top of the Illinois line. Oh, and it has the sexiest set of hands I ever saw in a pocket watch. So, I watched Ebay until I found what seemed like a "deal" and picked up one that dates to late 1926, same as my dad did. He was born Christmas Eve that year.

Looks good on a neato DaveK brown lanyard with green stitching and is fun to wear. I need to lose the plastic crystal in favor of a glass crystal.





A 1915 Burlington (produced by Illionois) scared up last summer in an antique mall in the town where we have relocated. It was gathered in prior to our move even! Purchased for cheap, because it would not run after having been advertised as running, it cranked up soon after I poked it into the watch pocket of my jeans. Would run and keep reasonable time if it was warmed in a pocket so I figured it was lube starved. It's currently away at the spa.







A Waltham Vanguard with the wind indicator feature was found in the GasLamp Antique Mall in Nashville last summer when we were up visiting son and family over the week of July 4th. Neither we nor our son knew we'd both be moving within months, but they moved back to their house in Searcy, Arkansas and we moved back closer in to the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The twin moves shaved many hours from road trips to see the grand kids. On the other hand, the move denied me going back to that antique mall for another Waltham I had eyed.







This Elgin Veritas from 1904 was found on Ebay. Has their 270 movement which features a three finger bridge arrangement. Runs decently, but I've avoided wearing it to town until it is serviced.





After acquiring the Sangamo Special I went on to gather up more Illinois models; a Bunn Special, Santa Fe Special, and an A. Lincoln. Thought I was done with Illinois models, but then this one turned up on Ebay for cheap. Not railroad grade, it ended up generating no interest. I found it appealing so won it for cheap because no one else bid. It's an Illinois Capitol model with 21 jewel 606 pendant set movement and the characteristic "red ball" vitreous enamel dial and all put up in a rose gold case. This one was said to be recently serviced and it does run great. This is another watch that now wears a DaveK lanyard in oxblood colored leather which looks nice with the rose gold case. I like his practical and stylish lanyards which don't seem to "saw" on watch cases like a chain can. The lanyards' mystery braiding invites comment.

I have a friend who makes belts and holsters. I passed a DaveK strap on to him attached to a yellow gold filled Hamilton 992 watch. He loves the combination and is intrigued by the braiding.





Here's an ubiquitous Hamilton 992 from 1926. It's all serviced and ticking happily. It was acquired with a bad main spring.






But wait!

There's more!

I have to get them photographed before sharing them though.

@noelekal, thx for sharing these 😎. I’m glad that @TexOmega gave you a nudge into pocket watches 👍. That Burlington Special dial is amazing! Is it dark blue or black? The hands are dope. Dibs on your Vanguard if you ever take leave of your senses and decide to sell 😀

@noelekal ,

We need to come to a consensus as to whether pocket watches are addictive, or just habit forming! One of three watches I’m wearing today is my 1911, 18-size, 15-jewel Elgin which many readers are familiar with. It too is on an @DaveK lanyard. Problem: I’m never certain exactly what the time is! 😀 So, whether pocket watches are an addiction or a habit with you, I am impressed with what you have acquired. Pocket watches really are more interesting than many other forms of collectibles!

Pocket watches breed like piano rolls. You get the mama watch together with the papa watch and they have children in the drawer.

Sometimes when watch farming one can get lucky and the child will be of some interest. The hardest part is getting them to grow a decent case. I have been in mind to make a see through acrylic case for this problem teenager.



-j

This is an example of what can happen if you let things get out of hand. All running, and set to time. They make an enchanting sound in a quiet room! (Well, there appears to be a couple that aren’t running! But there is a 150 year span between the oldest one, and the newest one. And when setting up this exhibit, there often are a few surprises!)

I think pocket watches are a habit forming addiction.

Hi Dave; The dial numeral markings are a blue black while the hands trend to plum. That Burlington ought to be The Bomb when it comes back home with a new glass crystal. Hate it, but the original crystal is just too far gone. The case is fairly brassy, but it's honest wear.

The town in which we live now used to be an interurban stop between Waco and the Dallas Fort Worth area. The station here in town ie now a restaurant.

I'd like to think it was a conductor's watch on that line and originally came from right here, but it just as likely could have been out of an estate sale in Indiana having originally belonged to a clergyman.

http://www.heartoftexastales.com

The Burlington Watch Company history. Courtesy Renaissance Watch Repair Co.

http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/burlington.html

Nice website, thx for sharing. Great to see town pride and preservation of their history.

Today I’m at the beach reading about abandoned and decommissioned railways in my former neck of the woods, Ontario.



Pocket watches, which quickly lead into railway approved pocket watches, rekindled my fascination with railways. I’m on the lookout for a pocket watch from the long-ago watchmaker / jeweller in Sarnia, Ontario, E P Battley. I’ve seen a trench watch online with his name on the dial, but never another, yet.

Worth keeping an eye out for the Burlington watches. Thanks Canuck

This old workhorse in service today 👍

Day 5. The 111 year old Elgin had gained 6 seconds over 4 days. On the fifth day, it has lost 8 seconds, and is now 2 seconds slow! Still pretty good for a grade 317, 15-jewel, 18-size movement of which there were 261,500 made. Not railroad grade.

While the freshly taken photos are running amok on the desktop screen, I may as well post them here after already sticking them up elsewhere.

1918 Elgin B. W. Raymond 19-jewel