That's cool

 

Here’s a different look for an Omega. This one is a private label for a jeweller in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada, in case you didn’t know) from the first half of the 20th century. The jewellers name was Charles Murphy, the name on the dial is Murphy’s, Saskatoon. This one came up at auction about ten years ago, and was shown in an on line catalog, and Mrs. C. happened to spot it. She asked if I was interested. I was! Not because of the design, actually, but because my late father worked for that jeweller from 1924, until 1939! He might have sold, or at least handled the watch. But the fact that it is quite different for a pocket watch was a consideration. Would it be considered art nouveau or Art Deco?

 

EDIT: I mistakenly posted my 1908 Hampden here. So I moved it to the appropriate thread. Below is the relevant content to the ensuing conversation.

It's big (size 18?) and does not fit comfortably in my jeans pocket. I am looking for a vest (waistcoat), so that I can wear it the old fashioned way. Any reccomendations? I am thinking something wool with a full back that I can wear with a pair of jeans and a dress shirt. I ordered one and it arrived with faux pockets, so it went back.

 

I have a beastly-large Hampden as well, but I didn’t post it in the Omega pocket watch thread

Edit: I went looking for a vest and gave up. Most had fake pockets, most cost as much as a suit jacket. I’d like to know what you come up with

 

Thanks @DaveK for the heads-up.

Yes, this is an Omega 30/60’’’. Quite a late one (maybe 1915) – because it has stem-set (the earlier versions were pin-set). So it’s an otherwise ‘standard’ 17-jewel 30’’’ 8-day movement in a large case.

The case diameter of the ‘regular’ 30’’’ pocket watch was 75 mm, but the same movement was set in larger cases to give the 30/40’’’ (103 mm diameter) and the 30/60’’’ (140 mm) – and a similar pattern for the other Omega ‘Goliath’, the 27’’’ 8-day.

By the time this watch was produced, the 30’’’ had all but stopped – but for some reason, a few more were produced, using movements that had been ‘on the shelf’ from 10 years earlier. The 27’’’ 8-day was still in production (for another 10 years).
Only the later 8-day 27’’’ and 30’’’ watches were signed: here we see that the dial is signed but not the movement (typical for the 30’’’).

All absolutely original.
This same watch, without the Omega signature on the dial and with 15 jewels could have been produced 20 years earlier. It was probably supplied in some form of display case.

To @5ecavalier – care over those movement-securing screws: one is missing and the other has been ‘adapted’.

 

You can pick vests up at stores that cater to bikers. Particularly leather vests. Idea! A sideline for @DaveK . They may have denim ones, as well. Or well equipped camera stores who might carry the kinds of vests that photographers wear. Lotsa pockets! Also, stores that cater to travellers, particularly clothing that travellers tend to require.

 

Ya know, I was wondering why all the Omega pocket watches and no American pocket watches. The American PW are so good.

 

@wagudc , I agree with you. I have mostly American pocket watches. But in that other hemisphere, Swiss watches prevailed! And a few found there way here. I have only two Swiss pocket watches in my collection. And when somebody starts an Omega thread, I like to trundle out my two Brandt CCRS. The best Swiss ones are as good as the best American ones, in my opinion.

 

Not a bad idea. I don't think I could pull off leather, and am looking for something more stylish than the cameraman vest. Maybe something like this, but not sure if I would wear it enough to justify the cost.

https://weaversofireland.com/irish-...yjnfKy5vlU1pDhatg4skFpzsGn7-oaCAaAgYSEALw_wcB

 

Thank you so much for those precious information ! And I’ll take care of the movement ;-)

 

I have this one from 1921

 

This was a fun impulse buy, a c1910 (+/- 5yrs or so) 21 jewel adjusted Regina pocket watch. Back in the day, Regina was Omega’s “house brand” for, as I understand it, shops that weren’t official Omega ADs.

Here it is, shown in a typical Canadian summer...






Even though they weren’t shipped cased, I’m not sure if this is in its original case. Regardless, it is a period correct 14k white gold-filled case, so I am happy enough

 

The Illinois Watch Case Co.


https://mb.nawcc.org/wiki/Illinois-Watch-Case-Co#Illinois-Watch-Case-Co--A-Brief-History

 

I recently acquired a private label pocket watch that I believe is an Omega 21j 19 Ligne movement (serial number 2587664) for the British American Watch Company. The dial has a private label of J. E. Nettleton, Jeweller & Optician, Penetang, Ont. The case W.C.CO. (serial number 5113635) and is gold filled Warranted 25 Years.

Doing a little research, J.E. Nettleton opened his first jewelry store in Penetaguishene (Penetang for short), Ontario in the late 1800's. The family earned the reputation as watch inspectors for drivers, engineers and conductors of the major railway companies of the time, Canadian National, Canadian Pacific, the Grand Trunk Railway as well as New York Central Railways. Omega exported movements to the Canadian Railway market but I'm not finding much information on the British American Watch Co. Looking at the serial number and referencing the Omega Production Date chart, it would put the manufacture date at 1905 which would correspond with the dates for J.E. Nettleton's shop, so that might be right. The movement is pendant set but the watch case is for a lever set movement, so I assume Mr. Littleton acquired the movement and cased it. I'm not sure who the case manufacturer is - W.C.CO. doesn't appear listed but I might be missing something. Any addition information or verification would be appreciated. I added photos to review.

 

So the stamping on the caseback is either really weird or a bad photo. Are there two sets of printing and one appears upside down or is it a reflection? W.C. Co is "Watch Case Company" and I would have expected it to have an A in front for American Watch Case Co which also had a Toronto division and cased a lot of watches in the territory.

And yes, in this time period you bought movements and cases separately so often you will find a case designed for both pendant and lever set movements. Nice gold filled case btw, love the pattern.

 

Thanks for the info! No, it's got half the printing one way and the other half upside down which is definitely odd.

 

You can get great fish & chips in Penetang! It is also home to a psychiatric prison. In a former job we’d occasionally get complaint letters from the “guests” there that were written in crayon. They weren’t allowed sharp pointy things, but crayons were allowed. It’s haunting to get a long letter from an adult that’s written in crayon.

I’ve seen Nettleton private label watches before (elsewhere, online) I think he had a store in Quebec or at least somewhere else in addition to Penetang

Private label watches are a very cool way to form a collection. If anyone sees on from Sarnia, Ontario, let me know!

 

"Former " job? Cant imagine why you would have left ......
(good kickoff to a short story btw, thanks!)

 

Nice! Very nice, in fact! That movement is basically the same Omega-made movement that was used in Canada, in Regina branded watches. But never, ever, have I seen that calibre of movement as well outfitted, as deluxed, and with gold jewel chatons, as nicely damascened, or with extra adjustments. And the cam type regulator has been used by Agassiz, Patek, Longines, and probably others. And the case is exquisite! The W W Co. could be Wadsworth. They changed logos over the years. The case is a work of art! The decor is hand chased, and hand engraved. Not characteristic of what one might expect to find on a Canadian-made case. And the case back appears to have been stamped twice, at different times, and not neatly done. I have no information on the “British American Watch Co.” The matter of “railroad grade” and “railroad approved” would seem to imply that every railroad watch on every railroad had to meet exactly the same requirements. Or else it couldn’t be classed as “approved”. But it seems that individual railroads often accepted watches that didn’t meet all the “usual” specifications. This one could well have passed, somewhere. There came a time when private label watches were mo longer permitted, and that movements had to be marked with position adjustments, hear & cold, double roller, etc. You handsome watch might well pre-date these requirements. If it performed to the obligatory 30 second per week accuracy, it may well have been used on a railroad, somewhere.

 

That was my first guess but it is simply W.C. Co not W.W.C. And the V shaped serial is indicative of Wadsworth as well but the "Gold Filled" and warranted in the hexagon isnt. So re-stamped for sure but I am honestly not sure by whom from whom. Waltham used that trapezoid shape but for their name, not warranted.... Ahhh 100 year old pocket watch mysteries