Show us your antique pocket watches

[Glacierman]

Here is one from my small collection.

American Watch Co. (Waltham). P. S. Bartlett, full plate, key wound/key set, made ca. 1867; Keystone Watch Case Co. J. Boss gold-filled case, 20-yr guarantee.

 

[Bamaboots]

Hi, Glacierman

Welcome to the lounge. You've put up some nice posts since joining. Just wanted to give you a little tip; searching this site can be difficult but if you enter a Google search ending with fedora lounge, most subjects will pop up. Nice watch by the way.

An example:http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/pocketwatches.5/

 

[Glacierman]

Hi, Glacierman

Welcome to the lounge. You've put up some nice posts since joining. Just wanted to give you a little tip; searching this site can be difficult but if you enter a Google search ending with fedora lounge, most subjects will pop up. Nice watch by the way.

An example:http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/pocketwatches.5/

I did try a site search, but failed. Didn't think to Google it! Thanks for the tip and the link.

 

[KY Gentleman]

This was my Great Grandfathers pocket watch. It’s an Elgin and I’ve been told by a jeweler it was made around 1900. My Great Grandfather drove one of the first horse drawn trolleys in the town of Springfield, Illinois. I would like to think this made a few trips with him on that.


A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

 

[viclip]

This was my Great Grandfathers pocket watch. It’s an Elgin and I’ve been told by a jeweler it was made around 1900. My Great Grandfather drove one of the first horse drawn trolleys in the town of Springfield, Illinois. I would like to think this made a few trips with him on that.


A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

Good looking pocket watch! I'm guessing that the case is silver. Did the fob come with it?

Incidentally, if you can access the serial number on the movement, it can be run through an on-line database which will provide loads of information in addition to the movement's date of manufacturer.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Good looking pocket watch! I'm guessing that the case is silver. Did the fob come with it?

Incidentally, if you can access the serial number on the movement, it can be run through an on-line database which will provide loads of information in addition to the movement's date of manufacturer.

Thank you!
The case is silver with an etching of a train engine on the back. I’ve tried to take the back off of the case to access the serial number but I haven’t figured it out yet. The fob was something I bought online, it is a dead ringer for the fob my grandfather used to have.


A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

 

[viclip]

Thank you!
The case is silver with an etching of a train engine on the back. I’ve tried to take the back off of the case to access the serial number but I haven’t figured it out yet. The fob was something I bought online, it is a dead ringer for the fob my grandfather used to have.


A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

Interesting!

As to removing the back of the case, I'm assuming that there's a visible seam between the back cover & the frame of the case ("swing-out" cases do not have a removable back cover). I'm further assuming that there is no hinge attaching the back cover to the frame &/or there is no lip on or slightly bevelled portion below the cover intended for prying the cover off (sometimes those bevelled areas need the use of magnification to be found). If all of that checks out then your case is likely the very common screw-off type ~ the back cover simply screws off like removing the lid from a jar. Similarly to jar lid removal, a soft rubber grip is your friend here. Also useful, being my favorite, is an underinflated soft rubber ball, these can be found in the toy section at dollar stores or can be ordered from on-line watch tool suppliers.

Be sure to keep us updated should you be able to access the movement ...

 

[KY Gentleman]

Interesting!

As to removing the back of the case, I'm assuming that there's a visible seam between the back cover & the frame of the case ("swing-out" cases do not have a removable back cover). I'm further assuming that there is no hinge attaching the back cover to the frame &/or there is no lip on or slightly bevelled portion below the cover intended for prying the cover off (sometimes those bevelled areas need the use of magnification to be found). If all of that checks out then your case is likely the very common screw-off type ~ the back cover simply screws off like removing the lid from a jar. Similarly to jar lid removal, a soft rubber grip is your friend here. Also useful, being my favorite, is an underinflated soft rubber ball, these can be found in the toy section at dollar stores or can be ordered from on-line watch tool suppliers.

Be sure to keep us updated should you be able to access the movement ...

Thanks again!

Pretty cool trick- I used an old rubber ball to unscrew the case. According to my serial number the watch was made in 1918.
One of the details on the spec sheet that the serial number brought up was a line that said “Railroad Grade: No” what would make a watch of that time a Railroad Grade Watch?



A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

 

[3fingers]

One of the details on the spec sheet that the serial number brought up was a line that said “Railroad Grade: No” what would make a watch of that time a Railroad Grade Watch?

I am not an expert by any means, but a railroad grade watch was one accepted by a railroad as being sufficiently accurate for their requirements. Each railroad had their own standards. In later times the railroads standardized on requirements for time keeping (Ball Standards)and watches had to be serviced and certified to keep time. Usually a certificate had to be carried stating that the watch was serviced and met the standard. Hopefully someone who knows more about this will chime in.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Thanks for the info! I will do a little research on my own, too.


A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

 

[viclip]

Thanks again!

Pretty cool trick- I used an old rubber ball to unscrew the case. According to my serial number the watch was made in 1918.
One of the details on the spec sheet that the serial number brought up was a line that said “Railroad Grade: No” what would make a watch of that time a Railroad Grade Watch?



A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

Great work!

It's a long story, but "railroad watches" were open face pocket watches meeting prescribed standards of quality & timekeeping. These standards weren't legislated & varied somewhat amongst companies, & over time higher standards evolved (subject to grandfathering). However by about 1890 the railroad men realized that they needed to have high quality watches in the hands of their personnel in order to avoid deadly accidents.

The initial railroad grade standards were as follows:

"Be open faced, size 18 or 16, have a minimum of 17 jewels, adjusted to at least 5 positions, keep time accurately to within a gain or loss of only 30 seconds a week, adjusted to temperatures of 34 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, have a double roller, steel escape wheel, lever set, micrometric regulator, winding stem at 12 o’clock, grade on back plate, use plain Arabic numbers printed bold and black on a white dial, and have bold black hands."

Your 18s 17j Elgin is a fine timepiece & it wouldn't surprise me if it met the timekeeping requirements of railroad grade watches. Even so, particularly because it is pendant set rather than lever set, it would not qualify for railroad use, the idea being that with a lever set watch, the crown couldn't be accidentally snagged & the hands moved; also the crown couldn't be popped out into the setting position thereby detracting from the watch's precision (in setting position, additional gearing is engaged which usually slows the watch down considerably).

Just curious about the case, is the maker identified inside the back cover either by name or logo?

And last but not least, does it set, wind & run?

 

[KY Gentleman]

Just curious about the case, is the maker identified inside the back cover either by name or logo?

And last but not least, does it set, wind & run?

Inside the back cover there is a logo of a crown surrounded by the words “Philadelphia Watch Case Company” and the word Silverode.
The numbers 344375 are beneath that.

It runs great, when my dad gave it to me I set it and wound it up. I left it on my desk but I checked it often and it kept great time.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

 

[viclip]

Inside the back cover there is a logo of a crown surrounded by the words “Philadelphia Watch Case Company” and the word Silverode.
The numbers 344375 are beneath that.

It runs great, when my dad gave it to me I set it and wound it up. I left it on my desk but I checked it often and it kept great time.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

Glad to hear that your family heirloom is in great shape. You might want to have it serviced to help it carry on for another 100 years. Those oldtimers sure knew how to make watches!

I see that your case is some proprietary alloy of nickel. The Philly watch case co. assigned the name "Silverode" to their version of nickel cases. Although a so-called base metal, many prefer nickel over silver in as much as the former is more durable & doesn't tarnish like silver.

 

[KY Gentleman]

Glad to hear that your family heirloom is in great shape. You might want to have it serviced to help it carry on for another 100 years. Those oldtimers sure knew how to make watches!.

Thank you for all the information, I was fond of this watch before but now I appreciate it even more! One of the many reasons I enjoy this forum is the information shared by kind people like yourself.




A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

 

[viclip]

Thank you for all the information, I was fond of this watch before but now I appreciate it even more! One of the many reasons I enjoy this forum is the information shared by kind people like yourself.




A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. – unknown

It's been fun!

Oh & the following article respecting railroad watches by Kent Singer may be of interest:

http://ph.nawcc.org/Railroad/Railroad.htm