Watch Chains

[Shangas]

You'd likely wear it that way with bib overalls. If you were a locomotive engineer. Note the strategically placed button hole.

Synchronise your watches, gentlemen...!!

I've read conflicting stories about this...but some people say that waistcoats were sometimes made with a 'blank' buttonhole (I made that term up; a buttonhole without a button), so that you could put your Albert chain through it, when wearing a pocket watch with your waistcoat.

But how often were waistcoats made with extra buttonholes? Was it a custom-added thing? Or did most waistcoats come with one? I always thought that they were rather rare additions and that if you wanted one, you had it added yourself.

 

[JimWagner]

I won't repost the picture above, it is a little large, but I just now noticed that t-bar hanging down below the button hole. Makes me wonder if the engineer actually was wearing a double Albert there with one end through the button hole. He could then use the same chain on Sunday with the t-bar through his vest button hole as a proper double Albert.

 

[Feraud]

I've read conflicting stories about this...but some people say that waistcoats were sometimes made with a 'blank' buttonhole (I made that term up; a buttonhole without a button), so that you could put your Albert chain through it, when wearing a pocket watch with your waistcoat.

Let's resolve that conflict right now. Yes it was done. I've seen vests with the feature.

I won't repost the picture above, it is a little large, but I just now noticed that t-bar hanging down below the button hole. Makes me wonder if the engineer actually was wearing a double Albert there with one end through the button hole. He could then use the same chain on Sunday with the t-bar through his vest button hole as a proper double Albert.

The bar attachment looks to be too far on one side to be a double chain. All doubles I've seen have the bar centered with two equal (slightly more or less) lenghts of chain.

 

[Shangas]

I agree with Feraud, I don't think it's a double Albert. Also, you'll notice, I think, that the T-bar is seperated from the main chain by another shorter chain. I don't think this was a fixture on double alberts, which generally had the T-bar swivel attached directly to the point where two chains of equal length, met.

I think it's probably just a really long single albert.

 

[Feraud]

I think it's probably just a really long single albert.

Single Albert is a misnomer no? I can't recall reference to a single style chain called this?
Where'd you get that term from?

 

[Shangas]

It's the term I always used, maybe it's incorrect. I believe I read it on a watch website somewhere, but it was a long time ago...

 

[dnjan]

I've read conflicting stories about this...but some people say that waistcoats were sometimes made with a 'blank' buttonhole (I made that term up; a buttonhole without a button), so that you could put your Albert chain through it, when wearing a pocket watch with your waistcoat.

But how often were waistcoats made with extra buttonholes? Was it a custom-added thing? Or did most waistcoats come with one? I always thought that they were rather rare additions and that if you wanted one, you had it added yourself.

I have a bespoke waistcoat on order that I am expecting next month. Three-button, and I specifically requested an additional buttonhole, oriented vertically, between the first and second regular buttonholes. It took a bit of explaining, so tailors must rarely do it these days.

 

[JimWagner]

Let's resolve that conflict right now. Yes it was done. I've seen vests with the feature.






The bar attachment looks to be too far on one side to be a double chain. All doubles I've seen have the bar centered with two equal (slightly more or less) lenghts of chain.

You are certainly correct about the bar being centered. I was guessing that a significant amount of the chain was hanging down inside the bib behind the button hole. Maybe with a knife on it. Or attached to something inside.

 

[JimWagner]

I agree with Feraud, I don't think it's a double Albert. Also, you'll notice, I think, that the T-bar is seperated from the main chain by another shorter chain. I don't think this was a fixture on double alberts, which generally had the T-bar swivel attached directly to the point where two chains of equal length, met.

I think it's probably just a really long single albert.

Almost all the double Albert pictures I just googled have a drop on the t-bar. Like this one for example. Which also has an extra piece for a fob, key, or other decoration as well.

 

[JimWagner]

Single Albert's can be found by googling as well. But I didn't see any with the t-bar on a separate length of chain. Doesn't mean they didn't or don't exist. Just about any configuration you can dream up probably existed at one time or another. Like all jewelry and decoration there is an element of individualism at work here. Isn't that always true for jewelry unless it's mass produced department store junk?

 

[Feraud]

I agree with JW. Most (but probably not all) double chains have an extra length of chain where the bar attaches and to hang an ornament.

Two points to consider and bear in mind -

1 - Chain designs are numerous.

2 - The variety of fobs and charms were endless!

Just a few examples-

 

[JimWagner]

Great pictures from that Sears catalog. I especially liked the 20 year warranty on the chains. Try to find that today. lol

 

[dnjan]

I agree with JW. Most (but probably not all) double chains have an extra length of chain where the bar attaches and to hang an ornament.

Two points to consider and bear in mind -

1 - Chain designs are numerous.

2 - The variety of fobs and charms were endless!

And a third option - persons like myself who intentionally removed the short chain in an effort towards simplicty. Plus an acknowledgement that for me a double chain (without the short piece and hanging charm) was about as "ornamental" as I was willing to go.

 

[Feraud]

dnjan, if you do not like ornamental chains what do you think of the woven hair chains? Too overdone or the opposite?

 

[WideBrimm]

...

Observation - This advert is similar to some of the ads seen today. I guess that in the day the average guy had at least one nice watch chain. Today the average guy may have a nice (gold ? ) neck chain.

 

[Feraud]

^ That is an interesting idea to explore..
If you have the watch, the chain is a logical necessity.

If cost is a factor, I've seen many gold plated chains. Another option is gold filled which I think is better than plated. A higher priced solid gold chain was not necessary. There were handmade woven chains and non-gold metal chains sold as such.

Like we've observed.. the variety is near endless!

 

[dnjan]

dnjan, if you do not like ornamental chains what do you think of the woven hair chains? Too overdone or the opposite?

I would probably need a personal attachment to the source of the hair used to make the chain. Lacking that, I probably wouldn't wear one.

As it is, the opposite end of my double-albert chain is a silver dollar from the year my mother was born. But it goes in the pocket, not hanging out.

I guess it is a matter of personal preference. As I mentioned, my choice was to remove the short chain on my double albert.

 

[Edward]

You'd likely wear it that way with bib overalls. If you were a locomotive engineer. Note the strategically placed button hole.

AHHHH!!!!! - I always wodnered what that button hole was for, never did it occur to me that it was to accomodate a watch chain.

Let's resolve that conflict right now. Yes it was done. I've seen vests with the feature.

Seconded - I own one.

 

[Feraud]

Here is an example of a repro shirt made with a watchchain buttonhole.

 

[Tomasso]

Here is an example of a repro shirt made with a watchchain buttonhole.

Also, any decent tailor should be able to slap a buttonhole on a shirt placket for around $10.