Are any of you folks antique/vintage pocket watch gurus?

Knowing how "multi-talented" a lot of folks here on SD are, I thought I'd ask if anyone is, or thinks they are, antique/vintage pocket watch gurus?

I have one, a Waltham, that came down to me from, I'm fairly sure, my paternal grandfather. It still works, believe it or not. I wound it yesterday morning and set it to my wristwatch and it's staying with it.

Not looking to sell it. I'm actually figuring to carry it with jeans since they have a watch pocket. Would like to identify it beyond just Waltham, etc.

Any takers?? Thanks!!

 

Here is a good resource for dating your watch. https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/serialnumber/waltham

I have a couple rail road Hamilton watches, a 1951 992B Hamilton with a Montgomery Dial and a 1901 Hamilton 940 RR watch. Both are lever set and have been restored locally.

 

Yes, but, how do you get your messaging notifications with that?!

I also have a pocket watch from the late 1800s or maybe early 1900s which belonged to my great-grandfather. I haven't seen it in ages since it's away for safe-keeping. But, last I know, it still works.

 

Very nice pocket watch! If you could open the back and photograph any case and movement markings, that would be helpful.

 

Thanks!

If I can figure out how to get it open. I read to try to get my fingernail under the lip and pull. But that doexn't seem to work, at least for me! ??

 

Try to unscrew.

 

Yes, some of them sort of unscrew so don't try prying it off. Gently squish it between the palms of both hands and turn them in opposite directions. That's how my "watch guy/ jeweller" opened my lever set Hamilton. It might also be a good idea to save up some money (because good watch service isn't cheap) and have it properly cleaned and lubricated as it's almost certainly dryed out inside. Old analog mechanical watches are like car motors, running them dry is not very good for them. And please do not spray WD40 or anything else in there. It can react with other traces of old lube and turn into a film of yuck. Lubricating mechanical watch movements is a precision process best left to a qualified horologist (not the guy in the kiosk in the mall).

 

Maybe a watch enthusiast forum member that lives near you can recommend a serious "watch guy".

 

I've "tried" to "unscrew" it as suggested, but I had no success!

I agree that it may be a good idea to have it looked at by someone who knows what they're doing. In a purely ballpark sense, how much should I expect something like that to cost me? Then to find one is the next thing. Speaking of watch focused forums, I will look into that as well. Is there one you know of that's as "congenial" as TSD here is?

 

This is where I bought my railroad watches. Give Bill a call today. http://www.timepast.com/

 

Don't know what I did differently, but I was watching a video on YouTube about how to open pocket watches. Had the watch in my hands, was trying along with the person, and it opened.

Took some pictures. I'll post them later. Going to see if I can find a site I saw earlier that helped identify with pictures of the inside of the watch.

 

I'd like to ask for an opinion of another set of eyes, if anyone would be so kind?

This is a pic of the s/n of this watch, at least as good as I can take it with my phone. The pic is with the original post as well so it's all together.

I think I read it right, but I'd be interested in knowing what someone else sees?

 

Put the number in that link I sent and see if you get an answer.

 

CORRECTION:
After conversing with some folks on a watch related forum, I've come to believe what I thought might have been tool marks were in fact numbers in the SN as well. The correct SN is 17463811 . See posting further down for more.

I did that based on what looks like, as best I can determine, a s/n of 74638. But there are "marks" on either side of what I read as numbers, that I'm not sure of or their significance, if any. That's why I was asking how it looked to someone else. My wife looked at my pic of the s/n and read it the same as I did. "IF" I'm right, it's a P.S. Bartlett grade, Model 1857, estimated production date of May 1863 and is part of a run of 90 with a total production of 292, 759. Here is the works and case back pictures.

EDIT Addition: But the more I look and follow links, what comes up for that s/n is not what I see. type of setting, plate, etc. More research is in order.

 

Note the Illinois case. Apparently customers could chose the case at the jewelers shop or at least that true for RR watches .

 

No pocket watches here but I've started collecting vintage wristwatches. Nice inheritance.

Is that possibly something like a movement code rather than a S/N?

 

There was a connection of the Illinois Watch company and Abraham Lincoln.
"
The Illinois Watch Company[edit]
The Illinois Springfield Watch Company was reorganized in the autumn and winter of 1878, and was renamed the "Illinois Watch Company" (the final name of the corporation). Chief executive leadership of the corporation was assumed by Jacob Bunn, Sr. (1814–1897), an Illinois industrialist, railroad financier, railroad reorganizer, wholesale grocer, commission merchant, newspaper publisher, land developer, coal operator, political advisor and financier, banker, and rope manufacturer. Jacob Bunn was the older brother of John Whitfield Bunn, and both men were among the closest friends and political allies of Illinois lawyer and statesman Abraham Lincoln, whose political career was largely financed and managed by the Bunn brothers. Jacob Bunn, Sr., oversaw the steady growth of the new corporation, and under his administration the corporate employment grew from 260 in the year 1879 to 400 in the year 1880. Jacob Bunn led corporate sales along a certain and definite trajectory of growth in both volume of manufacture and corporate revenue. In 1879, the corporation manufactured 33,285 watch movements. In 1880, the corporation manufactured 47,065 watch movements. By 1890 the concern had established corporate offices in Chicago, New York City, and San Francisco. The corporation helped pioneer the logistical technology that served the enforcement of standard time for railroads throughout the world. At its apex of profitability, the Illinois Watch Company employed approximately 1,200 people."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Watch_Company

 

I've found, and signed up on, a couple of watch related forums. Hopefully results will be forthcoming. ???

But, so far, none of them have the ambiance of good 'ol TSD!

It sure is nice here!

 

Well, I've found out a but more information on this watch of mine. After conversing with some folks on a watch focused forum, and their looking at the photo of the serial number, one with some kind of graphics program, it appears what I thought might have been some kind of tool marks, are in fact numbers in the sn. So, what I originally thought might have been a sn of 74638 in fact is 17463811 which changes the description of the watch to a Waltham, grade 610, model 1908 pocketwatch with an estimated production year of 1908. The pictures of movements on the database for this particular movement, match what this one looks like.

I'll include a screen capture of the data page from the database in case anyone is interested in any other data about it.

 

I enjoyed getting into the weeds on my two Hamilton RR watches. Glad you found the resources helpful . I have a size 16 and 18.