The Pocket Watch Gallery

A place to show and discuss your vintage watches
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Amor Vincit Omnia
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The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Back in September I started the Vintage Gallery with a view to getting together a photographic database of vintage watches to help people who were just getting into older watches, or just interested. To see this thread grow and to see all the beautiful watches come out has been absolutely brilliant - huge thanks to all the contributors. :thumbup:

I'd like to try something similar with pocket watches. Again, there are plenty of people on here with some lovely examples, and to have them all in one place would be really interesting and informative. An additional motive here is that I'm a complete novice eyeing up the slippery slope, having bought my first one a couple of weeks ago. I'm doing plenty of homework, but I know there is considerable expertise here. I have a feeling that I may be considering the wristwatch collection as done for a while at least, but I wouldn't mind picking up a little collection of pocket watches.

So, what have you got? Mine has been featured recently, but to recap:
Silver Lip "Chronomètre" (not a chronometer, but that was what they called them), French, best guess 1920s.

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Let's see 'em, folks! :D
Steve
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chrisjohnson
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by chrisjohnson »

My family watch. It belonged to my great grandfather Joseph Martin

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Watch has scratched on the inner case Jos Martin 1907

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Made by the Lancashire Watch Company of Prescot. I remember my Grandfather showing me the watch when I was about 5 just before he died so it has lots of memories for me and kicked off my interest in watches and my family history.

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scooter
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by scooter »

These are mine:

A 1913 vintage Waltham 12s "Photocase" with a hinged back and bezel case, with a nice original enamel dial. The hinged back snap bezel case features an ornate design around the bezels and body, and of course, the back that works as a picture frame. It measures 45mm in diameter. The case is unmarked as far as the material used, but it is probably nickle. It is signed on the inside "Nauro Photocase". The single sunk enamel dial features classic arabic numbers and an outer red 5 minute track. It also has a recessed sub second bit at the 6 position, and is signed "Waltham" in block. Very nice original blue steel hands. The open face pendant set movement is a 1894 Model Grade No. 210 with 7 Jewels and gilded plates. It is marked "A.W.W. Co. Waltham Mass" and bears the serial number 19295838.

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This is a uniquely monogramed high grade Illinois Burlington 12's hunter, circa 1917, in a yellow gold filled case with a great original dial. This is a Model 4 Grade 275 movement featuring 21 jewels, gold center wheel, steel escape wheel and fancy damaskeened nickle plates. It is Pendant set. It is marked "Burlington Watch Co. Chicago Adjusted Temp & Positions Double Roller" and bears the serial number 3024057. The original single sunk dial features boldish Arabic numbers. Nice original fancy blued steel hands. This original factory yellow gold filled hunting case is a plain polish with an enameled monogram. It is signed on the inside "The Burlington Watch Co. Guarantees This Case To Be Made Of Two Plates Of Solid Gold Over Composition And To Wear For 25 Years".

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This is a 1922 vintage Illinois 12 in a yellow gold filled case with an original guilloche dial and features black deco numbers, has a slightly recessed sub second bit at the 6 position, and is signed "Illinois" in an arc. It has been hand engraved, an artform itself, with the initials "WAT" on the outside and is marked on the inside "Illinois Watch Case Co. Elgin Tivoli". It measures 44mm in diameter and has original fancy blued hands. The high grade open face pendant set movement is a freshly cleaned great running Grade 405 with 17 Jewels, gold jewel setting, gold center wheel and nickle damaskeened plates with black filled lettering. It is marked "Illinois Springfield Watch Co. The Master 17 Jewels Adjusted" and bears the serial number 4163176.

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A 17 jewelled size 10 gold filled Gruen Veri-thin made in the 1940s. The case and dial have been lightly detailed with no brass showing. It is stem wound and stem set with sub seconds and is 42 mm and came complete with it's own original box.

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Worn on a chain

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or carried in a pouch

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scooter
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by gwells »

some very nice watches there.

i have elgins from both of my grandfathers. neither of which works at the moment. i have a picture of my dad's dad's watch..

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still debating whether to get it serviced and running, since i'm unlikely to wear it much, if any.

the other is missing the small seconds hand and i just got it a few weeks ago. need to do a little more looking into it, but i don't believe it's particularly valuable either.
the "g" is for Greg...
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Amor Vincit Omnia
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

That's a great start! A superb American set and two family heirlooms! :clap:
Steve
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by downer »

Here is one I posted about a couple of years ago, following a visit to my wife's elderly aunt.

Aware of my interest in watches, the elderly lady showed this watch to me. It belonged to her Father, (my wife's Grandfather) who died in 1955.

The watch is from 1939 and is in excellent condition. Inside the box was the original warranty certificate, which shows that H Samuel offered a seven year warranty back then!

This watch appears to be an 'own-brand' from H Samuel. Of course, H Samuel is still a well known High Street brand these days, although they pretty much sell only fashion brands.

Anyway, here's some pictures, starting with the case..

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Opening the box, you can notice the H Samuel logo - apparently the empire's largest jeweller...

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Next up, the warranty certificate, showing the date of purchase and the seven year warranty, including oiling and regulation.

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Moving on the to the watch, here it is..

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I was told the watch still works, although as far as I know, it has been in storage for the past 50 odd years.

I admit I know little or nothing about vintage watches, and I guess this was not a very expensive watch when it was purchased. However, it is clearly of great sentimental value to Mrs D's Aunt and is a piece of living history. :)
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by scooter »

What a lovely half hunter with great provenance. With less than 9 months to go to the outbreak of the Second World War the war clouds would have been gathering over Europe at this time . A sombre thought indeed.

I like the fact that the watch number on the guarantee tallies with that on the watch itself as it should.

A great treasure as no doubt is your wife's Aunt.

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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by asqwerth »

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Love the hour hand!

I certainly don't intend to collect pocket watches, but this is a fascinating thread with great stories and pictures.
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by ddav »

After the GTG, I thought I'd photograph the Pocket watches and add them here
LIP
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Rolex
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Longines
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JW Benson
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Universal
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C600IPB 101, C7O cosc 009/300, C8 IPK 004 ,C11 Makaira Pro 006.
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by Dancematt »

Some proper beauties so far. My Grandfather left some to me, I only have pics of one at the moment, mainly because I thought the service receipts were a lovely touch. Silver double cased verge watch - Thomas Robinson of London, 1862 production date or number in series?

I have a decent pic of the chain driven gears somewhere - watch needs a bit of work.

Great grandfather to grandfather to me:

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Amor Vincit Omnia
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Simple & functional new arrival...

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Steve
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Amor Vincit Omnia
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

My latest:
1883 silver English fusee lever "Improved Patent". Big (55mm) heavy case, almost certainly by Charles Cooke of Coventry.

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Steve
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by Kip »

I was given these very recently by a close friends wife who passed away.

They did not mean anything to the immediate family members, so I offered to care for them. They are not particularly valuable, but I cleaned them up a bit and both are now working and have been added to the collection. :)

First up is an 12 size Illinois from 1920. It has a wonderful 21 jewel movement that is adjusted to 5 positions. It is the Abraham Lincoln grade. The case is a Wadsworth 25 year gold filled.

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If anyone can figure out the Old English entwined engraving, I would be grateful.
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The second watch is Waltham 16 size from 1924 with a 7 jewel 1908 movement. A workhorse movement that has some lovely light damaskeening. The case is nickel with filigree edging.

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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by teestech »

Kip wrote:If anyone can figure out the Old English entwined engraving, I would be grateful.
Kip, I've just had my mother take a look at the engraving (she's quite into genealogy so is used to looking at old scripts/text in her research). Her initial impression is that it looks to be "H N L" intertwined.

She is currently looking for a printed guide of various scripts for the entire alphabet, which if found I will scan and PM to you for comparison.
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Re: The Pocket Watch Gallery

Post by Kip »

Thank You. Much appreciated. The closest I could come up with was G-M-C but that was mostly a guess. :problem:
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