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New To Me Pocket Watch...
Smitty500mag
Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
I purchased another pocket watch for my collection today. This one is not all that rare since there were a lot of this model made but it is 121 years old, made in 1898, and it looks pretty good for it's age plus it runs. These were ladies watches with the fancy dials. That's probably the reason it's in good condition because it was probably never carried in a man's pocket.
It's a Waltham Model 1890 Seaside, 6 size, 15 jewel with a gold filled hunting case.
It's a Waltham Model 1890 Seaside, 6 size, 15 jewel with a gold filled hunting case.
Comments
I have a pocket watch that was my late brothers. I don't remember well enough, but I suspect it could be the watch he wanted that I gave him when I was a kid. Though it is not dented, I can't seem to get the lid opened. I have been wanting to have it checked out by a pro. Do you know of anyone that works on them? If I am right, and this is the one I gave him, it would have been probably around 1982 or there about and it was bought by me as a farm kid hauling hay so I know it wasn't expensive.
Have you tried pushing down on the stem, the top of where you wind it? It should pop open when you do. Don't pry it open what ever you do.
You can go to the NAWCC, National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors, web site and look up someone to repair your watch. If you find someone local to do it you need to talk to someone that used them before to repair pocket watches. Some of these "pros" can do more damage than good.
https://nawcc.org/
Thanks for sharing.
I know just enough about pocket watches to get me in trouble! I probably have 30 or 40. Nothing exceptional, but some I really like! And they don't take up a lot of room!
My Grandpa gave me his fathers when I was 8 or 9 years old.
My Grandmother gave me my Grandpas when he passed
My Mother gave me her Fathers when he passed.
My Dad gave me my Grandmothers when she passed.
I've bought a good many and received a number of them as gifts. I believe they can tell a story, much like an old gun. Something so treasured and so personal........
When I first met my wife in 1981, I carried a pocket watch daily. Never even thought of wearing a wrist watch!
I can only imagine what it would cost to make that 1898 model Waltham today, Smitty.............$$$$$$$$$$+
It sounds like you have some great old pocket watches that have a lot of sentimental value. If you get a chance post some pictures of them. I never get tired of looking at old pocket watches.
I have 2 of my great grandpa's pocket watches that my mom gave to me. They are what I carry instead of wearing a wrist watch. Both of them keep good time. One is a Hamilton 992 made in 1913 and it's is a little more accurate than the other one which is a Waltham model 1883 that was made in 1897. The Hamilton darn near keeps perfect time only losing about 15 seconds a day. The Waltham will lose about 3 minutes a day which is still not bad for a mechanical watch that was made 122 years ago.
These photos below are of those 2 watches that belonged to ggrandpa that I carry. My favorite is the Waltham.
Waltham model 1883 Crescent Street, 17 jewel, 18 size made in 1897.
Hamilton 992, 21 jewel, size 16, made in 1913.
I used to spend summers at my great aunt's cottage on a lake where a big portrait of my GG\grandparents hung on a wall in the living room. GG granddad sure had the look I described above. They never smiled for portraits back then and a young kid looking at those stern faces over a century later, could get scared pretty easy!
Will do, Smitty!
I love the chains, fobs, and especially the beautiful silver and gold pocket knives too! True style and class!
My favorite fob is a gold filled locket my Grandma gave my Grandpa before they were married. It has a picture of both of them in it!!
This picture is of my great grandpa Monday in Knoxville, TN that owned the 2 watches in the photos above that I carry now. That's his bird dog Sam on the running board of his touring car. They loved to quail hunt. I've still got all his old guns also. You can see the pocket watch chain on his vest in the photo.
Speaking of not smiling in photos. This photo is of my great great grandparents Morrell that lived near Bristol, TN back sometime around the turn of the 20th century. They were farmers and you had to be tough to make it back then.
Some nicer than others, but like I said nothing exceptional.
Thanks for the pictures. Looks like you have some nice ones. All old mechanical pocket watches are pretty "exceptional" in my opinion especially for their quality in the time period they were made which was before modern machinery. They are works of art.
My oldest pocket watch in the photos below, is an American Watch Co Model 1857, PS Bartlett, 11 jewel, 18 size with a coin silver case was made in 1871. It was made before Edison applied for his first modern light bulb patent in 1879. That watch was designed by people making drawings by gas or candle light. It still runs and keeps near perfect time in a 24 hour period and it's 148 years old.
According to info from the Waltham factory in the 1890s an ordinary watch movement was composed of approx. 160 pieces requiring for their production about 3,750 distinct operations.
The old American Pocket Watch Factories were amazing.
American Waltham Factory late 1800s.
American Waltham Staff & Pivot Polishing Room 1890s.
American Waltham Dial Dept. late 1800s.
The Elgin National Watch Company was founded in 1864. Elgin produced approximately one-half of the total number of better-quality pocket watches manufactured in the United States. Total production over their 100 years of operation reached nearly 60 million watches.
The clock tower at the Elgin National Watch Company late 1800s.