Pocket Watches

[Unk]

Interesting info on W.B. Ball:

http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/ball.html

You can also see the history of different watch companies by clicking on the left side. Also serial numbers of those companies, so you can determine the age of your watch.

[OLDE CUTLER]

This watch, chain, and arrowhead fob belonged to my grandpa Henry and is from around 1890. It is a Swiss made Longines (pronounced Lon-gene). Wish I had a knife that was from grandpa too, but I don't. Runs good if I remember to wind it.

[Steve Warden]

That arrowhead add an extra touch of cool!
Thanks for sharing that.

[OLDE CUTLER]

That arrowhead add an extra touch of cool!
Thanks for sharing that.

I am saying around 1890 since grandpa would have been in his early 20s and the first thing of value you bought when you had money in those days was a fine pocket watch. I mentioned that I do not have a knife from grandpa, but I do have his pocket pistol.

[Challenger007]

The pocket watch is an old-fashioned but very adorable habit. Although, recently things that were in trend 50-70 years ago have come into fashion.

[New_Windsor_NY]

A very recent acquisition.

[Railsplitter]

A very recent acquisition.

Wow! That is nice!

[New_Windsor_NY]

Wow.....

Thank you.

[WillyCamaro]

A very recent acquisition.

Man Skip, dat tis a good 'un!

[New_Windsor_NY]

Man.....

Thank you.

[Meridian_Mike]

I have a few Pocket Watches....
.
My oldest US made is an Elgin B.W. Raymond that dates to 1868. (no good pics...sorry)
.
My oldest watch is a Key Wind Fusee English made watch.
.

.

.
The hallmarks in the case date it to 1783....
These watches were works of art..... Not very accurate but cool to look at!

I like pocket knives better...LOL

[Meridian_Mike]

This one dates to 1830...
.
VERY ornate!

[Steve Warden]

Skip and Mike, you guys got some show-'em-offs!!
Sweet!!

[New_Windsor_NY]

I.....

This.....

Those are some NICE time pieces, Mike.

[knife7knut]

My only real good pocket watch is my grandfather's Elgin.It was made around 1913 according to the serial number.I remember he used to faithfully wind it every night about 8pm just before he went to bed. He always said that it was important to wind it at the same time every day to minimize wear on the mainspring. A good friend of mine who repaired watches for me later confirmed that. Sadly the mainspring must have gotten weak over the years as it requires winding twice a day now.
Most of the other ones I have are just inexpensive items. There are a couple unusual ones that I like and also a couple that look like watches but are not. Hope you enjoy them.
#1 My grandfather's Elgin .
#2 Another larger Elgin I bought awhile back.Can't get it to run slow enough.
#3 Churchill pocket watch
#4 Colibri quartz pocket watch that came with a chain and pocket knife.Can't get the back off to change the battery.
#5 Westclox "Pocket Ben" Runs occasionally.
#6 Relic with a Craftsman face logo.
#7 & #8 A small watch concealed inside a caricature of a Volkswagen.
#9 Not a watch but a countdown timer for yacht racing.
#10 Auropole pocket compass in what looks like a pocket watch case.

[knife7knut]

Some oddball watches and a couple that look like watches.
#1 A bottom timer for calculating dive time for SCUBA divers.
#2 A stopwatch with a wrist band.
#3 Colibri watch with knife blades inside.
#4 A money clip knife with a watch in the handle.
#5 thru #9 A variety of watches installed in letter openers.

[zzyzzogeton]

My only (currently) pocket watch. This is a Hamilton 4992B 22 Jewel Bureau of Ships US Navy Comparing Watch. The engraving on the back is dated 1943. The serial number inside breaks down to having been made in 1941. That most likely is because Hamilton made a ton of them in 1941 and this one sat arround in storage until it was engraved and issued.

A Comparing Watch was issued with each Chronometer issued to a ship, and a ship is usually issued 3 chronometers.
Comparing watches were used for a variety of tasks.

One of them was for one of the Ship's Quartermasters (which have absolutely NOTHING to do with supplies) to go around the ship and wind and reset all the mechanical clocks on the ship.

Another use was during celestial navigation sitings. The Navigator and Chief Quartermaster would take multiple sitings on several of the 54 "navigation stars" at dawn and dusk, and to take sun sitings during the day. One of the junior quartermasters would write down the time when the Navigator or Chief Quartermaster said "Mark" indicating he had taken a siting on the star being "shot". The recording Quartermaster would write down the time to the nearest second so that the ship's position fix is as accurate as possible.

Face


Engraving on back


The guts

[knife7knut]

Great information! Sounds a lot like what the Swiss do when they certify a chronometer movement.

[New_Windsor_NY]

Skip.....

Thank you Steve.

[Steve Warden]

Went up to see Mom last week and she had these for me.

The Gruen Veri-Thin was my paternal grandfather's. His initials are on the back. My middle name, Jay, is from him.

The Waltham is from my Great-Great (maybe even a third Great) grandfather on my Mom's side.

I want to get them appraised and even restored to working order. Just hope that's not too expensive.

[Railsplitter]

Those are very nice, Steve. Real treasures.

[steve99f]

Those are treasures Steve, very lucky to have them. I really like that Gruen.

[Steve Warden]

Those are very nice, Steve. Real treasures.

Those are treasures Steve, very lucky to have them. I really like that Gruen.

Thanks, Gents.

[New_Windsor_NY]

Went.....

VERY nice watches, Steve.

[Steve Warden]

VERY nice watches, Steve.

Appreciate it, Skip