Pocket Watches

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Rube Burrows
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Pocket Watches

Post by Rube Burrows »

Didnt want to take away from the other thread so I thought I would make this one up. I have been collecting pocket watches for a little while now and Here are a few of mine.

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Still in box
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I have started cutting out a Pelican case for these so that they can all be stored together and placed in a shelf in the safe.

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Hope you enjoy looking at them. If you have any questions I will do my best to answer them but its too much info to list every watch.

Feel free to post up your pocket watch pics.

These are a bunch of what I have. I have 4 at the watchmaker right now including my most beloved watch which was my great grandfather's watch and then my grandfather's watch....and now mine. I will post pics of that Illinois 23 Jewel RR watch when I get it back.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by kimwcook »

Very, very nice, Rube. I love things with old world charm and for some reason watches are one of those. But, man have they gotten spendy with the cost of precious metals going up. :(
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Pitchy »

Wow those are nice 8) thanks for sharing. :D
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

kimwcook wrote:Very, very nice, Rube. I love things with old world charm and for some reason watches are one of those. But, man have they gotten spendy with the cost of precious metals going up. :(

Yes, they sure are neat. It amazes me to think about someone having the smarts to make all those little parts work together and actually keep time.

Even more impressive is the watches that are old enough where the watchmaker had to hand forge each and every part....no electricity or anything like that. AMAZING.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

Pitchy wrote:Wow those are nice 8) thanks for sharing. :D

You're quite welcome.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by rangerider7 »

NICE!!!!!
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Topside »

Hey Rube that's a fine collection.
I don't collect'em but this one that belonged to my Dad I hold dear.

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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Very nice! I have my grandfather's old pocket watch. It is not in working order, though looks to be in relatively nice condition. I need to get it repaired someday.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Udy »

Very cool!
I absolutly love the craftsmanship in pocket watches.
I have my Great grandfathers 21 Jewel Bunn Special in a white Gold case with a pearl white face and blue hands. He told me he won it in a poker game when he was a youngin. Works, but looses time over the corse of a few days and have to reset it. It would be a fun hobby to get into collecting, but about as expensive as collecting guns. Maybe I get pics when I get time and post them.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by JerryB »

Rube, you have a beautiful pocket watch collection. I know you are proud of them, thans for showing us.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Blaine »

Thanks for sharing. :D
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by madman4570 »

Wow! Very nice indeed
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by jkbrea »

Rube, Very beautiful pieces.
I just receivd a pocket watch from my wife's father who passed away. I don't have a clue about it. It looks like it's silver. It says Armstrong/Vancouver. It works greats. Can't find pout anything about it though.

Always admired them.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by RIHMFIRE »

That is a very nice collection...
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

Topshelf......very nice looking Hamilton. Know anything about it?
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

jkbrea wrote:Rube, Very beautiful pieces.
I just receivd a pocket watch from my wife's father who passed away. I don't have a clue about it. It looks like it's silver. It says Armstrong/Vancouver. It works greats. Can't find pout anything about it though.

Always admired them.
I personally have never heard of one that says Armstrong/Vancouver.....does it say that on the face?

Sometimes when a company bought enough watches the maker would put their names on the front but on the movements you can usually find the maker name. Have you had the watch open?
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by AJMD429 »

Fascinating. Thanks for posting. 8)
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by crs »

Very nice collection. Thanks for sharing.
I have a friend here in dallas that retired recently from his engineering job and repairing old pocket watches is one of his hobbies. Shooting and stock making are his other two and he has become very good with the latter.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by rjohns94 »

Thanks, I have a few, though not of your quality. Really appreciate that collection. thanks again.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by bdhold »

I love it. Have to say I love the art deco Hamilton best.

I collect wristwatches, and here are my favorites
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I was using the telemetre on the chrono one day to time the lightning/thunder delay for my daughter, and tell her how far away the lightning was, and she thought that was the coolest thing ever.
One thing I've noticed that is a shame. Russian jewelers are taking pre-WWI pocket watches and turning them into wristwatches to sell on ebay

My Korean jeweler likes to see me coming in for watch work - part of it is he enjoys the watches, too - and he gives me very good prices.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Sixgun »

Rube,
Super cool. Those ones you have that were made in lancaster,Pa. is only a stones throw from me.

I only have one. Its an Elgin that is heavily engraved (can't see from older photo). My grandfather bought it upon his arrival here from Sicily in 1912.----------Sixgun

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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Dave James »

Don't know if you know these sites but they are good on pocket watches
http://www.farfo.com/index.html
http://www.girards.com/
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

bulldog1935, that Omega is really nice....well both are but I like the Omega. I was looking at a pocket watch the other day from a company I had never heard of.....turns out it was a Mobile, AL jewelery store who obviously bought a ton from Omega because they put the jewelery store's name on the face and on the back. Upon CLOSE inspection of the insides....it was an Omega movement. I have to believe its a pretty rare watch. I wanted to get it but it was a little out of my price range at the time. I told the owner to contact the store in Mobile because they are actually still in business and may be interested in owning it.


Sixgun.....that is a very pretty watch you have there. Its awesome to know a history on a watch. One of the things I love the most about collecting them is when they have a detailed service log inscribed in the case OR......if they have something personal inscribed in the case like the Elgin I posted inscribed from the Parents to the Son and dated 1904. To think that in 1904 someone received that watch and it was their pride and joy......and now over 100 years later, I own it. Little ole me.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by pdentrem »

I was luck to get both my grandfather's watches.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Sixgun »

Rube Burrows wrote:Sixgun..if they have something personal inscribed in the case like the Elgin I posted inscribed from the Parents to the Son and dated 1904. To think that in 1904 someone received that watch and it was their pride and joy......and now over 100 years later, I own it. Little ole me.
Rube,
I have often thought of that. (personal inscriptions) What is sad is that why in the heck don't these things stay in a family! Sure, its cool that you have some but it really goes to show you that after a grandson/granddaughter kicks the bucket, its a "free for all" for the personal items and "money talks" on these things. It gets worse with each generation.

I have personally handled many (if not a hundred or more) Civil War Colts that were inscribed to Captains, Colonels, and even Generals. It all makes you wonder why any of these guns ever hit the market.

Sad.............enjoy life because your heirs just want to play with your sweat. :wink: -----------Sixgun
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by bdhold »

cigar smokers like Cuervo y Sobrinos, which was an importer and high-grade department store in Havana that re-branded watches (pretty much all grades).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ANTIQUE-CUERVO-Y-SO ... 0422950003

Rube, my Omega has the 321 chronograph movement (Lemania 2310), which is the one that made them famous.
It's very accurate, but so is the Zodiac. My autos include more Zodiac and a Tissot Seastar (another Omega-Lemania).
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

Sixgun, I think you are spot on sir. I was always one of those kids who loved history and liked old things....was and am also one of those guys who wishes things would not change so much.....even if some are for the better.


I think some of the inscribed things hit the market because people get in tights and need money, the heirs just simply dont care about the old "junk" and would rather have a little cash which will be gone in a few days anyways.....or as is the case with some of these old watches......they are inscribed on the inside of the watch and the person who is a generation or more removed does not know where the watch came from and does not care enough to figure out how to open it up and therefore the words inscribed in the watch go unseen.

All of the above is still a sad deal.

Bulldog, I dont know how to read those chrono watches. I have never had one......maybe its time I look into getting one. They seem to be interesting enough. I have only been collecting the Pocket watches for about 6 months but in that 6 months I have really bought up some watches.

I love buying the broken watches and letting my watchmaker bring them back to life. I hate to see a watch broken and doomed. Those watches were at one time someone's pride and joy and today so many people just cast them away.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Udy »

Great Grandfathers watch.
Illinois 60hr. 21Jewel Bunn Special

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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

Very nice Bunn Special. My grandfathers 23j Bunn Special should be finished this week. I will be sure to show some pictures of it.
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Griff »

I have two, an early '30s Elgin (IIRC) and an older one in a smaller case. The smaller one is one that my dad loaned some money against after he and a guy from his home town finished boot camp during WWII. The guy wanted to go home... my dad never saw the guy again... and searched after the war and even more recently to try to return the watch to the guy's family... to no avail. It's inscribed, so if you ain't him or a descendant, don't bother tryin' to claim it!

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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by pdentrem »

In going through granddads stuff, I came across a watch key but no watch to match. No marks other than the number 7. It belongs in a good home, any ideas of where to list it?
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Re: OT ~Pocket Watches~

Post by Rube Burrows »

pdentrem wrote:In going through granddads stuff, I came across a watch key but no watch to match. No marks other than the number 7. It belongs in a good home, any ideas of where to list it?

Ebay would be my first guess. There are some pocket watch forums. Some keys can be up there in price. Might be worth it to you if you are getting rid of it to check out

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f11/
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by mack »

Nice collection Rube! Especially the Walthams. My grandfather was a master watchmaker and engraver at Waltham. If you ever come across one that is marked "GM" on the works or inside case, it is one he reset or repaired for the factory.
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by Old Ironsights »

Pretty.


I was "into" Pocket Watches in my Teen Years, but never followed through.

Still don't wear a "regular" watch except on Sundays or for Interviews though...
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by pwl44m »

Saw 2 at a Flea today,one had a train on the lid and one on the face. all I could find was Swiss made. $40 another was an open face Elgin 20 bucks. Heres where U can get into trouble, not knowing what U r looking at. Sure there r pricey Pocket Watches but knowing which is the ticket. These might have been collectors and they could very well have been repros. I stuck with the Gun stuff.
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Post by 1894c »

this is absolutely a horrible post--the worst :) i can't believe that the stuff you guys like i like--sure glad i found this forum
by the way i really like your pocket-watch display--nuts...
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by Cimarron »

Ahh, another area of things to collect :lol: I don't have a lot of them but do concentrate on railroad grade watches. Have a few Hamilton, Illinois, Whatham and Elgin. The trouble today is finding a good person to work on them. I had a good friend who passed away a couple of years ago that kept mine in shape. I found a very good young man in Stillwater that I now use.
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by Griff »

Cimarron wrote:I found a very good young man in Stillwater that I now use.
You may need to share that specific information, the guy I use in Texarkana ain't gettin' any younger!
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by kimwcook »

Griff wrote:You may need to share that specific information, the guy I use in Texarkana ain't gettin' any younger!
Hey, I resemble that remark. Aren't we all.
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by Rube Burrows »

mack wrote:Nice collection Rube! Especially the Walthams. My grandfather was a master watchmaker and engraver at Waltham. If you ever come across one that is marked "GM" on the works or inside case, it is one he reset or repaired for the factory.

Pretty neat. I will have to go back and check my watches. May have something he worked on.
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Re: Pocket Watches

Post by moodyholler »

My pocket watch is a BW Raymond 21 jewel 8 position in a Stainless case from 1931. I have the box and price tag. Will get good pics and post in the next few days. Always wanted a Hamilton 992B. moodyholler
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