doug sinclair
11-18-2003, 12:34 PM
Rick,
Clues to a definite answer to your question are missing in your post. Did you find out where to WIND the watch? Some key winders have two square arbors peeking out through holes in the back of the case. One for winding, one (middle) for setting. If your watch had two of these, I suspect you would have found them by now. You may have a "pair cased" watch. These have an outer case, and this case protects the watch which fits within, inside an inner case. The button you refer to MIGHT be the latch to allow you to open the outer case so that you can remove the watch.
If the watch is French, the winder is easy to find as many of these have the winding arbor located in the face (dial). You'd have seen that, if it was French. I am not familiar enough with the French ones to know how they set, but my guess is that the center hub on the hands MIGHT have a square post by which you use the key to set the hands. These might also have the setting arbor on the back of the watch which would require that you remove the watch from its outer case.
Many key winders are open faced, and many are hunter cased (covered face). These usually require that you open the back to wind the watch. Whether or not the front is covered, these usually require that you open the bezel and crystal because the setting square is in the middle of the hands, at the front. The odd one MIGHT also had a setting arbor at the back, by the winder.
As you can see, there is no single answer to your question. It depends on the maker, country of origin, style of case, and era. Take a further look and report back if you have any further questions. In that event, please also provide pictures! In any event, please let us know how you make out, and what you find.
Oh! And thanks or the compliments of our site. This site is courtesy of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors. There are over 3,300 registers posters on this site, and we take pride in being able to help folks with their questions. Why not bookmark this site, and visit us often. Maybe even find a local chapter and get involved!
Doug S,
Clues to a definite answer to your question are missing in your post. Did you find out where to WIND the watch? Some key winders have two square arbors peeking out through holes in the back of the case. One for winding, one (middle) for setting. If your watch had two of these, I suspect you would have found them by now. You may have a "pair cased" watch. These have an outer case, and this case protects the watch which fits within, inside an inner case. The button you refer to MIGHT be the latch to allow you to open the outer case so that you can remove the watch.
If the watch is French, the winder is easy to find as many of these have the winding arbor located in the face (dial). You'd have seen that, if it was French. I am not familiar enough with the French ones to know how they set, but my guess is that the center hub on the hands MIGHT have a square post by which you use the key to set the hands. These might also have the setting arbor on the back of the watch which would require that you remove the watch from its outer case.
Many key winders are open faced, and many are hunter cased (covered face). These usually require that you open the back to wind the watch. Whether or not the front is covered, these usually require that you open the bezel and crystal because the setting square is in the middle of the hands, at the front. The odd one MIGHT also had a setting arbor at the back, by the winder.
As you can see, there is no single answer to your question. It depends on the maker, country of origin, style of case, and era. Take a further look and report back if you have any further questions. In that event, please also provide pictures! In any event, please let us know how you make out, and what you find.
Oh! And thanks or the compliments of our site. This site is courtesy of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors. There are over 3,300 registers posters on this site, and we take pride in being able to help folks with their questions. Why not bookmark this site, and visit us often. Maybe even find a local chapter and get involved!
Doug S,