Kent
06-21-2001, 05:46 PM
Charles:
I suspect that the watch belonged to your grandmother rather than your grandfather. I looked it up in "Waltham Pocket Watch Identification and Price Guide," Roy Ehrhardt, Heart of America Press, Kansas City, MO, 1976 (A new edition is still in print - see Heart of America Press (http://www.hoapress.com)). If the serial number 8,899,342 is on the movement and not the case, and assuming that the serial number list is accurate for this serial number (this list is known to contain errors), it idicates that the watch is a "Seaside" grade from the production run having the serial numbers 8,898,501 to 8,907,500.
The watch was produced in approximately 1899. Watch movements could take nine to eighteen months from the time the serial numbers were assigned to a run of parts until finished watches left the factory. Also, watches might not be sold right away and be kept in inventory for one or more years. Additionally, for one reason or another, records may not exist that show when a particular run of watches was completed. Thus, for most American watches, when the approximate date of production is shown on a list, it may be plus or minus one or two years.
The listing shows that run to consist of '0' size watches, a watch movement size whose pillar plate (the plate that the dial is attached to) diameter is 1 & 5/30 inch. This would be a lady's watch. The book also indicates that the run consisted of a mixture of watches being fitted with 7-15 jewels. 7 jewels is the minimum number for a watch to be considered as an American jeweled watch (as opposed to "dollar waches" which were essentially disposable). Watches with 11 jewels are getting to the top of the low end of the market and those having 15 jewels, in that era, are beginning to be medium quality.
The "Seaside" was a modest quality watch, without any of the more costly parts, or labor-intensive adjustments that went into medium-to-high quality watches. Still, the "Seaside" should keep time within a few minutes a day.
Also, its listed as being a "Model 1891." The model of a movement is the overall design of the movement. Although there may be some variations of specific models from some manufacturers, the model usually defines the size and shape of the plates and/or bridges. The model especially defines the layout of the (gear) train and the design of the vast majority of the parts. During the period your watch was made, Waltham used the year that the model was designed as the model number.
The space in the list is blank where it should indicate whether the watch was open-face (no cover over the crystal, winding stem at 12 o'clock) or hunting-case (hinged metal cover of crystal, winding stem at 3 o'clock).
Your case maight actually be B&B Royal. The B&B stands for Bates & Bacon, while "Royal" is the grade of the case. You can take a look at a rather poorly reproduced 1898 B&B ad (http://www.knology.net/~ksinger/b&b_royal.jpg) and see the listing of several grades. In 1901, Bates & Bacon, whose factory was in Attleboro, MA, was purchased by the Philadelphia Watch Case Co.
Kent
P.S. Now that you've posted pictures, I can see that it is indeed a model 1891, and a nice one, at the top of the grade, at that.
[This message has been edited by Kent (edited 06-21-2001).]
I suspect that the watch belonged to your grandmother rather than your grandfather. I looked it up in "Waltham Pocket Watch Identification and Price Guide," Roy Ehrhardt, Heart of America Press, Kansas City, MO, 1976 (A new edition is still in print - see Heart of America Press (http://www.hoapress.com)). If the serial number 8,899,342 is on the movement and not the case, and assuming that the serial number list is accurate for this serial number (this list is known to contain errors), it idicates that the watch is a "Seaside" grade from the production run having the serial numbers 8,898,501 to 8,907,500.
The watch was produced in approximately 1899. Watch movements could take nine to eighteen months from the time the serial numbers were assigned to a run of parts until finished watches left the factory. Also, watches might not be sold right away and be kept in inventory for one or more years. Additionally, for one reason or another, records may not exist that show when a particular run of watches was completed. Thus, for most American watches, when the approximate date of production is shown on a list, it may be plus or minus one or two years.
The listing shows that run to consist of '0' size watches, a watch movement size whose pillar plate (the plate that the dial is attached to) diameter is 1 & 5/30 inch. This would be a lady's watch. The book also indicates that the run consisted of a mixture of watches being fitted with 7-15 jewels. 7 jewels is the minimum number for a watch to be considered as an American jeweled watch (as opposed to "dollar waches" which were essentially disposable). Watches with 11 jewels are getting to the top of the low end of the market and those having 15 jewels, in that era, are beginning to be medium quality.
The "Seaside" was a modest quality watch, without any of the more costly parts, or labor-intensive adjustments that went into medium-to-high quality watches. Still, the "Seaside" should keep time within a few minutes a day.
Also, its listed as being a "Model 1891." The model of a movement is the overall design of the movement. Although there may be some variations of specific models from some manufacturers, the model usually defines the size and shape of the plates and/or bridges. The model especially defines the layout of the (gear) train and the design of the vast majority of the parts. During the period your watch was made, Waltham used the year that the model was designed as the model number.
The space in the list is blank where it should indicate whether the watch was open-face (no cover over the crystal, winding stem at 12 o'clock) or hunting-case (hinged metal cover of crystal, winding stem at 3 o'clock).
Your case maight actually be B&B Royal. The B&B stands for Bates & Bacon, while "Royal" is the grade of the case. You can take a look at a rather poorly reproduced 1898 B&B ad (http://www.knology.net/~ksinger/b&b_royal.jpg) and see the listing of several grades. In 1901, Bates & Bacon, whose factory was in Attleboro, MA, was purchased by the Philadelphia Watch Case Co.
Kent
P.S. Now that you've posted pictures, I can see that it is indeed a model 1891, and a nice one, at the top of the grade, at that.
[This message has been edited by Kent (edited 06-21-2001).]