Barry G
02-15-2002, 06:55 AM
Howdy, Dan!
I'm sorry to say that your watch is neither a genuine Waltham nor an actual Railroad watch.
The Waltham Watch Company went out of business in the 1950's. Sometime in the 1970's these cheap Swiss watches started showing up bearing the name "Waltham Watch Company" but having no relation whatsoever to watches made by the real Waltham Watch Company, which is why you won't find a serial number on the movement.
As for it being a "railroad watch", simply having a train on the dial or case doesn't make it a railroad watch. Railroad "grade" watches had to be made to certain high specifications with regard to material and accuracy, and railroad "approved" watches had to also be specifically accepted for use on one or more railroads.
Some of these watches have shown up with an additional fake 8 jewels glued on the back of the movement and marked "25 jewels", which has led some gullible folks to shell out hundreds of dollars for what they think is a rare and high grade watch. The 17 jewel versions aren't as bad as that, since they don't represent themseves to be any better than what they are, but a lot of buyers still get deceived into thinking they are genuine Walthams in spite of the fact that they are marked "Swiss made".
Sorry about that...
Barry
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My Online Pocket Watch Collection (http://barrygoldberg.net/watches.htm)
I'm sorry to say that your watch is neither a genuine Waltham nor an actual Railroad watch.
The Waltham Watch Company went out of business in the 1950's. Sometime in the 1970's these cheap Swiss watches started showing up bearing the name "Waltham Watch Company" but having no relation whatsoever to watches made by the real Waltham Watch Company, which is why you won't find a serial number on the movement.
As for it being a "railroad watch", simply having a train on the dial or case doesn't make it a railroad watch. Railroad "grade" watches had to be made to certain high specifications with regard to material and accuracy, and railroad "approved" watches had to also be specifically accepted for use on one or more railroads.
Some of these watches have shown up with an additional fake 8 jewels glued on the back of the movement and marked "25 jewels", which has led some gullible folks to shell out hundreds of dollars for what they think is a rare and high grade watch. The 17 jewel versions aren't as bad as that, since they don't represent themseves to be any better than what they are, but a lot of buyers still get deceived into thinking they are genuine Walthams in spite of the fact that they are marked "Swiss made".
Sorry about that...
Barry
------------------
My Online Pocket Watch Collection (http://barrygoldberg.net/watches.htm)