Kent
10-01-2002, 01:49 PM
WetmoreKD:
Many of the U.S. at Waltham movement grades may be identified by the design of the damaskeening (the ornate design of the metalwork) on the top plate. Compare your watch movement to the ones shown in this 1895 Ad (http://www.midwestcs.com/elgin/scans/non_elgin_ads/1895/m_U_S_@_Waltham.html) to see if any of the designs match. If so, you'll be able to determine the relative quality of your watch to others made by U.S. at Waltham.
Only a small percentage of American watches (or Swiss watches for the North American market) were cased at the factories prior to the mid-1920's. Most watch companies just made movements in industry standard sizes. The case companies made cases in those same sizes. The practice at that time was to go to a jeweler, select the quality of the movement and then pick out the desired style and quality of case. The jeweler would then fit the movement to the case in a matter of moments.
Or, watches were sold by mail-order. Large outfits such as Sears, Roebuck & Co., Montgomery Ward, or T. Eaton (in Canada), would offer the movements in a variety of cases of different design and quality in their catalogs. Smaller mail-order retailers would case the watches, typically in a 20-year gold filled case and offer it only that way, with the buyer not having a choice of cases.
Check to see if there are any manufacturer's markings on on the case. If so, you may be able to learn a little about the case company by browsing the website where the movement ad is. Or, you can ask about it here.
Good luck,
Kent :smile:
Many of the U.S. at Waltham movement grades may be identified by the design of the damaskeening (the ornate design of the metalwork) on the top plate. Compare your watch movement to the ones shown in this 1895 Ad (http://www.midwestcs.com/elgin/scans/non_elgin_ads/1895/m_U_S_@_Waltham.html) to see if any of the designs match. If so, you'll be able to determine the relative quality of your watch to others made by U.S. at Waltham.
Only a small percentage of American watches (or Swiss watches for the North American market) were cased at the factories prior to the mid-1920's. Most watch companies just made movements in industry standard sizes. The case companies made cases in those same sizes. The practice at that time was to go to a jeweler, select the quality of the movement and then pick out the desired style and quality of case. The jeweler would then fit the movement to the case in a matter of moments.
Or, watches were sold by mail-order. Large outfits such as Sears, Roebuck & Co., Montgomery Ward, or T. Eaton (in Canada), would offer the movements in a variety of cases of different design and quality in their catalogs. Smaller mail-order retailers would case the watches, typically in a 20-year gold filled case and offer it only that way, with the buyer not having a choice of cases.
Check to see if there are any manufacturer's markings on on the case. If so, you may be able to learn a little about the case company by browsing the website where the movement ad is. Or, you can ask about it here.
Good luck,
Kent :smile: