Let Down Screw ?

[Steven Mercer]

In Shugarts, there is a Waltham Watch Co., 18s, 15j, Model 1857, SW, LS, listed, that has a ?Let Down Screw?.

What is the purpose of a Let Down Screw?
Where is it located on the movement?
Is it only on this Model and Grade? Or is it on different Grades of the Model 1857?

Thanks for any information that you can pass along to help educate a newbie.

Steve

[Steven Mercer]

In Shugarts, there is a Waltham Watch Co., 18s, 15j, Model 1857, SW, LS, listed, that has a ?Let Down Screw?.

What is the purpose of a Let Down Screw?
Where is it located on the movement?
Is it only on this Model and Grade? Or is it on different Grades of the Model 1857?

Thanks for any information that you can pass along to help educate a newbie.

Steve

[mikeh]

Steve,

The screw can be seen at the edge of the barrel bridge right beside one of the barrel bridge screws. It's purpose is to release the ratchet click so power from the mainspring can be let down. In Shugart's, there is a picture of a Waltham Watch Co. model 57 where the screw is visible.

The only models I have seen it on are the lever set or key set varieties of the stem wind model 57's, but there certainly may be others.

Regards,
Mike

Here is a better picture.

http://www.knology.net/~hodo/images/ldscrew.JPG

[This message has been edited by mikeh (edited 09-29-2002).]

[Steven Mercer]

Mike

Thanks for the information and the picture. Now I know what to look for.

Is this something that Waltham tried and abandoned?

How common / rare is the let down screw?

Steve

[mikeh]

Steve,

First of all, I had to make a correction to my previous post. I referred to the 57 stem wind variations stem set and key set and it should have been lever set and key set. I'm not sure if there are any other factory varieties.

As for rarity, it is strictly conjecture, but my experience has been that there are more 57 SW's with the let down screw than those without, so the version without the screw may actually be more desirable although I don't know that either one commands a higher price, and I wouldn't consider either one truly rare.

What I personally consider much more important is the case on the lever set variety. They have a sort of unique lever action which requires a unique slot in the bezel (http://www.knology.net/~hodo/images/57sw_lever.JPG). Like a lot of early American watches, the case is much harder to find than the movement!

If you can't already tell, I love these watches! :biggrin:

Regards,
Mike

[This message has been edited by mikeh (edited 09-29-2002).]

[Tom McIntyre]

Mike, I think of the let down screw as appearing on the stem wind 57 model watches.
These can be key set from the front (scarce),
lever set (fairly common),
button and/or nail set (very scarce).

I have some bad pictures of a lever set example on my web site under "interesting walthams."

Since one can see evidence of its prior existence on many watches, I think it passed out of use as an unnecessary complication.



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Tom McIntyre
NAWCC 2nd VP Candidate
Tommy the JOAT's Web (http://www.AWCo.org)

[Steven Mercer]

Mike and Tom

Thanks for the information. I will have to keep an eye out for these.

Mike, that picture of the lever, it looks like the lever can actually be pulled out and engaged without taking the bezel off, unlike the regular lever where you have to take the bezel off.

Am I looking at that correctly?

Tom, thanks for the information on the different settings.

Steve

[Barry G]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
it looks like the lever can actually be pulled out and engaged without taking the bezel off, unlike the regular lever where you have to take the bezel off.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That is actually the gneral rule with hunter cased lever set watches. It is only the open faced lever set watches that require you to remove the bezel to get at the lever.

Regards,

Barry

P.S. I guess my guess about let down screws was right after all!

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My Online Pocket Watch Collection (http://barrygoldberg.net/watches.htm)

[Steven Mercer]

Barry

Thanks.

Something else to look for. I have never seen a hunter cased lever set before.

Steve

PS I didn't doubt your guess for a second. :wink:

[Barry G]

Steve,

Actually, lever set hunter cased watches are pretty common. Here are some examples from my collection:

http://barrygoldberg.net/watch13.htm
http://barrygoldberg.net/watch19.htm
http://barrygoldberg.net/watch34.htm
http://barrygoldberg.net/watch53.htm
http://barrygoldberg.net/watch65.htm
Regards,

Barry

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My Online Pocket Watch Collection (http://barrygoldberg.net/watches.htm)