Pocket watch serial number

[Held]

I am tracking a watch on E-bay and in the description the person did not reference the movement serial number....I sent them an e-mail asking what the serial number might be and the reply I get today includes the serial number but with the last three digits as x's....it reads 3885xxx...not the actual number but you see what I am saying. My question....is there a reason why the person would not send me the entire serial number?? In the listing, the pics are not good enough to read the number....is this person hiding something?? Is there something I don't know as far as not releasing serial numbers?? Please clear this up for me before I send this person a reply e-mail....thanks

Craig

[Held]

I am tracking a watch on E-bay and in the description the person did not reference the movement serial number....I sent them an e-mail asking what the serial number might be and the reply I get today includes the serial number but with the last three digits as x's....it reads 3885xxx...not the actual number but you see what I am saying. My question....is there a reason why the person would not send me the entire serial number?? In the listing, the pics are not good enough to read the number....is this person hiding something?? Is there something I don't know as far as not releasing serial numbers?? Please clear this up for me before I send this person a reply e-mail....thanks

Craig

[Sheila Gilbert]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Lots of times you can just put in those x's and you can still get the information in databases that have your answers, so many don't list them all.
What Name is the watch? Elgin, Waltham? did you check the database and see if you could get the information yet?
Lots of them don't list it, and it's fine, but I'm sure some do it for a reason. since most of the serial number is there, I feel pretty sure that it's ok. The last 3 numbers usually don't make any difference.
Do you know where the bases are on the net?
Let us know.

[Jon Hanson]

Not generally on fleabay (pictures), but this practice stems from many reasons, inc. bu in no particular order:

1 stolen watches

2 not to give up nos from a collection (personal property)

3 not to cooperate with BIG (caps) researchers

4 private RESEARCH

5 give away info (hints) that specific items from a private collection are being sold or dispersed

6 laziness

7 unwillingness to have items included as part of a data base

8 not wanting to aid the opposition, nor wishing to give out critical data to compete against ones self

(watch tghe boys go crazy on this subject!:biggrin:)

[Sheila Gilbert]

Ya know, I never thought of that.
So that is why they are left out sometimes.

When they leave out the # I have started to pass on the auction. Figure they don't want to sell it very much.
I have also, almost given up, sending e-mails, waste of my time, you don't give up the info.
I go elsewhere.

I'd say that 9/10ths of the "Buyers" are not looking for that info. anyway, and those that are, will get it from you anyway with an email

I had NEVER thought of looking for info. on watches on ebay until today, when searching for numbers for my "Pansy" the FIRST TIME I EVER thought of that, so I'm sure there out there.

Personal Property? once sold, ?????

not to go in a database? don't get it!

# 8 now I get it!

None of this is real good for buyers though.
The competition among you guys is awesome.

I guess when I learn more, I will feel the same, but for now, PUT THE SERIAL NUMBERS ON THE AUCTION PLEASE.
Bet They are the FIRST to complain that they make no money on ebay too.

Last, if it's stolen, why are you selling it?
Give it Back!

[Held]

The watch is an Illinois....is there an online serial number lookup available?? Thanks

craig

[Tom McIntyre]

Sheila,

The "stolen" argument goes like this:

"I heard about a guy who was selling a watch and published the serial number. Some crook filed a stolen property report using the serial number and had the police take the watch away from the poor seller who did nothing wrong."

I believe this is one of watch collecting's Urban Legends and I have never met or spoken to anyone who actually personally suffered a loss of this kind. However, most people are at least a little paranoid, so the legend is pretty effective in supressing valuable serial number information.

Craig, the Illinois database is not on-line but probably at least 100 of us have it on our computers. It is written in FoxPro and uses features that do not adapt well to html presentation. It can be obtained inexpensively on CD from Chapter 149. Or, you can tell us the serial number and we can look it up. Partials are ok.

[Jon Hanson]

Wait a minute--this is done on fleabay all the time but via pictures!

(Of course, if one buys their watches legitimately with a check or an invoice there is no problem; however, many of the vest pocket dealers deal "hand to pocket!" :biggrin: These guys don't declare anything or pay taxes; many buy for cash and stolen watches also pop up this way! :mad: )

[Tom McIntyre]

Jon,

I don't know anyone who ever "owned" a watch and had it taken because of a false police report. Do you?

Supressing the serial number does not protect one from picture thieves. Also that thievery victimizes unwitting purchasers, not sellers.

[Jon Hanson]

Yes, there have been attempts! (and it was an nawcc member!)

However, there are other issues which you have not thought of--like, the one where a person was afraid to devulge a serial number because a certain watch was "rumored" to have been stolen.

Many watches have been stolen over centuries but if no proof, no survivors or police reports exist, then nothing can/will be done. There are also some famous cases whereby items have been recovered decades later that have become the property of Ins. companies. :eek:

[Jon Hanson]

Your second point--ever view fuzzy pictures on fleabay?

[jimbob2154]

This is a practice you see, not only with pocket watches on EBAY, but on many other things that are "serialized". I work primarily as a gunsmith in a gunshop. Almost any listing where guns (rifles, shotguns, pistols) are sold, about 95% of the time, they will give the serial number all except for the last three digits, where they will insert the XXX. I suppose some do it because they probably ARE stolen and don't want to get caught. But, some people just don't want others to know what guns they do have. Sometimes one group of serial numbers just a couple hundred numbers apart, can be worth quite a bit more (or less) than the others. Anyone can take those numbers, with the XXX's and check the date of manufacture of the gun. That's the main purpose they give serial numbers - dating purposes.
Now, I don't know if that is the same case with pocket watches. But, I know it sure is that way with firearms. jimbob (:{