Atlas, North Shore and gruen pocket watch info

[powerm64]

Hello, i need some info on the following pocket watches.
Atlas Watch co. serial number 7105769
North Shore Railroad watch
Gruen Guild with serial number 101156
I would like to know the age and value of each and where to find additional info on each one. Thanks in advance.

[powerm64]

Hello, i need some info on the following pocket watches.
Atlas Watch co. serial number 7105769
North Shore Railroad watch
Gruen Guild with serial number 101156
I would like to know the age and value of each and where to find additional info on each one. Thanks in advance.

[doug sinclair]

Hi,

Welcome to the NAWCC message board!

We'll need pictures of the Atlas and the North Shore. These names do not appear in any of the guides I have access to. Front, and back with the cases open. Re: the Gruen, we'll need the movement calibre number, or a very good picture of the front, and the back with the case open, or a good clear picture of the movement if you don't know which number to give us. Case numbers do not help. If you will re-read the terms you agreed to when you registered to use this board, and check over the terms of use at the top of this page, you will notice that we do not discuss values here. There are watch collector guides that may be some help in this regsrd.

[Kent]

Hi powerm64:

The North Shore Railroad watch, especially since it doesn't seem to have a serial number, appears to be what is referred to as a “Swiss Fake.” This is a term used to describe inexpensive watches made to resemble medium-to-high grade American watches. They are marked with names similar to those of American watches, or with names that sound as though they should be an American watch. They frequently have a distinctive lettering style on their plates. Many “Swiss Fakes” made to resemble 16-size, American railroad standard watches also have "21 Jewels" on the dial, in an arc over the seconds bit. This too, is in a distinctive (red) lettering style. These watches were imported from the last quarter of the nineteenth century through the end of the American pocket watch era in the 1960’s. On some, their jewels seem to be larger than on most American watches and they may not all be functional. A 1908 article, describing one such watch may be seen at:
<span class="ev_code_brown">elginwatches.org/scans/non_elgin_articles/m_1908_swiss_fake_warning.html</span>
<span class="ev_code_blue">To view, go to the </span><span class="ev_code_brown">Elgin Watch Collectors Site Home Page</span> <span class="ev_code_blue">at</span> <span class="ev_code_brown">elginwatches.com</span>, <span class="ev_code_blue">then copy and paste the address in your browser's address bar and click on </span>'Go'.

The Atlas watch sounds like a 'private label,' or 'contract,' watch. Just about all the watch companies, including the Swiss firms, would mark both the watch movements and/or the dials in just about any manner for any customer who wished to pay for the service. I don't have any exact references for the costs, but I've heard (read?) that, for some companies, if five or more watches were ordered, there was no charge for marking the movements. Special dials were said to cost 25 or 50 cents each. Some watch manufacturers were more liberal. Private label watches were contracted for by a large range of companies, from Sears, Roebuck down to the smaller jewelers in the little towns.

Paul Schliessser has an excellent website the provides a history of Dietrich Gruen and the Gruen Watch Co., entitled Gruen: The Art and Mystery of Watchmaking 1874 – 1958 (http://www.pixelp.com/gruen/index.html).

[John F]

The "Atlas" is likely an Elgin or New York Standard product, made for Louis Manheimer of Chicago. We'll need a picture to know for sure.

[Wes]

Welcome to the Board!

Another indication that the Atlas Watch Company watch could in fact be made by Elgin, is that Elgin SN 7105769 (http://elginwatches.org/cgi-bin/elgin_sn?sn=7105769&action=search) could be an Atlas Watch Co, according to the Elgin Database.