Rockford pocket watch

[PW Collector]

According to Complete Guide to Watches by Cooksey Shugart-Tom Engle-Richard E. Gilbert,
Serial #386668 was made in 1892.
Ser. #'s 386001-387000 are grade 112, 16 size, hunting case, 3/4 plate, gilt style. 15 jewels, stem wind, lever set. Model 1.

Dave

[Greg Frauenhoff]

Chris,

Your Rockford dates to a period when 17 jewel movements began to become "fashionable" (which is not to say that they didn't exist before this date). The Hampden Watch Co. led the charge, but others soon followed, including Rockford. Since the time from beginning a watch by making and numbering plates to when it was ready for market could be rather lengthy, it's likely that your Rockford was originally intended to be a 15 jewel mvt, but somewhere along the way (at the factory) it was finished as a 17 jewel watch. Other Rockford grades were also "up-jeweled" around this time, some to only 16j but other to 17j.

As for Open Face versus Hunting, the key distinction is where it winds (relative to the seconds bit). If it winds at 3 o'clock with the seconds at 6 then it is a hunter. If it winds at 12 o'clock with the seconds at 6 then it is open face. Also, the data provided above by Dave is from the surviving Rockford s/n list which is not 100% accurate.

Hope this helps,

Greg Frauenhoff

My Watch Site (http://hometown.aol.com/gfrauen10/gfrauen10.html)