Jerry Treiman
02-14-2002, 07:23 PM
A discussion appeared under another thread about the different 12-size configurations made by the Waltham Watch Co., and I thought I would move my observations to a new thread where they might be more readily seen.
The standard Waltham 12-size (1894 model) first came out with a 3/4 or split-plate design, with the center and third wheels under the barrel bridge, and the fourth and escape wheels under a smaller train bridge. (There was also the rather uncommon, high-grade, bridge model, which gave the appearance of having three train bridges although all were actually one piece). Shortly after 1900 they started producing the higher grades (Maximus, Riverside and Royal) with what I call a semi-bridge layout - center wheel, third wheel and fourth wheel under one bridge and escape wheel under an attached, but seemingly separate, finger bridge. (Lower grade movements still had the older split-plate). The Colonial Series is based on the 1894-model 12-size and uses almost all of the same parts, but the pillar-plate is 14-size. From the back they look the same as the 12-size, and were made with both plate patterns (split-plate and semi-bridge). The 1897-model 14-size also used mostly the same parts as the 12-size, but is larger in diameter both front and back, and was only made in the split-plate layout. Examples of the split-plate layout in 12-size (1894), 14-size (1897) and Colonial Series may be seen in this image (http://www.nawcc-info.org/JT007_94_97_ColSer.jpg). The standard 12-size is on top, the two lower movements have a 14-size pillar plate (1897 on the left and Colonial Series on the right). Higher-grade examples of the 12-size (http://www.nawcc-info.org/JT008_12size1894_BK&Co.jpg) and Colonial Series (http://www.nawcc-info.org/JT009ColonialSeries_Patrician.jpg) were made with the “semi-bridge” layout.
Many collectors and dealers have been confused by the presentation of these model names in the Waltham 1936, 1940, 1948 and 1958 material catalogs. The long hyphens in the material page titles are supposed to connect related terms and should be read: 12 size - 1894; Colonial Series; and 14 size - 1897. These late catalogs also show only the split plate configuration for the 12-size and only the semi-bridge style for Colonial Series, which has led some people to make a false distinction based on plate pattern. Earlier catalogs (such as 1909 and 1916) more clearly distinguish these models and also show both plate patterns for the Colonial Series and the 1894 12-size. Shugart and Ehrhardt appear to have carried this misconception forward in their books by only showing the split-plate 1894 model. The EA diagrams mistakenly label Colonial Series movements as 14-size 1897 models and do not show the semi-bridge pattern for the standard 12-size (which is commonly seen on the Riverside Maximus and Riverside grades after around 1901).
The next (and completely new) small men's watch Waltham came out with (around 1912) was the Colonial A, 14-size, a high-grade watch that was, at that time, the thinnest American-made man’s watch available (other than, perhaps, the Opera Watch - a ladies size movement in an oversize case). In 1918 Waltham came out with a 10-size version of the Colonial A. The 1924 Colonial (also called the Colonial B) was not as thin as the Colonial A, but was still quite a bit thinner than the old 12-size. The next generation was the Colonial R (1945 model) but I have not studied these newer watches as much. I believe the intent of the "Colonial" line of watches was to have a thinner man's watch than was otherwise available. The first Colonial Series was not actually thinner, but the larger diameter (14-size) made it proportionately thinner and thus it appeared to be thin (certainly thinner than the old 14-size watches or a 16-size watch). This is all just one part of the 12-size story that I hope to put together one day.
[This message was edited by Jerry Treiman on January 24, 2003 at 2:25.]
The standard Waltham 12-size (1894 model) first came out with a 3/4 or split-plate design, with the center and third wheels under the barrel bridge, and the fourth and escape wheels under a smaller train bridge. (There was also the rather uncommon, high-grade, bridge model, which gave the appearance of having three train bridges although all were actually one piece). Shortly after 1900 they started producing the higher grades (Maximus, Riverside and Royal) with what I call a semi-bridge layout - center wheel, third wheel and fourth wheel under one bridge and escape wheel under an attached, but seemingly separate, finger bridge. (Lower grade movements still had the older split-plate). The Colonial Series is based on the 1894-model 12-size and uses almost all of the same parts, but the pillar-plate is 14-size. From the back they look the same as the 12-size, and were made with both plate patterns (split-plate and semi-bridge). The 1897-model 14-size also used mostly the same parts as the 12-size, but is larger in diameter both front and back, and was only made in the split-plate layout. Examples of the split-plate layout in 12-size (1894), 14-size (1897) and Colonial Series may be seen in this image (http://www.nawcc-info.org/JT007_94_97_ColSer.jpg). The standard 12-size is on top, the two lower movements have a 14-size pillar plate (1897 on the left and Colonial Series on the right). Higher-grade examples of the 12-size (http://www.nawcc-info.org/JT008_12size1894_BK&Co.jpg) and Colonial Series (http://www.nawcc-info.org/JT009ColonialSeries_Patrician.jpg) were made with the “semi-bridge” layout.
Many collectors and dealers have been confused by the presentation of these model names in the Waltham 1936, 1940, 1948 and 1958 material catalogs. The long hyphens in the material page titles are supposed to connect related terms and should be read: 12 size - 1894; Colonial Series; and 14 size - 1897. These late catalogs also show only the split plate configuration for the 12-size and only the semi-bridge style for Colonial Series, which has led some people to make a false distinction based on plate pattern. Earlier catalogs (such as 1909 and 1916) more clearly distinguish these models and also show both plate patterns for the Colonial Series and the 1894 12-size. Shugart and Ehrhardt appear to have carried this misconception forward in their books by only showing the split-plate 1894 model. The EA diagrams mistakenly label Colonial Series movements as 14-size 1897 models and do not show the semi-bridge pattern for the standard 12-size (which is commonly seen on the Riverside Maximus and Riverside grades after around 1901).
The next (and completely new) small men's watch Waltham came out with (around 1912) was the Colonial A, 14-size, a high-grade watch that was, at that time, the thinnest American-made man’s watch available (other than, perhaps, the Opera Watch - a ladies size movement in an oversize case). In 1918 Waltham came out with a 10-size version of the Colonial A. The 1924 Colonial (also called the Colonial B) was not as thin as the Colonial A, but was still quite a bit thinner than the old 12-size. The next generation was the Colonial R (1945 model) but I have not studied these newer watches as much. I believe the intent of the "Colonial" line of watches was to have a thinner man's watch than was otherwise available. The first Colonial Series was not actually thinner, but the larger diameter (14-size) made it proportionately thinner and thus it appeared to be thin (certainly thinner than the old 14-size watches or a 16-size watch). This is all just one part of the 12-size story that I hope to put together one day.
[This message was edited by Jerry Treiman on January 24, 2003 at 2:25.]