Kent
10-23-2005, 04:28 AM
Hi donald1943:
Welcome to the NAWCC Pocket Watch Message Board!
According to Russell W Snyder's Illinois Data Base CD (http://nawcc-mb.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/4316035461/m/2401056421/r/8541060521#8541060521), serial number 1,249,325 is a ladies size-6, grade No. 144 or 144-S, hunting-case movement. Since it is privately labeled for E. M. Beckwith, it is probably the grade No. 144-S. This is a modest movement, built in about 1894. A total of 2,920 grade No. 144 or 144-S movements were made over a span of approximately 8 years, between 1886 and 1894. That makes this movement a bit uncommon.
A hunting-case movement is one that is designed to fit into a case that has a protective cover over the crystal (glass). The cover is released by pressing down on the crown (the correct name for the winding knob). The movement is designed such that the winding stem is at the 3 o'clock position and that the seconds dial is at the 6 o'clock position. It's made this way to facilitate the proper means of holding the hunting-case (HC) watch when opening it.
However, it sounds as though your watch has been placed in an open-face case and has a "conversion dial" mounted on it so that the winding stem is at the hour figure '12' which places the seconds bit at the 3 o'clock position.
You may find out something about the private label name by googling 'Beckwith Torrington' (http://www.google.com/search?as_q=Beckwith+Torrington&num=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&safe=images).
Good luck,
Welcome to the NAWCC Pocket Watch Message Board!
According to Russell W Snyder's Illinois Data Base CD (http://nawcc-mb.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/4316035461/m/2401056421/r/8541060521#8541060521), serial number 1,249,325 is a ladies size-6, grade No. 144 or 144-S, hunting-case movement. Since it is privately labeled for E. M. Beckwith, it is probably the grade No. 144-S. This is a modest movement, built in about 1894. A total of 2,920 grade No. 144 or 144-S movements were made over a span of approximately 8 years, between 1886 and 1894. That makes this movement a bit uncommon.
A hunting-case movement is one that is designed to fit into a case that has a protective cover over the crystal (glass). The cover is released by pressing down on the crown (the correct name for the winding knob). The movement is designed such that the winding stem is at the 3 o'clock position and that the seconds dial is at the 6 o'clock position. It's made this way to facilitate the proper means of holding the hunting-case (HC) watch when opening it.
However, it sounds as though your watch has been placed in an open-face case and has a "conversion dial" mounted on it so that the winding stem is at the hour figure '12' which places the seconds bit at the 3 o'clock position.
You may find out something about the private label name by googling 'Beckwith Torrington' (http://www.google.com/search?as_q=Beckwith+Torrington&num=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&safe=images).
Good luck,