Don Dahlberg
03-30-2003, 10:35 AM
Pocketwatch collectors are mostly interested in the movement of a watch. Women's watches at that time tended to be more jewelry and status symbols. Your watch is a 6 size Waltham Seaside model 90. A 6 size was a large size for women and were sometimes worn by young boys as well. The 90 refers to the fact the movement model was designed about 1890. We would date the watch about 1892, but you have the inscription to nail that down much better than we could. It is listed as between 7 to 11 jewels. Looking a the photographs it appears to be 11 jewels. They would often jewel the pivots on bridges where the customer could see them, but not jewel the other ends that were hidden under the dial. It is listed as pendant set, meaning that you set the watch by pulling out the stem to the stop, set the time and push the pendant back in for winding or normal running.
The case is a beautiful 14 K solid gold hunter case. "Hunter" refers to the cover over the dial. When you open a hunter case by pressing on the pendant, catch the case cover with the thumb of the other hand. Otherwise the momentum of the spring and cover will bend the cover and fatigue the hinge. When you close the cover, do not snap it close like you see in the movies. Instead press the pendant in, close the cover, and release the pendant. Otherwise you will wear the lip off the edge of the cover and the cover will not stay closed. This is expecially important with a solid gold case, because it is softer than brass. The case will also dent more easily.
Woman usually wore such a watch at the end of a very long chain around their necks. The chain usually had a slide on it. These slides have been robbed from many chains to make slide bracelets. I'll restrain myself and not comment on that practice. Anyway, the watch was then put in a little pocket hidden in the seam at the waist. The next time you are at an antique show and see old victorian snap shots, look for the watch chains. Most women were not so lucky to have a watch.
If you are going to run the watch, it should be properly cleaned. "Properly" means that all moving parts are taken apart, cleaned, examine and repaired. The watch is reassembled, oiled and adjusted to run at a reasonable rate. Do not take it to someone who will just remove it from the case, remove the dial and clean it in a combination wash-oil solution. This is like dipping your whole car engine in oil and calling it rebuilt. Yes this may cost from 1/3 to nearly as much as you paid for the watch, the latter is if something is seriously wrong with it. If you do not plan to run it, then it is fine as is. My wife wears hers and she makes sure that as my collection of pocketwatches grows, so does hers. Enjoy it.
Don Dahlberg
The case is a beautiful 14 K solid gold hunter case. "Hunter" refers to the cover over the dial. When you open a hunter case by pressing on the pendant, catch the case cover with the thumb of the other hand. Otherwise the momentum of the spring and cover will bend the cover and fatigue the hinge. When you close the cover, do not snap it close like you see in the movies. Instead press the pendant in, close the cover, and release the pendant. Otherwise you will wear the lip off the edge of the cover and the cover will not stay closed. This is expecially important with a solid gold case, because it is softer than brass. The case will also dent more easily.
Woman usually wore such a watch at the end of a very long chain around their necks. The chain usually had a slide on it. These slides have been robbed from many chains to make slide bracelets. I'll restrain myself and not comment on that practice. Anyway, the watch was then put in a little pocket hidden in the seam at the waist. The next time you are at an antique show and see old victorian snap shots, look for the watch chains. Most women were not so lucky to have a watch.
If you are going to run the watch, it should be properly cleaned. "Properly" means that all moving parts are taken apart, cleaned, examine and repaired. The watch is reassembled, oiled and adjusted to run at a reasonable rate. Do not take it to someone who will just remove it from the case, remove the dial and clean it in a combination wash-oil solution. This is like dipping your whole car engine in oil and calling it rebuilt. Yes this may cost from 1/3 to nearly as much as you paid for the watch, the latter is if something is seriously wrong with it. If you do not plan to run it, then it is fine as is. My wife wears hers and she makes sure that as my collection of pocketwatches grows, so does hers. Enjoy it.
Don Dahlberg