Chas A Gaudette Pocket Watch

[jtcarder]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the world of watches but am very interested in any information about this watch. This was part of my Mom's estate and came from her Dad's side of the family. Photos are attached.

Watch face has Roman numerals with red numbers around edge. Inscription is Chas A Gaudette Fall River, Mass

The movement says Chas A Gaudette Fall River, Mass with serial # 1382618 and "Safety Pinion"

The inside of the back case says Philadelphia Watch Case Co. "Silverode" and number 805112. The case is plain silver with no engraving.

The watch works when wound up but I can't figure out how to adjust the time. The stem does pull and locks up but seems to wind the spring in both up and down stem positions. Any ideas ?

[richiec]

This looks like a watch made by the Illinois Watch Co, it appears to be an 18 size. Remove the front cover from the watch, the part over the dial, and there is likely a lever that you pull out then rotate the crown, the part you wind the watch with, to set the time. Some of our Illinois experts can likely tell you more from your serial number.

[Dr. Jon]

Illinois records show this as an 18 Size Open face lever model 6 99 grade with 11 jewels. The top is jeweled, the lower, dial plate has no jewels under three of the wheels jeweled on the top.

[jtcarder]

Thanks for the information. Any idea what the manufacturing date was ?

[Kent]

Hi jtcarder:

Welcome to the NAWCC American Pocket Watch Message Board!

Information about Illinois watches may be found in American Pocket Watches Vol. 2, Illinois Watch Co., Encyclopedia and Price Guide, William Meggers, Jr. & Roy Ehrhardt, Heart of America Press, Kansas City, MO, 1985 (no longer in print), and in Russell W Snyder's Illinois Data Base CD, which may be obtained by an email to Jon Hanson at jonontime@aol.com Then, there are Oldwatch.com's Illinois Production Date Chart (http://www.oldwatch.com/Illinoisdate.html) and the PocketWatchSite's Illinois Date Table (http://www.pocketwatchsite.com/illinoisserials.html) which are an online means for determining the approximate production date of Illinois pocket watches. In general, we think of serial number vs. date lists - created by using the average number of watches produced over a period of years - to only be accurate within a year or two at best, and recognize that there are numerous exceptions wherein which the dates may be off as much as 3 years or more. This is not just for Illinois, but for other watch manufacturers as well.

Checking the above sources, it can be seen that Illinois movement serial number 1,382,618 was as described by Dr. Jon, except that being a private label (contract) watch it was probably designated as a grade No. 99-S (I believe that the 'S' suffix in an Illinois grade number indicates a "Special" or contrat watch. Over 15,000 of the grade No. 99 were built between 1893 and 1903, yours being built in about 1897.

A picture of Illinois grade No. 99 and a brief catalog description can be seen on page 79 of the 1903 Oy Company Catalog at:
www.elginwatches.com/scans/sales_catalogs/1903_Oy_Company/m_index.html

To view, go to the Elgin Watch Collectors Site Home Page at elginwatches.org, then copy and paste the address in your browser's address bar and click on 'Go'.

By 1903, the grade No. 99 was apparently fitted with a different regulator. The jewel positions is different in the catalog cut because there, a hunting-case movement is shown while your watch is an open-face movement.

Only a small percentage of American watches (or Swiss watches for the North American market) were cased at the factories prior to the mid-1920's (even then, uncased movements were furnished to the trade at least until the 1960's). Most watch companies just made movements (the "works") in industry standard sizes. The case companies made cases in those same sizes. The practice at that time was to go to a jeweler, select the quality of the movement and then pick out the desired style and quality of case. The jeweler would then fit the movement to the case in a matter of moments.

Or, watches were sold by mail-order. Large outfits such as Sears, Roebuck & Co., Montgomery Ward, or T. Eaton (in Canada), would offer the movements in a variety of cases of different design and quality in their catalogs. Smaller mail-order retailers would case the watches, typically in a 20-year gold filled case and offer it only that way, with the buyer not having a choice of cases.

Note: The grade of a case is the quality of the materials and work that went into it. Each case grade was offered in many different engraved designs.

A short history of American watch cases, within the online article "Decorative Aspects of American Horology," by Philip Poniz, can be viewed on The Antiquorum Magazine (http://www.antiquorum.com/vox/june_2002/poniz/poniz.htm) website.

The book, History of the American Watch Case, Warren H. Niebling, Whitmore Publishing, Philadelphia, PA, 1971 (available on loan by mail to members from the NAWCC Library & Research Center (http://www.nawcc.org/Library/library.htm)), has a fairly good history of the Philadelphia Watch Case Co., including reproductions of over twenty photos taken inside of the factory. Briefly, quoting from page 48,

"MR. THEOPHILUS ZURBRUGG bought out the watch case company of Leichty & Le Bouba in 1884, in Philadelphia, Pa.

"About 1888 he changed the name to the Philadelphia Watch Case Co. He made various types of cases, using a crown as one trademark and an arm and hammer as another. ... The company moved to Riverside, N.J. in 1902. ...

"In 1904 this man managed a series of mergers, which brought together his own Philadelphia Watch Case Co., Bates and Bacon, Crescent and the Keystone Watch Case Co."

From page 7:
"... After a series of mergers in 1904 the name became the Keystone Watch Case Co., Riverside, N.J."

"Silverode" was Philadelphia's trade name for a nickel case that appeared similar to, but slightly darker than, a silver case.

[jtcarder]

Kent, Jon, Rich...Thanks for all the great info. I unscrewed the bezel found the lever and have now set the watch. It seems to keep perfect time. I'm sure it has sat in a box for 40+ years without running. I intend to have this watch cleaned and oiled soon.

I have two other pocket watches that I own and may have questions about them in the future.

Happy New Years !

[Fred Hansen]

Nice watch and thanks for posting the pics!

As Kent posted the custom markings on your watch make it what is known as a "private label". The Illinois Watch Co. produced a tremendous number of private label marked watches for the country's retail jewelers, and the actual number of different names on private label marked Illinois watches is in the thousands. The late 1890's marked the peak of Illinois Watch Co.'s production of private-label watches, so your watch fits right in there at this most popular time for private label type markings.

Chas A. Gaudette looks to have been a fairly loyal customer of Illinois watches, and with yours I have notes for about 10 Illinois watches now that are marked for him. These have ranged from about 1894 to 1904 by serial number suggested date, and have been marked with his name and with one of two locations ... Fall River, Massachusetts or Arctic Center, Rhode Island. I believe this likely means that he owned a business in each location. This local history of Gaudette could make an interesting thing for you to research if you wanted.

You mention that this watch comes through your family, did they have a connection to the Fall River, Mass. area?

Fred

[jtcarder]

Hello Fred,

I am not aware of a family connection with Fall River, Mass but will inquire with other family members. (I reside in California and my Grandfather was from here also) I am interested in the Chas. A Gaudette story and will do some more looking.

Thanks for your reply and info.

Regards, Jeff