Waltham deck watch

[jparker]

I hope I have put this in the correct section. I was lucky enough to recently acquire a Waltham deck watch. The watch is gimbled (how do you spell that anyway) and is in two boxes. It is an 8 day timepiece. It was missing its crystal and I replaced the crystal and cleaned and repaired the watch. My question is regarding the serial number. Is there a reference to serial numbers on Walthams, as there are with Chelsea clocks, which help to indicate the year of manufacture and possibly the history of the watch. The serial number on this watch is 21991834. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Jim

[jparker]

I hope I have put this in the correct section. I was lucky enough to recently acquire a Waltham deck watch. The watch is gimbled (how do you spell that anyway) and is in two boxes. It is an 8 day timepiece. It was missing its crystal and I replaced the crystal and cleaned and repaired the watch. My question is regarding the serial number. Is there a reference to serial numbers on Walthams, as there are with Chelsea clocks, which help to indicate the year of manufacture and possibly the history of the watch. The serial number on this watch is 21991834. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Jim

[Kent]

Jim:

You can find out some basic facts about your Waltham watch by entering the serial number on the movement (the "works") in the field on the NAWCC Information Storage - Waltham Serial Number Data Base (http://www.nawcc-info.org/WalthamDB/LookupSN.asp) (don't use any commas). There is also a Glossary (http://www.nawcc-info.org/WalthamDB/Glossary.htm) of the terms provided by the serial number lookup. Should the date not be listed there, this Waltham Production Date (http://www.oldwatch.com/walthamdate.html) chart is a means for determining the approximate production date.

Having done so, I can see that there is not very much there, only that it was built as a 7-jewel unadjusted movement in about 1918.

However, during WWII, a number of these were turned into deck watches by Roth Brothers (http://photos16.flickr.com/20794944_a05cd4e2cb_o.jpg). I think that the work included a new balance and escapement.

[jparker]

WOW! Kent,
That is a great place to start. I really appreciate the information. Thanks Jim

[Tom McIntyre]

I have some Roth material on my web site including a sextant, Jules Jurgensen conversion and a Waltham non-gimballed deck watch. Most of them are in the Chronometer collection (http://www.awco.org/Chronometers/).

Here is the movement from the Waltham
http://www.awco.org/Chronometers/WalthamFlatDeck/movement2_small.jpg (http://www.awco.org/Chronometers/WalthamFlatDeck/movement2.jpg)

[Andy Dervan]

Hello Jparker,

I would contact Chris Carey - Watertown Clock and Watch. You find his website through member's link. Chris has alot of Waltham parts. I looked at mine Waltham Deck Watch; it has a beveled glass bezel. I think a standard car clock glass might find it.

Andy Dervan

[jparker]

Thanks for the added info. The crystal I replaced is not beveled, however looks good. I will look up the references. Again, thanks. Jim