Kent
12-23-2004, 10:05 AM
Gerry:
Welcome to the NAWCC Pocket Watch Message Board!
Regarding your Waltham watch, the American Waltham Watch Co. had its origins in the 1850's. It was the first successful company in America to manufacture watches in mass production using machinery to make identical (or at least, near identical) parts. Over the next hundred years or so of its existence, its output of jeweled watches (over 34 million) was only exceeded by one other company, the National Watch Co. at Elgin, IL. Commonly referred to as "Waltham," the company made a full line of watches ranging from modest, affordable watches to some of the finest watches made in this country.
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 date.
In order to obtain the movement serial number, you might find the information in "How To Open A Pocket Watch Case" (http://www.knology.net/~ksinger/opencase.txt) useful. Your watch probably has a "Snap Back" case. Please let us know what the serial number is, we may be able to add some information.
You might find a similar watch in a 1926 Waltham Sales Catalog at:
<span class="ev_code_brown">www.elginwatches.org/scans/sales_catalogs/1926_Waltham/m_index.html</span>
(you should copy the above address and paste it in your browser address bar - <span class="ev_code_blue">if it doesn't work the first time, try opening a new window for your browser, one without a previous visit to the NAWCC website - Or, if you get the "Incorrect Access ..." message, chose "the Elgin Watch Collectors Site" and when you get to the Elgin Watch Collectors Site home page, then paste the address in your browser's address bar.</span>)
Good luck,
Kent
Welcome to the NAWCC Pocket Watch Message Board!
Regarding your Waltham watch, the American Waltham Watch Co. had its origins in the 1850's. It was the first successful company in America to manufacture watches in mass production using machinery to make identical (or at least, near identical) parts. Over the next hundred years or so of its existence, its output of jeweled watches (over 34 million) was only exceeded by one other company, the National Watch Co. at Elgin, IL. Commonly referred to as "Waltham," the company made a full line of watches ranging from modest, affordable watches to some of the finest watches made in this country.
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 date.
In order to obtain the movement serial number, you might find the information in "How To Open A Pocket Watch Case" (http://www.knology.net/~ksinger/opencase.txt) useful. Your watch probably has a "Snap Back" case. Please let us know what the serial number is, we may be able to add some information.
You might find a similar watch in a 1926 Waltham Sales Catalog at:
<span class="ev_code_brown">www.elginwatches.org/scans/sales_catalogs/1926_Waltham/m_index.html</span>
(you should copy the above address and paste it in your browser address bar - <span class="ev_code_blue">if it doesn't work the first time, try opening a new window for your browser, one without a previous visit to the NAWCC website - Or, if you get the "Incorrect Access ..." message, chose "the Elgin Watch Collectors Site" and when you get to the Elgin Watch Collectors Site home page, then paste the address in your browser's address bar.</span>)
Good luck,
Kent