Ball Watch Unique Bow

[Dan Alexander]

Someone out there know the story behind the
Ball Watch Company's unique bow with the
2nd ring used on Ball pocket watches? Did it have a purpose; was it patiented; did
any other watch company use this bow?

[Dan Alexander]

Someone out there know the story behind the
Ball Watch Company's unique bow with the
2nd ring used on Ball pocket watches? Did it have a purpose; was it patiented; did
any other watch company use this bow?

[Tom McIntyre]

I am not sure it is included in Ball's patents, but I think it is. The idea was that your watch chain could not get fouled with the crown if you clipped it into the small hole. Watch bows with rings that come near the crown are the same idea.

------------------
Tom McIntyre
President, NAWCC Chapter 174
Pocket Horology Web (http://www.pocketwatch.org)
Tommy the JOAT's Web (http://www.mcintyre.com/McIntyre)

[Dan Alexander]

Tom: this is going to sound silly, but I
own several Ball watches and I would never
think of using that top ring for the watch
chain. I always worried about it being too weak! You have me thinking about it now!
Was it really intended to be used for that
purpose?

[Dan Alexander]

Steve: did the railroaders in the days of practicable application not use a leather loop between the watch bow and the chain to
prevent metal on metal? The safety bow
isn't large enough for that purpose and that is, I suppose, why I never used it. Perhaps there was not as much concern about scratching the bow. Still, I also find it absolutely impracticable for most chains with or without a leather loop and too small for any size leather strap. Hamilton had the better solution: it works.

[Alan Walker]

My experiance with older railroaders that I have met is that they did use leather straps to carry their watches. The thickness of the strap was dependant on the size of the bow opening. An opening the size of the safety stirrup on the Ball watch would require use of a small strap. It should be pointed out that small straps could be braided and crimped to form loops at both ends with the body of the strap woven or tightly braided. Small metal bands could be crimped on in key places to hold the weave or braid together and give additional strength to the strap. This was most useful for enginemen carrying watches in the pocket of a bib overall. The bottom line isthat many of the railroaders did use leather.

[Kent]

Dan:

Thee was quite a discussion of this bow last September. You can read it at Stirrup Bow Discussion on NAWCC BBS (http://www.nawcc.org/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000043.html). I've re-posted all of the ads for which links are written in the text.

Kent

[Larry Jones 98326]

FYI,

The archived discussion of Ball bows linked to above by Kent Singer has been reactivated (unintentionally, but whatever works!) as a current topic "Ball Stirrup Bows"

Larry

[Kent]

Walter:

A few months ago it was reported that 14K gold reproduction Ball safety bows (stirrup bows) were available from Hugh Henegar (mowatch@ckt.net).

Good luck,
Kent

That guy down in Georgia :smile:

[tomas]

Walter, There have been several of the reproductions, (that Kent mentioned above),on eBay. There are two on there currently.