OLD Pocketwatch Identification??...

[citylist]

I just acquired this old pocket watch and can find nothing on the Internet about it. Im not familiar with the name if I am reading it right. Any one heard of D. Hanton M. Co? Any help would be appreciated. On the movement is says DROZ, a train on the case back, 21 jewels, heat & cold, 3 adjustments and serial 816527. German, Swiss, USA
Thanks, Steve

 

[onsite]

Your watch is what is know as a Swiss Fake.

The case is one that these watches typically came in, a brass case that was very thinly plated with gold when manufactured.

The 20 year warranty was added post manufacture.

The Tornado case is referenced in post #4 HERE

Value is limited but some do collect these watches

 

[LloydB]

Yes ... Swiss Fake: search for D Hanlon W Co (Watch Co). Many or
all of this particular model, IIRC, share the same 'serial' number.

 

[citylist]

Wow, thank you for the info guys. I now realize that I have another watch with the same serial and new that, lol...but forgot. Any idea how old?
Thanks again, Steve

 

[onsite]

The Swiss Fakes that interest me were made using the name of a railway that existed from about 1905 -1918 and many of them came in that exact case so while the range may be wider those years are good.

 

[topspin]

So, this one is at least a little unusual... although it bears the classic Swiss fake red "21 JEWELS" marking, it appears (to me) to have been fashioned to resemble a Waltham 1872 (which, somebody told me, wiped the floor with most Swiss watches of the time) instead of the customary copying of the Waltham 1877/1883 design.

As a side-note, there is/was a Swiss watch maker "Jacquet-DROZ", maker of everything from "the writer automaton" to 20th century wristwatches. I wonder if they had a finger in this one...

 

[Jerry Treiman]

There was a lot of deception in the marketing of these watches. I suspect that D. Hanlon Watch Co., in that font, was intended to remind a potential buyer of Dueber Hampden or maybe even Hamilton Watch Co. both genuine respected American watch companies. There not likely to be 21 real jewels in this watch -- deep red "jewels" are not functional and may even be celluloid. The two gears on the top are meant to look like typical American-style winding wheels, but I do not believe that they are even functional on this watch. Screws in the rim of the balance wheel are supposed to give the impression of an adjusted watch, but they probably do no more than help poise the wheel (if even that).


There were many varieties of these deceptive watches and they can make an interesting (and usually cheap) collection. They are usually not worth paying anyone to repair them, but can be fixed if you have the time and skill. I see that yours seems to be missing the hairspring.

 

[David Fitch]

I just acquired this old pocket watch and can find nothing on the Internet about it. Im not familiar with the name if I am reading it right. Any one heard of D. Hanton M. Co? Any help would be appreciated. On the movement is says DROZ, a train on the case back, 21 jewels, heat & cold, 3 adjustments and serial 816527. German, Swiss, USA
Thanks, Steve View attachment 262109 View attachment 262110 View attachment 262111 View attachment 262118 View attachment 262119

 

[musicguy]

Welcome to the NAWCC Forum

It sounds like a Swiss Fake. Post some photographs.


Rob

 

[David Fitch]

I have a
Interesting. I looked at the photos, I have a watch My Dad gave me. Is almost identical, the only difference is there is E DROZ instead of DROZ on mine. Serial # is also 816527.
the back on mine is engraved with flowers on it, and inside the back it says "gold filled, warranted 20 years. and has the numbers 3441337 (in kind of a "V" shape with the 1 at the bottom of the V.



It belonged to my grandfather, he was a railroad conductor from Crown Point IN. Someone scratched "Crown Point IND" on the case on the rim outside the works, also had the number 3441337 machined on the rim. Serial number could be this number instead of the 816527? Anybody know a watchmaker that might agree to take a look at it? Is probably a "Swiss Fake," worth nothing to anyone but me, as it is the only thing that I have that belonged my grandfather. Sorry this is so long, forgive me, I'm new to this group.

 

[Marty101]

Dave, pics are everything in this hobby. Please try to download a few if you want a response that will help,OK?