Old Swiss Railroad Pocket Watch... Need help please

[clocknut44skid]

As some you of you may know, my dad passed away unexpectedly 2 years ago and so I have taken over his shop part time until I can hopefully someday move to full time. Anyway, I had this guy call me and say he was so glad he found me. He said 20 years ago when he was just a kid he brought this watch to my dad to fix 20 years ago. He is now in the navy and this was a watch from his Grandfather and he doesn't know much about the watch and it stopped working. I decided to fix it for him and I wanted to see if I could find any information about the watch. I know some of you work on these as well, so I thought I would see if anyone might have any information about what kind of watch this is and or any interesting history that I can give to this young man. I think it is Swiss because of the latch but that is all I "think" I know

Thanks for any help you can give!

-Harold Jr.

 

[MartyR]

It is a Swiss watch, Harold, but I suspect it's not what anyone (other than the maker) would call a Railroad Watch ... which denotes a highly accurate watch of very good quality. The wording "railroad regulator" in your third photo should be treated as a piece of misleading marketing.

The watch seems of reasonable quality, although I can't see if the balance wheel is cut. Again in your third photo I see a mark above and to the right of the logo, which may be a silver assay mark (I can't see it clearly enough).

I can't find the "registered trademark" in your fourth photo on Mikrolisk, so I can't help with the maker.

 

[Squite]

How 'bout this one? Mikrolisk lists it as belonging to Waltham (I searched using 'eisenbahn', German for railroad), which seems awfully strange to me. A Waltham import for the English speaking market, maybe? But why would they import a Swiss movement? Maybe just a Swiss maker trying desperately to emulate that mark (posing as a Waltham)?

 

[richiec]

Definitely not any Waltham I have ever seen. Have never seen that mark on a Waltham either. Looks to be an inexpensive 9-11 jewel movement with an uncut balance. The case doesn't look like silver on the outside unless it is shadows around the bezel by the crystal, it looks a little corroded there.

 

[clocknut44skid]

Yes the pictures were before cleaning it. I'm not sure how to test the material to discover if it is silver. I can take more pictures if you tell me what specifically will help determine what it is....

 

[MartyR]

In your third photo, just above and to the right of the circle containing the railway engine, there appears to be a punch mark. Can you tell us what that is under a loup, or else give us a clearer photo? If the case is silver, it will have a mark of (probably) a grouse or a standing bear.

 

[Squite]

Case looks like nickel to me, just from the photos. I didn't mean to imply at any time in my previous post that the movement was made made by Waltham. In fact, I thought it odd that mark listed in Mikrolisk would even be attributed to them at all.

 

[MartyR]

I think you're right about the case, Squite. In which case it's a replacement.

 

[clocknut44skid]

Sorry this took me so long. I took some closer images for you. It appears the stamp might be a letter B. Thanks for your help on this!

 

[clocknut44skid]

Do these new pictures help at all?

 

[clocknut44skid]

In your third photo, just above and to the right of the circle containing the railway engine, there appears to be a punch mark. Can you tell us what that is under a loup, or else give us a clearer photo? If the case is silver, it will have a mark of (probably) a grouse or a standing bear.

I am going to return this watch to the young man and I was hoping someone might be give new information with the better photos......

 

[MartyR]

I think this one will have to go down as yet another anonymous Swiss watch, Harold.

I spent some time browsing the Mikrolisk site for that "Registered trade mark" of the oval containing a star, but without any luck. Almost certainly that is the trade mark of the watchmaker, and it's unusual for a registered mark not to be found on Mikrolisk ... but I just cannot find it.

I suspect that the case is made by Waltham in the USA as suggested earlier, and I suspect that it is silver, but again I cannot identify any of the case marks other than the "Railroad Regulator" logo which i registered to Waltham. I also still suspect that the case is not original to the movement.

The movement pattern is distinctive, but again I can't identify it.

Sorry about that, but this does often happen with lower grade Swiss watches

 

[Neuron]

Since it was repaired by your father, I wonder if you found any of his repairer's marks on it? If your dad had repair logs, you might want to keep them.

 

[clocknut44skid]

Thank you Marty that is very helpful!

 

[clocknut44skid]

Neuron, thank you, yes I did find his marks which is a treasure to me. I also have his logs. I have considered reaching out to his customers and letting them know that I am filling in for my dad, but my skills fall very short of his at this point and I worry about that. Some of them have found and reached out to me, so as long as they haven't been in a big hurry I do my best for them and I give them a year guarantee. Sometimes I don't charge them either since I'm still learning like with this watch. It's been an fun and sad adventure so far.

 

[Neuron]

Neuron, thank you, yes I did find his marks which is a treasure to me. I also have his logs. I have considered reaching out to his customers and letting them know that I am filling in for my dad, but my skills fall very short of his at this point and I worry about that. Some of them have found and reached out to me, so as long as they haven't been in a big hurry I do my best for them and I give them a year guarantee. Sometimes I don't charge them either since I'm still learning like with this watch. It's been an fun and sad adventure so far.

It would be wonderful for you to carry on your father's business. Did he also work on clocks? I don't know what your current skill level is. You've got your dad's shop, equipment, supplies and even his log books, which is a great start, especially if you already own the shop (so don't have the expense of renting it). You may have a day job and not ready to make it a full-time business, but there's no reason not to try starting out as a part-time "semi-amateur, limiting yourself to simple stuff at first while building up your knowledge and skills. You might want to look into some of the on-line and correspondence watch and clockmaker courses or you might be able to find a certified watch/clockmaker who'd be interested in working with you (and with whom you could also learn the craft).

 

[clocknut44skid]

It would be wonderful for you to carry on your father's business. Did he also work on clocks? I don't know what your current skill level is. You've got your dad's shop, equipment, supplies and even his log books, which is a great start, especially if you already own the shop (so don't have the expense of renting it). You may have a day job and not ready to make it a full-time business, but there's no reason not to try starting out as a part-time "semi-amateur, limiting yourself to simple stuff at first while building up your knowledge and skills. You might want to look into some of the on-line and correspondence watch and clockmaker courses or you might be able to find a certified watch/clockmaker who'd be interested in working with you (and with whom you could also learn the craft).

My dad primarily worked on clocks and I am trying to do just that. I do have a full time day job and can't make the transition to full time yet and my little brother took half of my dad's tools and his bench, which is too bad because it is just sitting in storage. So, it will take some work but I am learning to do it. I struggle with some of the more complex clocks and I am still learning the nuances of the different types of clocks and normal problems they can provide, but it is fun learning. It is also sad because so many times I wish I could call my dad and ask him questions about things, but I feel as though he would be proud that I am trying. His customers that have found me are very happy that I am "trying" to fill in, but it makes me nervous since I dont want to let my dad's name down. I have been very upfront that I am still learning and I am much slower than my dad, but I will do it right and I guarantee my work.

I also found a book that shows my dad started a year after my grandfather(a master horologist as well) and in kind I started a year after my dad passed. It there is irony there that I am following in his footprints even in how I am starting.

Thank you for the encouragement and for letting me gush about my dad a bit. May God Bless you and your family. Neuron!