These are smaller ones. I'm sure I have the larger display somewhere as well.
Most visitors online was 1990 , on 7 Feb 2022
Stuff I find in boxes rusting away in my shed.
- Thread starter roughbarked
- Start date
Do you think I could fit those to my 18s Elgin carry watch
Haha.
I'll bet you a dollar I still can't get the cage to close properly without an obscene amount of frustration.
On a serious note those are pretty neat, can you take a shot of the opposite side??
Haha. I'll bet you a dollar I still can't get the cage to close properly without an obscene amount of frustration.
On a serious note those are pretty neat, can you take a shot of the opposite side??
Yes they are a little too big for the 18s size. 
and yes that's a Seiko ladies 2205 automatic for comparison..
and yes that's a Seiko ladies 2205 automatic for comparison..
This is a cut-out demo display model of the DS-2 case. From back in the '70's. Customers needed to see what was so special about the Certina DS-2 case.
Yes, I could give it a bit of a clean up. I'm sure I still have the cut crystal to match somewhere.
Yes, I could give it a bit of a clean up. I'm sure I still have the cut crystal to match somewhere.
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Well doesn’t that beat all? I have an old friend who is a plasterer and he dropped in to see me today. I happened to have tipped out a pile of watches from various boxes of watches that nobody had ever picked up.
He was idly scanning them and as many still had their tickets attached, he picked one up and he said, "I bet I know who owns this watch" and turned the ticket over, saw the address and said, “Yes that’s my old missus. Had three kids with her”.
I looked and said but you never married?
"Nope".
I said "it is probably your watch then"?
He said "Blowed if I know, that was ages ago".
I said, anything written on the back? Because we engraved every watch we sold for free.
He said, “well I’ll be! It is engraved to Vic with love Dianne, 1976”.
To which I replied well if you want it back, go and tell her she owes me $27.50 from 1982 when she told me to go ahead and fix it.
I gave it a couple of winds and away it went. Has kept accurate time for the past 4 hours since. I'm sure I'll have to service it again though.
Citizen automatic.
He was idly scanning them and as many still had their tickets attached, he picked one up and he said, "I bet I know who owns this watch" and turned the ticket over, saw the address and said, “Yes that’s my old missus. Had three kids with her”.
I looked and said but you never married?
"Nope".
I said "it is probably your watch then"?
He said "Blowed if I know, that was ages ago".
I said, anything written on the back? Because we engraved every watch we sold for free.
He said, “well I’ll be! It is engraved to Vic with love Dianne, 1976”.
To which I replied well if you want it back, go and tell her she owes me $27.50 from 1982 when she told me to go ahead and fix it.
I gave it a couple of winds and away it went. Has kept accurate time for the past 4 hours since. I'm sure I'll have to service it again though.
Citizen automatic.
Rummaging around in old boxes can somethines be rewarding? Apart from the two old gold Rolexes posted here, there was also this Urania Pocket watch. Probably worth fixing if I can investigate what is broken in there. Definitely needs a B/S.
There was also a Seiko 5606 Lord-Matic. I still haven't got to the bottom of the box yet.
There was also a Seiko 5606 Lord-Matic. I still haven't got to the bottom of the box yet.
Dang, you have better junk boxes than I do. All I ever seem to find is old Corvair parts and mouse poop.
I also found a 9ct Rolex Tudor among other quite serviceable watches. Maybe I should list it all so that when it comes to the point of me being deceased, the kids can know what is worth keeping and what is not?
In relation to the Urania PW above. I'll need to ask how he worked it out but Kev had written on the ticket "case about 1880" on the ticket. 800 is German or Swiss silver I'd reckon.
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Then there was this.
Thomas Gaunt & Co. (Melbourne, Australia), late 19th century manufacturer and retailer of jewellery, clocks, watches and decorative items
Thomas Gaunt (1829-1890) was born in London and arrived in Melbourne as a trained clockmaker and optician about 1856. He opened a business at the top of Bourke Street and as well as making and retailing clocks and watches, sold clocks, jewellery and silver.
In about 1870 he moved his business to a corner shop in the Royal Arcade.
He was the official timekeeper for the Victorian Racing Club and occupied the judge's box, although he had no interest in horseracing. He donated a chronometer to the VRC which displayed the time of a race to an accuracy of .25 of a second. Through his timing duties he was able to build up a large clientele from the racing fraternity.
He had strong religous beliefs and connection to the Catholic Church, and supplied much of the church's ecclesiastical plate. On his death it was noted that 2 of his 4 daughters were with the church as nuns.
He made many of the clocks in Melbourne's public buildings, including those for the Melbourne Post office lobby, and the Hotham and Emerald Hill town halls, the latter for which he won an award at the 1880-81 Melbourne International Exhibition. Thomas Gaunt died in 1890 and his executors continued the business after his death. In 1893 the name of the business was changed to T. Gaunt & Co.
In a supplement to "The Argus" newspaper in Melbourne in 1837 it was noted the business was still operating; the date it closed is not known.
Apparently he made a lot of instruments as well
collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Marion's great great grandfather...
Thomas Gaunt & Co. (Melbourne, Australia), late 19th century manufacturer and retailer of jewellery, clocks, watches and decorative items
Thomas Gaunt (1829-1890) was born in London and arrived in Melbourne as a trained clockmaker and optician about 1856. He opened a business at the top of Bourke Street and as well as making and retailing clocks and watches, sold clocks, jewellery and silver.
In about 1870 he moved his business to a corner shop in the Royal Arcade.
He was the official timekeeper for the Victorian Racing Club and occupied the judge's box, although he had no interest in horseracing. He donated a chronometer to the VRC which displayed the time of a race to an accuracy of .25 of a second. Through his timing duties he was able to build up a large clientele from the racing fraternity.
He had strong religous beliefs and connection to the Catholic Church, and supplied much of the church's ecclesiastical plate. On his death it was noted that 2 of his 4 daughters were with the church as nuns.
He made many of the clocks in Melbourne's public buildings, including those for the Melbourne Post office lobby, and the Hotham and Emerald Hill town halls, the latter for which he won an award at the 1880-81 Melbourne International Exhibition. Thomas Gaunt died in 1890 and his executors continued the business after his death. In 1893 the name of the business was changed to T. Gaunt & Co.
In a supplement to "The Argus" newspaper in Melbourne in 1837 it was noted the business was still operating; the date it closed is not known.
Apparently he made a lot of instruments as well
Rain Gauge - T. Gaunt, London & Melbourne, circa 1890s
Dial pattern rain gauge, made by Thomas Gaunt, Melbourne & London. Zinc funnel with square brass rim. Used at Melbourne Observatory. Used to measure the amount of rainfall.
collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Marion's great great grandfather...
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This watch is a runner. I'll service it and keep it in the collection which I'll label things that are worth doing something with. My daughter has done lots of conservancy work including with the Smithsonian. I'm sure that even if I'm dead, she'll be able to read the instructions.
There will be a pile of what I call junk watches outside my door for anyone who wants to pick them up in the very near future. A big pile.
There will be a pile of what I call junk watches outside my door for anyone who wants to pick them up in the very near future. A big pile.
The ladies Rolex appears to be a Rolex 190. Looks good apart from needing a service, it also looks to be in need of a 410 winding pinion. I'd wager these would be difficult to find?
I'd be more likely to donate to an Australian institute. Since I could likely still have hands on involvement.
For anyone interested in Gaunt or other clockmakers in Victoria, Judy Hose published the book "Clockmakers and watchmakers operating in the State of Victoria from Settlement to Federation". This has a few more details on Gaunt
Clock, 1860's
From the collection of Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village. Conditions of Use: All rights reserved. Please refer to source page for full media reuse details.
victoriancollections.net.au
Sorry Roughbarked. The user information panel stays hidden, and I do not always open it. I'm glad you would still consider a donation though.
When the shop I'd worked in closed down, after everyone else had picked the eyes out of it, I was given the remainder to take to the rubbish dump. I couldn't do that before I had a look through it all. Though what I'm going to do with things like gold stamping machines is at the moment, beyond me.
There is even more in boxes than can be seen here.
This is mainly only watches. Then there's a shed full of clocks.
Currently going through sorting battery watches from mechanical. Taking the batteries out and maybe tossing all the cheap stuff.
This is mainly only watches. Then there's a shed full of clocks.
Currently going through sorting battery watches from mechanical. Taking the batteries out and maybe tossing all the cheap stuff.
What a chore, but it looks like you have found some watches that are definitely worth saving! Rather than tossing the cheap stuff, you might be surprised how many people would likely take it off your hands to "repurpose." No, the watches wouldn't be saved, but neither would the landfill be burdened with the remains.
If I hear someone say "steampunk" one more time, I'm going for the jugular.
Moving on. Today I emptied that big bucket of watches, seeking things that had batteries in to be removed. Along the way I found a few things that were overlooked by those whom came before me. By this I do mean that the old stock of uncollected watches had all been well picked over before I was allowed my share of the rubbish.
Here's one; 9ct Omega. With a rather sad dial side.
Everything about all this is sad.
I was born and raised and did my apprenticeship all in the same rural town. I know or have known many of the peopele to whom these watches once belonged. So many have passed and left their belongings behind. There is no tow bar on the hearse.
Then there's this 14ct swiss cylinder.
or this Omega stopwatch
I really don't want to know what to make of this monstrosity.
Here's one; 9ct Omega. With a rather sad dial side.
Everything about all this is sad.
I was born and raised and did my apprenticeship all in the same rural town. I know or have known many of the peopele to whom these watches once belonged. So many have passed and left their belongings behind. There is no tow bar on the hearse.
Then there's this 14ct swiss cylinder.
or this Omega stopwatch
I really don't want to know what to make of this monstrosity.
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Sadly many of the photos I took are of low light quality.
I see several Cyma, Civitas(Moeris) Roamer, Tissot, Omega, Rolex Tudors and many watch brands. I actually have a Cyma that is engraved on the back:
Loan watch. ie: a watch engraved on the back as: to wear while your watch is being serviced. Wait, I will show a photograph of that. ... later.
Meanwhile, here is the watch.
I see several Cyma, Civitas(Moeris) Roamer, Tissot, Omega, Rolex Tudors and many watch brands. I actually have a Cyma that is engraved on the back:
Loan watch. ie: a watch engraved on the back as: to wear while your watch is being serviced. Wait, I will show a photograph of that. ... later.
Meanwhile, here is the watch.
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