Off topic but: I have encountered one or two over the past several years that needed replaced. Find someone that works with leather or go to a leather craft shop (Tandy Leather ) and get a scrap of one or two ounce leather or weight of appropriate thickness and cut or punch your own.
These are most often found on cases with a threaded cap on the pendant under the crown. Thought to help seal against dust intrusion.
Restorers of vintage items such as fountain pens will often seek to replace leather seals, with modern rubber components. This includes using off-the-shelf O-rings as well as punching out custom gaskets from sheet rubber. Modern rubber compounds provide a better seal plus have greater longevity. Of course if period authenticity is important, then leather's the way to go.
This watch was a learning tool, and although very worn, served it purpose well. It's very evident it was well loved and meticulously cared for throughout the extent of it's use. After a lift spring, new stem, and a good clean and lube, it's keeping time within a minute every few days. This was once a spectacular case made by H. Muhr and sons. It is a very well built sturdy case with Multi colored gold and lots of designs on it. There is green, white, yellow and rose gold decoration in the lids. It's now quite worn showing brass and will serve as a carry watch. The 11 jewel Elgin movement, while the plates are spotted, looked immaculate inside when taken apart. it will be a fun piece for an everyday carry. Have a good day!
I took my wife out to dinner last night to celebrate our 58th wedding anniversary, and decided to take along another of my special favourites. My 12 size Waltham Bridge Model. Both are getting on a bit, but still in superb condition!
Beautiful. This is my favorite Waltham model, and these very striking blued steel cases are under-appreciated
I agree Jerry. The contrast of the blued steel against the movement is quite striking. In the Dennison catalogue the 18K cased 12 size bridge model was priced at £25 - 00, whereas the silver cased option was £16 -10s. Or you could have the blued steel cased version at the rock bottom price of 3 shillings less at £16 -07s.
Very nice example, Nick. I'd never seen one in a blued-steel case before. 12-size AWCO Model 1894 bridge models are lovely watches. Only about 1,000 were made. They are hard to find. I wanted to buy one for years before acquiring three in the last six months of 2017, two more than I wanted.* One of these is an English example with the Roman numeral version of the dial on your watch, but recased in an 18k AWCO case. Its serial number is 51 numbers higher than yours, #8,774,893. *The first example was lovely, in an 18k A&B case, but it didn't have the correct "Hull " dial. That's why I bought the second example, the watch pictured above. It too didn't have the "Hull" dial (it had the correct English dial) and it had been recased, which is why I bought my third example, another beautiful example in a 14k case (perhaps by Dubois or Lissauer); it had the correct "Hull" dial. I've since gotten a correct "Hull" dial for my first example. So now I have three correctly dialed examples.
Heading out to the movies tonight, have been dying to get this one out and about to see how it handles being carried. It's been up and running for a while now and doing fairly well. Chas Fargo grade, first run in my opinion. (There are 5 Chas Fargo's in a run much lower in serial number but they are presumably p.l. and could have been made who knows when.) I found this one in the U.K. I can not for the life of me figure out this case, but I've been looking. If anyone has any ideas please give a shout! The trademark says warrented coin silver but incant make out the middle. The Hallmark.... No idea at all. It's a beautiful movement, and with the exception of a couple little spots on the Gilt, it's very nice and bright! Unfortunately being that bright show off the flaws really well when you take a picture, haha! Have a good day! Anyone else carrying anything good this weekend?
Well, last week at the Chattanooga Regional banquet I was carrying a Waltham Premier Maximus. Is that close enough?
Keep the old thread goin! Dinner with the Mrs. And her parents. Beautiful Elgin grade 108! This absolutely wonderful dial needed some perfect hands, and Marty had this awesome set. The silver case is from AWWCo. The 108 is definitely my favorite 16s Elgin. Have a good weekend everyone!
The wife and I are just back from a couple of weeks touring Tuscany. Fabulous! Took this Appleton Tracy with me.
I finally got a chance to sit down and do some work on watches, so today is a recent project. This is a Hampden springfield grade 60 that has the coolest dial... Looking and running great! Gold jewel settings, gold colored teske regulator, it's a great movement! Nice Blaur coin case. Quite a welcome addition to the group.
My wife and I went to the Royal Marines Corps Ball this week-end to celebrate the 355th Anniversary, and no, we haven't attended them all! This year, special attention was given to the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. I carried two watches for the occasion. A Waltham 19J Riverside from a consignment purchased from Waltham for use by the Royal Navy in the First World War. The movement is engraved with the Admiralty mark and stock number. The second one is a little older. It's an English silver pair cased. The rear cover of the outer case is engraved in the centre with a ship of the line surrounded by the words:- A small token and mark of merit to Mr. Jn MacDonald. Carpenter of his Majesties Ship Mermaid July 1794. HMS Mermaid was a 35 gun frigate that was first commissioned in 1788 and John MacDonald was awarded his Royal Warrant and became it's carpenter, which, on a wooden warship was regarded as one of the most important positions on board. Once appointed as a carpenter to a Royal Navy ship that man would remain with the ship for the rest of his career. Usually a Royal Navy ship's carpenter was selected from amongst the senior shipwrights that had built her. The theory being that no one would know the construction of the ship better. The Captain of HMS Mermaid on that first commission was Captain Cuthbert Collingwood who 17 years later would become Vice Admiral Collingwood second in command to Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar, and on the death of Nelson took command of the fleet and the remainder of the battle. The watch was presented to John MacDonald by his third commanding officer Captain John Trigg. John MacDonald remained with HMS Mermaid until 1798. He died in 1799.
Hah, finally remembered to take a picture just for this thread. This is my 1911 7 Jewel Elgin in a plain Silverine case with gold winding crown. Nothing special but we're on the go.
I usually wear a thinner watch for daily use ( Watch you wear daily ) but just in case we get some windy weather I decided to drop my 1892 Vanguard in my pocket. It is pendant set with "21 Ruby Jewels" and a nice private label dial for a Canadian jeweler. I wanted to wear something different for our local Chapter meeting this weekend (Ventura Chapter 190) and will go back to my thin watch on Monday. (I think my Colonial-A is about as thick as just the crystal and bezel on the Vanguard). Waltham collecting sure offers some variety, doesn’t it?
After two months of being lost in the abyss that is the United States postal service, this watch showed back up at the sellers house, who then shipped it to me for a second time. It arrived last week and I've been carrying it just to test drive it. It's a plain jane post 1900 15 jewel Elgin, with a pressed and sunk dial, but the matching private label movement and dial was what caught my eye. It's a good example of a later movement and dial marked Elgin p.l. it seems to be more common in this era to just have the dials marked.
Being a Holliday i thought it would be nice to pull out one of my prized watches for a day. Not only is this an early Elgin stemwinder, but it's one of the first year, with no lever, it is a stemwind, key set. On top of that, it's a private label with a cut out balance cock.... In a monster coin silver case. I couldn't dream up a more perfect watch to represent my interests! With only 4 observations of the keyset stemwinders, I'm pretty proud to be this ones caretaker. Don't let the keywind case fool you... It is a stemwinder just like all series 2. Next time it's apart I'll have to check the keyless works for wear... That will help confirm case originality. I have my doubts, but can't definitively say one way or the other. Anyways.... Anyone else pull out something special for today? Happy Thanksgiving! I'm certainly grateful for many things today, including all of the fine people who have taken time to help me learn and enjoy this hobby. I know many of you are not in the U.S., but have a good day today as well.
Just another beater. This one is a little 6s Elgin in a silveroid Hunter case that still needs a crystal. But, it fits in my pocket very nicely even without a chain or fob. She's a finicky beast, sometimes it just stops like it has a bad jewel or pivot but there's nothing I can find. It'll do it in any position too. It's very frustrating so I can't wear it alone. Maybe the problem is that it likes company - I dunno. Eventually I'll pull it apart and clean it again. Some day.
I saw the New Year in wearing this 1920 Waltham 1883 model from the last run of key winders. S/N 22576905.
I'm wearing my dress watch today. I'm not much of a gold person, so this gorgeous little bugger is perfect for me. Elgin 14s grade 39. 13 jewels. Mid-1870s. At 3,600 total production it's not uncommon. What is not common about it, is its condition! This is my opinion of course, from just observing most of these as wrecked loose movements. Everything about it is great! Runs like the day it left the factory. Check out that case! This was a watch I wanted from day one and I was so happy to add such a nice, jeweled example a little while ago. Happy New Year Everyone, even to you guys that have already started Jan 2nd I got stuck working early this morning a few hours, I guess winter finally decided to show up. Nice way to kick off 2020, haha.
Keith R, I Love the pictures of your carry watches The E Howard is outstanding. I love the hands on that one .Is the correct terminology "umbrella hands" for that style . I'm curious as to how likely I might see one of those come up on the various auction sites .Are they very rare/expensive or difficult to find parts for? .I applaud you for carrying such a fine watch. I carry a more common Elgin 349 or the Father Time .Don't want to take chances with the others in the collection.
James, I came to understand the umbrella hands were meant for the stem winds, but some of the early key wind jewelers would install them on key winds. I will leave it to you to confirm the appropriate hour & minute hands for series I,II,III,IV & V E Howard key winds. I'd say ask Clint Geller. I have a series I from 1859, but they have been changed, I'm sure. Today's carry is an early BW Raymond, GF case and National Watch Co. dial. Thanks for the ask. Keith R...
There's only one other Newark I'd like to have, but it lives in California. Too many pics. Keith R... View attachment 564853 View attachment 564854
Here's a look at my current collection of circulating carry watches. I typically swap through them at different times of the year to make sure they all get a good running on them. All have been serviced within the last year or two, they are: 1941 U.S. GOVT. 4992B 1899 929 1943 U.S. GOVT. 992B 1951 992B Model 23 (forget the year at the moment, think 1943-ish) Couple of close ups of the 1899 929 My most recent repair and restored current daily driver (been running constantly for about 5 months now) is this beautiful 1910 999M; local former Hamilton watch smith did excellent work restoring it and it runs beautifully. I almost feel guilty using these nice pieces but I'd hate to get them back up and running to only have them sit in a box; they need to live out in the wild!
This week, it's a 15J Going barrel Elgin, Taylor and a 17J lever fusee 1842, Josh Johnson, (Liverpool Runner). Keith R...
