Well, a percentage are bound to be looking out of interest and a thirst for knowledge, so that's your "market". Any other visitors chasing a buck were already monsters!
Hi All, this is a great Thread, I read it completely today, I just got these 2 Westfields, one of them is 1928 or 1938, not confirmed yet if a Carlston model, need your help on this in order to identify this one. View attachment 262735 View attachment 262736 this other is a lady model, I was looking the catalog but did not find any like it so far. View attachment 262737 View attachment 262738 what can be done to restore them to their original state?? Thanks!
Another small mystery. 10B, 6 jewel movement, X date code for either 1933 or 1943 (I'm thinking 1933). Vest Pocket case with leather protector, not like anything I've seen before. See through case back and runs "fairly" accurate for a watch this old with a "economical" movement. Case is a mystery to me as appears to be three pieces, front and back screw onto "threaded" center section that holds the movement. I'm guessing jobber/jeweler case. Center section is recessed enough to fit into the leather fob which has a corresponding tongue to fit the recess in the case.
Here's one I've not seen before, Enameled case. Disregard the dial, certainly not original, and can be redone. Pictures courtesy of Tony Mayfield, used with his permission.
Re: post # 198. Westfield gents rectangular, original dial (?). Could be a re-dial. But a friend recently sent me his Westfield for a replacement of the glass crystal. I don't see the case on this subject watch, but the dial was identical. It was also pristine, like the dial on the subject watch. So it can happen that an original dial survives. I didn't have a glass crystal to fit his Westfield, but I had a NOS GS Flexo crystal which was specifically for this very model. It came from a GS Flexo crystal cabinet that my late father bought circa 1950!
It very well could be Doug, but when Tony sent me the pics I downloaded and examined under extreme magnification and the "Westfield" markers on the dial just didn't look factory to me. The case on this one is in pretty good shape except for the back which looks like 40 miles of bad road! That NOS GS Flexo crystal package didn't happen to have a model name on it, or did it? I've looked through all my hard copy ads and this one wasn't on any of them.
I'm not at home right now. I'll be home by the week end. I'll pull the catalog (1950), and locate the silhouette of the crystal,I fitted. I'll post the name when I know it.
The G S Flexo Crystal is MX 484-15. It is listed in the G S Flexo catalog only as Westfield. There is no cross reference in the catalog to a Westfield model name. However, the same crystal is listed as a fit for a Bulova model named Sky King. This particular Westfield is rectangular, not a tonneau shape like the Westfield in post # 198. I don't see a listing for the watch in post # 198.
Thanks Doug! The "Farragut" model in post 198 is still unknown, as is the Westfield with the enameled case. What's weird is that the Westfield model in post 198 that is a look alike for the Bulova Farragut fits into a correct case that covers the fancy lines on the top and bottom on the dial, and are invisible when the case is closed.
orlimarko, your watch appears to be from 1953 (?) based on the movements L3 stamp. I don't recall if I've posted or found a particular ad for that year.
Looks like I should wear it more often bcse I was born in 1953 ..driving vintage car from this year and will be complete
I purchased this Westfield recently based on the fact of the Logo that was affixed center glass... I poked around the net trying to find anything I could on Standard Oil's "ESSO" line and the Westfield Watch Co. but nothing... When I got it; it was not ticking/working... Trying to figure out how to open it I still do not completely know; I did figure out that the face is notched and I was able to remove it with my finger nail, the Crystal is Acrylic like most 50+ year old watches, The "ESSO" logo and "24 hours" appears to be a decal affixed a very very long time ago if not originally made within it... There is a gold retainer/spacer ring on the inside once the crystal is popped off... When I did this and tried to figure out how to get the Crown & Stem out to remove the movement (since it wasnt working) it began to tick..! And has been going for well over 12 hours straight; I am really happy that its working... But I'd still like to figure out how to get into the rest of the case to try and identify the movement; but I honestly do not know enough about watches yet to get into this without damaging it; and since it is working I am really not inclined to want to do anything to it really considering it is likely 80 years old now... Any ideas on age or origin..? Has anyone else seen an Automotive related or Truckers version of these Westfield's..?
Sorry I am a newb with the forums upload system here is a photo of the back of it and it appears to be soild; I tried to get a razor blade under the backs bubble but nada... Also I forgot to mention that on the face at the bottom it says "SWISS" so I am leaning towards maybe a Bulova Movement inside...
The movement on your watch is what is called a "front loader" and there is no access through the back. You'll probably need to find a watchmaker and have the watch serviced. It appears that it's from the 50's or possibly the 60's but my thinking is the 50's. Running a 60 or so year old watch without a service is not advisable, due to old oil and debris. It's the first Westfield presentation/advertising watch I've seen. Esso has been around for a long time. When/if you get it serviced, ask the watchmaker to write down (or preferably take pictures) of the movement and all the numbers off the movement. There should be a date code on the movement which will help date the watch. Keep us updated on what you find. Nice watch!
Thanks A Lot for the info..! I will go down to the local Jeweler and have it serviced... I dont have dial tools yet; nor the experience, and I do not plan to learn or practice on this one either... Just to clarify; when I just got it last night it was already completely wound, so I guess when I loosened the case up and wiggled the movement it released whatever was sticking it (probably old oil) and is actually still going almost 24 hours later... I did not intend to wind it again or use it actually until I could get more information about it; so that when I go to the Jewelers/watchsmith I know what he should be doing to it... I am going to take my Camera with me and try to get them to let me photo all the parts once it is apart... I'd actually like to get an onyx or ruby jeweled crown for it since I like it so much; not sure how likely that will be though... I am eager to find out about the case more too since there is no markings on the outside of it... I tried to compare other faces/dials but I wasn't able to find any that were like this with the "WATER TIGHT" under Westfield on the dial and the Chrono style seconds hand... Maybe someone has a version similar..? The Band is an old single ply type leather band and I can't make it out exactly but it looks to say "blazed" in cursive and under in caps it says "SINGLE LAYER"... That is about as much as I can gather about it at this point... I will go down to the shop this week and see what I can arrange and dig up on the insides... I will surely keep everyone posted..! Thanks again..!
So I called the local jeweler and they didnt even want to give me a minimum quote on what it would be to look at the watch let alone service it with oil; they were already trying to up sell me parts at that... LoL So I found a video on youtube of a guy taking apart an Omega front load; he used a special tweezer... So I mustered up the balls to give the crown a wiggle yank and it popped right out; super easy, so glad I didn't pay someone to do this now... =) I do not have any of the right oils or cleaners so at this time I did not do anything to it at all but take it apart photo it and put it all back together... So here are the guts..! The case is inscribed Westfield Watch Co. Swiss and a Serial #; the Movement is Marked "10AW"... What kind of oil should I get and where are the spots to oil on this movement..? Its a 7 Jewel too as opposed to 6 that I have seen mostly on the bay...
It's a nice watch WristPeep. The movement appears to have a "shield" date code which would place it around 1939. I can't quite read the serial number inside the case back. The dial seems to be in really good shape. Before you go about trying to clean and oil it I'd recommend you pick up some old pocket watches and practice on taking them apart and putting them back together. As a pocket watch movement is much larger than a wristwatch movement, it'll give you an idea on the complexities of watch movements and what's involved. Not for the faint of heart. I'd also recommend either taking some online courses or at the very least, watching some online videos that deal with disassembly and reassembly, and proper method of cleaning and oiling. It's a lot more involved than just putting a few drops of oil on the movement and calling it good. Sounds like you've been bitten by the "bug" that is the plague know as watch collecting! Welcome to the club.
I am a Mechanic by second trade and a Micro electronics technician by first trade... It was more like stung by an over-wound mainspring in a old wall clock I was tinkering with; it nearly sliced my finger tip off, after that I took what was left of it and began to figure it out and put it back to something so I made steampunk style clock out of it (work in progress) and since then you can say I been bitten... LoL I am actually looking at some service manuals; I was bidding on one and it went well over $75, POed I went and found the same book in PDF, albeit not like a physical manual but it works... I figured it was going to be old and in the 30s or 40s period since Standard Oil was broken down in the 1910s and Esso was popular in the states till the late 50s; that is when I came across this thread, as I was trying to date the watch before buying it but I was not going to ask the seller to tinker with it and just bought it not working on a gamble anyways... I'm a Car guy too; so this watch had me the second I saw it... Vintage Oil Co. and Vintage Watch it was a no brainer... I am going to buy a similar movement to this one like a 6 jewel to practice on... It has an Onyx crown on it that I want for this watch... I have added a close up of the serial # if it helps...
Wow, that's something! Here's one I've been passed down through my grandfathers collection. I'm so happy somebody revived this thread and seeing it, I'd been halfheartedly searching for info on Westfield watches. It runs and loses a minute or two a day. "To Wolfe from Polly & Zena 5-27-42"
Although there haven't been any groundbreaking or earth shattering discoveries lately I can state that this thread has helped quite a few collectors and sellers alike. With almost 24,000 views I guess reviving the discussion has been useful after all!
I'm having a "issue" with this one that I posted back in 2014. The dial fairly clearly says "Bulova" while the text clearly states "Westfield Movement" made by Bulova. To my knowledge Bulova and Westfield never cross pollinated their models, so I really don't know what to make of this ad. Original ad from "Manitowoc Herald Times January 20 1941 Stanford.jpg"
Here's one of the "crossover" models. Westfield had their "Watertite" and Bulova also had their "Watertite" model.....
My apologies to those viewing this thread, seems we've lost quite a bit of data including all of 2017...... I've tried to find out what progress is being made to restore all the missing data, seems like I just can't get a answer.
Hi, Hawk - Don't give up! The great MB team is working on restoring the images. The images haven't been lost - they just aren't showing up right now. Progress updates are posted in one of the Message Board Help and Announcements threads, so please check there periodically. Additional good news is that the images in new posts are visible, so keep on posting and helping us learn about Westfield watches. Posting the ads as well as the watches really helps see these watches' place in horological history. Thank you! Pat
The missing images will be back pretty soon. Those that are missing here are the ones that displayed too large prior to the migration. The data is there, but the image reference did not get translated since the people doing the import had not seen that type of image reference before. With 300,000 pictures on this site, they missed the 35,000 that did not come over. I need to write a program to restore them properly and for that I move slowly.
If that means you are willing and able to help, please start a conversation. We are all volunteers here.
