Antique RR watch

[Merc]

Art,

I enlarged the movement photo and I can only see six numbers in the serial number.

[Art]

Art,

I enlarged the movement photo and I can only see six numbers in the serial number.

You are correct. I looked at the serial number under a magnifier and it is indeed 570493. I mistakenly thought there was a 1 after the 3.

Rockford hit 570,000 in 1900-1901 but it's hard to believe this watch is that old.

[Merc]

Art,

You may never be able to identify the manufacturer. I looked through my watch books and Rockford is a possibility although I didn’t see the exact same watch. The English and Swiss were exporting movements so it could be one of theirs. Old Walt must have sold quite a few movements in order to get a manufacturer to put his name on the movement instead of their name.

[Art]

Art,

You may never be able to identify the manufacturer. I looked through my watch books and Rockford is a possibility although I didn’t see the exact same watch. The English and Swiss were exporting movements so it could be one of theirs. Old Walt must have sold quite a few movements in order to get a manufacturer to put his name on the movement instead of their name.

I'm afraid you're right. The chance of finding anything like this on a small business operating 100 years ago, no matter how prosperous is slim and none and I'm afraid slim has left town.

Thank you for your help and insight. I appreciate it.

[Merc]

Here’s one you don’t see often. It’s a big 1912 Waltham 18s 15j in an unusual case. The movement and case are attached with a hinge that allows it to swing out from the case. 15 jewels was considered high quality in 1912. Still runs and keeps great time. This was someone’s daily watch for many years (notice the crown is worn smooth and the brassing on the back of the case from pocket wear).

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[Merc]

One more.BE649489-D8FD-4196-9C38-65A37B630003.jpg

[Merc]

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Four watches; three Elgin’s and one Waltham; all size 12 from the 1920s. The three Elgins are 17j movements, the Waltham is 15j (far left). No more white porcelain dials on watches from this era. They all have painted metal dials. None are particularly rare, so the book value is pretty cheap even though they are considered high quality watches. Second from the left is my dad’s Elgin with a refinished dial.

Interesting story about the Waltham. I picked it at an estate sale a few years ago and it ran but was really slow. I took the back cover off and the movement looked clean and normal. I took the front bezel off and saw something sticking up out of the sub seconds hand hole. I got a pair of tweezers and pulled at it and to my surprise, out came a human hair that had to be 8 inches long that was wound completely around the seconds post. How it got there is anyone’s guess. The watch runs fine now.

[Merc]

I walked into a huge antique mall in Fort Myers, FL the other day and there was another railroad watch calling my name. The asking price was less than one half of the usual market price for this watch and the seller accepted my offer that trimmed another 30%, so it followed me home. This one is a nice running 1950 Elgin 571 grade 21j 16s with a minty movement and perfect dial. It was the final railroad grade pocket watch that Elgin would produce. The photos show the grade 571 and the previously purchased and nearly perfect 1939 Elgin grade 540 23j 16s. Of course, I suspect there was a reason that the price for the 571 was so cheap. The case is without brassing and adequately contains the movement but the bow shows considerable wear (very loose) and the rim has a few dings that are all probably consistent with 20-30 or more years of daily service. A minty case occasionally surfaces on eBay that might push the cost up closer to maybe 60% to 70% of its true value, but I wont bother looking for one. I’d rather keep the original. Maybe i’ll wear it.

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The 571 is on the right.

[Merc]

Secret message in Lincoln’s pocket watch.

http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/lincoln.html

[Merc]

Some interesting watches.

Edit:

IMHO, these watches may be worth every penny just because of the rarity, materials, complications plus they are beautiful engineering marvels, but the American railroad watch went to work and kept excellent time every day for 40 or more years.

https://moneyinc.com/most-expensive-...hes-ever-made/