Master Pocketwatch Thread

[Metal Head]

I have had my eye on this little gem for a long time, and it is well within my price range.







It is only $3.50+$8.00 shipping. If you can beat that, then let me know so I can stop drooling over this one and start drooling over that one.

[Baron Verndorf]

11.50!?!?!? Are you shitting me? It must be complete crap in quality because there is no way someone would sell something THAT cool, for cheap! Please, unless it's a single e-bay thing, link where i could get one, if it is indeed good quality i MUST get my hands on one!

[HAC]

Hmm.. Chinese movement, in brass, low jewel count (notice the fake chatons on the backplate), seen those around, not too bad, but generally not greatest of  timekeepers (although you can regulate them if you want to take the risk).  They are worth what you pay.
  Usually they will last at least a year, but they typically are not lubricated properly at the factory, and brass pivot holes will wear if not lubricated. 
   Still, at that price, you can see if you like a pocket watch or not, and its a good start. They are also good for practice should you want to dabble in learning watch repair. (I ruined quite a few myself)
Cheers  and good luck
Harold

[rollerboi]

Sleuthing from the watermark on the images, I uncovered this store:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TimeHolders

They appear to have a huge selection. Given that they're shipping out of Hong Kong, I'd take a guess that they're sitting on a warehouse full of knockoffs. But hey, they've got some cool looking stuff. And it looks like they ship to the US, despite only being set up on the UK arm of Ebay.

[Metal Head]

Actually, that might not be a bad idea when it comes to practice on repair, or I could salvage it for parts when it breaks. The smaller gears would make a great ring.

I mainly want to get it for a costume for the next convention we are having at my college.

And for those interested in owning this for aesthetic purposes, http://cgi.ebay.com/Classic-Silver-Magnifier-Mechanical-Pocket-Watch_W0QQitemZ170103827203QQihZ007QQcategoryZ398QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Does anyone know where I can get some clock gears? I am looking to make some into a necklace among other things. About 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter should do.

[Charles Dexter Ward]

I myself have purchased this watch. It is a fine timepiece. It keeps good time and has served me well as an everyday timepiece for nie on 3 months now. My only complaint is the thin metal of the scrollwork on the cover, and that it must be wound every day. On days that I do not wear it, I must set it as soon as it is wound in the morning. All in all a very fine, fun and inexpensive addition to my collection.

[HAC]

I myself have purchased this watch. It is a fine timepiece. It keeps good time and has served me well as an everyday timepiece for nie on 3 months now. My only complaint is the thin metal of the scrollwork on the cover, and that it must be wound every day. On days that I do not wear it, I must set it as soon as it is wound in the morning. All in all a very fine, fun and inexpensive addition to my collection.

I'm glad it works for you, especially at that price.. Personally, I stay away from any of the Chinese movements, not very impressed by them.
I'll stick with something like my South Bend from the 30's - Acquired for $50.00 and only took a little TLC to restore. FYI, the watch pictured below will run for 46 hours on a full wind, and keeps time to 3 seconds per day.




Cheers
Harold

[Jake of All Trades]

Ah, I just received one very similar to the original poster's, and am very satisfied.  It's no Rolex for sure, but it far surpasses expectations for such an inexpensive piece.   I've only had it for about a half-hour so I can't comment on it's timekeeping abilities, but it seems OK.  The only negatives I can find are as follows:
1)  The movement framework appears to plated steel(?), not actual brass.  A casual observer (not a brass addict like myself) would likely not be able to tell, however 
2)  The metal around the hole in the cover is slightly rough.  A little wet sandpaper ought to fix that...
Over all, I'd say it's a great deal! 

[Herr Döktor]

I got one of those too, but I also got one of these:





also from Ebay, cost £50: it's says its a 'Charles-Hubert' of Paris, but on closer inspection, the mechanism is Chinese, but of a higher quality than the cheaper one, the front and back are both springed, and operate via the winder button, and it keeps good time, and takes around a day and a half to wind down. Only thing I don't like is the buttonhole clip, I'll have to replace it with a T-bar.

[Zeke Warren]

I own both the gold and silver versions, and I will attest to how sexy they look, as well as their utter lack of longstanding quality. They'll stop at random times, start up again without warning.

Look good, but bad watches. Get what you pay for.

[Jake of All Trades]

  If anyone's interested, this is the one I recently got.  It was $19.00 on eBay (search "skeleton watch").  It hasn't stopped yet, but I'll let you know if it does...

[Peachy Carnehan]

Here are a couple of photos of my personal favorite. I do carry this one at times - special occasions usually associated with ballroom dancing.

It is an American Watch Company key wind and set watch with a coin silver case and rose gold hinges for both the cover and case back. The serial number indicates that it was manufactured in 1872 and still keeps excellent time. It has a twelve jewel movement.

The watch chain is a double-Albert of English manufacture with each individual link being hallmarked sterling silver. The fob is a silver Jubilee medal issued for Queen Victoria's 60th anniversary on the throne in 1897.

The watch is one of the larger sizes being about 3/4 of an inch thick and 2 1/4 inches across. It has the heft and feel that only a palm full of silver can give.

I saved for a while to get myself an antique watch such as this. Needless to say I treasure it.

I wind it and let it run down every so often even if I am not going to be using it. With antiques such as this it helps to keep the watch in good running order and prevent the works from getting stuck.

One neat thing about this watch is that if I wind the watch at night before going to bed I can hear it ticking away from the other side of the bedroom all night long.

[OpheliaButcher]

What are the different ways of fastening a pocket watch to one's person? The only I have right now I ended up putting a large lobster-claw clasp on that connects to my beltloop, but it's very annoying on days I don't have belt loops and I was wondering how the other methods work.

[Von Gast]

I was just having much the same thought myself - I have a Moljina pocket watch that I would like to wear more often, unfortunately it lacks a chain, and I've never seen a method of wearing one without also wearing a waistcoat.

[Dr von Zarkov]

The abundance of pocket watches on the market which appeal to Steampunkers makes one wonder, "Who else is buying them?"

We appreciate the Edward Gorey print in the background of the post by good Herr Döktor. We are fans of Gorey.

[Herr Döktor]

We appreciate the Edward Gorey print in the background of the post by good Herr Döktor. We are fans of Gorey.

Why, thank you! I wondered who'd be first to spot that, 10 House points to Dr. Von Zarkov! 

[HAC]

On Pocket watches, there may soon be another one in the fold...
Hamilton GCT Military navigators watch. True 24 hour dial and movement.
Not my pics, as I don't yet have the watch in hand.





Cheers
Harold

[dman762000]

I have a lord elgin that dates back to around 1890, needs the help of a certified watchsmith, and a gruen from around 1860 that needs alot of watchsmithing, case, face and something is wrong with the mechanism.

[NazT]

Ok so not just a pocket watch but look at this beauty!  I REALLY REALLY WANT ONE!...



...found at...

http://watchismo.blogspot.com/2007/04/1590-gun-powder-flask-sundial-compass.html

[La Bricoleuse]

Regarding means of wearing pocketwatches:

Watch chains may have many different findings on the end opposite to the watch--a clip, a "lobsterclaw," a hook, etc. I have two antique pocketwatches (a 23-jewel Waltham Vanguard conductor's watch and a 17-jewel ladies Waltham in a Hunting case, for watch afficionados) with small penknife fobs on the end of the chains, which i put into a second pocket when carrying the watches. Balancing the kit out with any number of useful other items you might put onto the opposite end of the chain is an idea--might even be able to find some of the wallet-chains currently available that could be repurposed for your watch.

There's a workman's watchfob that is essentially a loop of leather with a snap, so you can affix the watch to your belt itself, though if you have a belt on, chances are you have beltloops and your current setup would work for you.

The chatelaine is possibly another option, in waist-chain/brooch/necklace/pendant varieties--most functional ones were made sturdy enough to hold keys and sewing tools. You could search for antique ones, or cop the idea and manufacture your own.

[La Bricoleuse]

Oh, and!

One thing i meant to add but hit "post" prematurely: whatever you choose, you don't want to carry the watch in a manner such that it's bouncing around, getting whacked on things, etc. That will flummox the works and it'll cease to function. Don't put it in a pocket right where you bump against a workbench all day, for example, or let it swing on a chain unanchored, unless you wear the watch purely for aesthetic purposes and care not whether it remains in working order.

Here's an example of what has to be a purely aesthetic choice and hopefully a $2 Chinese pocketwatch:

http://community.livejournal.com/anachrotech/215799.html

...because with the watch essentially swinging as a pendulum and bumping against a boned corset for any length of time, its movement will soon be damaged. The corset is amazingly cool-looking, but for practical use outside of, say, a hot cheesecake daguerreotyping shoot, will soon result in a non-functioning timepiece.

[Smaggers]

Another of the many plans starting to ferment in the back of my head is the ldea of fitting a clamshell mobile phone into a pocket watch case.

Probably need to cut the amount of metal down, perhap a case mainly of walnut or burr mapel  with metal fittings.  Keep the clasp / chain / closure.

[Baron Verndorf]

Here's a beutifull little watch my girlfriend just gave me, it's kind of small (as youll see in scale of my hand) so it's a bit difficult to get a good picture (hense the blurry).





The little eye's are red (i doubt there real ruby's, but at least there immitation <.<) and the clock face is pearl with ivory backing (or at least its apearince is...).

[okoshima]

has anybody heard of this brand (from hsamuel) [here
just wondering as they have a nice watch that is clear on the front and back allowing a full look at the guts (but no flippy bits all glass) and wanted to know if it waould be a good chioice for £50

[NazT]

I've just taken an old (but fairly common) pocket watch that I bought on ebay (glass broken, face scratched slightly, gold plating worn on the back, and runs too quick) into a watch repairers (Butlers of Cheltenham UK) and to get a new glass (NOT plastic!) and the balance spring fixed it cost about £30!  Well the watch only cost me £10 from ebay so I now have a worn but stunning watch that hasnt lost a second in the last 5 days!