Pocket Watch Primer

[poilu1917]

Re: Pocket Watch Primer

I second Paul's observations, the ribbons are very common in original civilian images.

[Pumpkinslinger]

Re: Pocket Watch Primer

Do you think you guys could ID a watch I dug last week in a Federal camp in TN?

[riaju]

Re: Pocket Watch Primer

You will probably need some sort of serial number for maker or production date.

[CompanyWag]

Re: Pocket Watch Primer

From what little I know, it doesn't look American to me, but more like an imported keywind watch. No great concern if it is a euro watch...many were imported here during the period as a less costly alternative to the American product.

[Pumpkinslinger]

Re: Pocket Watch Primer

Thanks. I was just looking for something in general. I dug it sitting on top of a green glass cathedral food bottle.

[CW Watch Collector]

Re: Pocket Watch Primer

Hi,

I am new to your forum. However, I have been collecting and researching American pocket watches from the Civil War era for over 30 years, and I have been writing about them through the publications of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors for the past 20 years or so. There is a lot of good, mostly accurate information in this thread already concerning how to identify authentic CW American pocket watches. Allow me to add a few more facts, and perhaps a minor correction or two, for those who may be interested:

Nickel finish was introduced into American watchmaking in 1868, on the E. Howard & Co. "Series III" (which was nickel plated over brass), and a few very high grade American Watch Co. (a.k.a. "Waltham") Model 1868 movements with "damaskeened" solid nickel plates ("damaskeening," with a "k," is a form of watch plate decoration that takes its name from the patterns made on Damascus steel, but it is a totally different technique.) Thus all American watches made before or during the CW had electro-gilded brass plates. Nickel finish did not become common on American watches until well into the 1870's.

As others have already said, stem winding was very rare on any watches prior to 1865 (stem setting was even rarer!), and unknown on American watches at that time. Like nickel finish, the first stem winding and setting American watches reached the market in 1868.

Though gold filling was patented in 1859, it was sufficiently rare even by 1865, that one should severely question the authenticity of any gold-filled case or chain as a "CW" artifact. Gold-filled watch cases didn't really begin to seriously supplant silver cases in the US market until pretty late in the 1870s.

The American watch models that might have been carried by CW combatants are all pictured here, in the on-line catalog from the 2002 NAWCC National Seminar, which I chaired:

http://www.awco.org/Seminar2002/index.htm

American Watch Company, Waltham MA:

The CW ended right around the time S# 150,000 was coming off the AWCo's assembly line. However, to have actually made it into a soldier's pocket before hostilities ceased, I think 110,000 is a more sensible cut-off. The following NAWCC website can give you the date of manufacture of any Waltham movement to within a few months or less:

http://www.nawcc-info.org/walthamdb/LookupSN.asp

Immediate predecessors of the AWCo were:

Appleton, Tracy & Co. (1857-159)
Tracy, Baker & Co. (a few weeks in 1857, watches with this marking are major rarities)
Boston Watch Co. (approximately 1853 to 1857, watches marked either "Dennison, Howard & Davis [S#'s 1,001 thru 5,000] or earlier, Samuel Curtis [very rare])
Warren Mfg. Co. (about 1852, these are great rarities)
American Horologue Company (1851, as are these)


OK, the models:

"Model 1857," 18 Size full plate, key wound from the back, key set from the front, 7 to 16 jewels (depending on grade and production date), single sunk dials. This model was inherited from the Boston Watch Co., from which the AWCO claimed succession. Hence AWCo called this model the "Model 1857," even though the AWCo was formed in 1859. To add to this confusion is the fact that the defunct company name, "Appleton, Tracy & Co.," was retained by AWCo as a grade designation on their highest grade of full plate Model 1857 movements. Grades of Model 1857 movement that were made before or during the Civil War include:

"Dennison, Howard & Davis" - BWCo product
"Samuel Curtis" - a rare, even earlier BWCo product (not actually a Model 1857, but often called one)
"Appleton, Tracy & Company," usually with 15 jewels, either a solid gold or a temperature-compensated bimetallic balance, and a dial signed either "American Watch Co." or "Appleton. Tracy & Co." depending on movement serial number.
"C. T. Parker" (scarce)
"Chas. T. Parker" (scarce)
"Howard & Rice" (rare) finished by E, Howard & Co. in Boston, who also claimed succession from the BWCo
"P. S. Bartlett" an intermediate grade, often with 11 jewels
"William Ellery" a relatively inexpensive grade (all watches were expensive!) advertised widely to soldiers, and usually with 7 jewels and solid steel balance and often ,an unsigned dial
"Home Watch Co." Waltham's lowest grade, which carried no warranty

Model 1859 (a.k.a. "18KW), 18 Size 3/4 plate, KW and KS both from rear, higher grades with Fitch's patent reversing center pinion, patent marked on plate
The highest grade, marked "American Watch Company," had 19 jewels and most had signed double sunk dials. Next grade down was AT&Co., Then PSB, Then Wm Ellery. I have seen a named CW 19 jewel example in an 18K gold case

Model 20KW (a.k.a., "Model 1862 [sic]"), 20 Size, 3/4 plate, KW and KS both from rear, often marked "Stratton's patent" and sometimes "Fogg's Patent."
The highest grade was the "American Watch Co Grade," with either 19 or sometimes 20 jewels (when equipped with Fogg's patented vibrating stud) , and Breguet overcoil hairspring. The next grade down was AT&Co, then PSB.

Model 16KW (a.k.a. Model 1860 [sic]") same as 20KW but only a smaller 16 Size. I saw a named AT&Co grade example in an 18K case presented to a Union cavalry major years ago. Like a fool, I choked on the price, but I was still a novice collector then.

E. Howard & Company, of Boston:

Howard made especially expensive watches for the luxury market, so if a CW combatant carried one (and I'm pretty sure a few did), he would more than likely have been an officer. S#'s up through abut 6,500 would date to the CW. There is no on-line reference resource for Howard watch movement serial numbers, as there is for Waltham's, but I have a nearly complete personal copy of the Howard factory production records that I spent a week making from the originals at the Smithsonian in 2002. Howard did not use model designations. However, modern collectors often refer to the types of movements Howard made up through the CW as "Series I, II, and III." Examples of these can be seen here:

http://www.awco.org/Seminar2002/Howard.htm

These watches had 7, 15 or 17 jewels (7 and 17 both being rare), and either divided plates (Series I and II) or 3/4 plates (Series III). All had Reed's patented protective mainspring barrel, and were marked with Reed's patent on the plates or the main wheel. Some also had Mershon's patented rack and pin compound regulator. The single sunk dials were signed "E. Howard & Co., Boston." Howard movements were "N Size," which was slightly larger than a standard 18 Size, and required specially made cases. Recases are far more common than original cases. As Howards were luxury watches, most original cases were 18K gold, rather than silver. The Howard firm did not manufacture its own cases. However, many cases made for Howard watch movements had the "E.H. & Co." logo stamped in them by one of several case makers at the request of Howard's NY sales office. American made CW period watch cases, whether for Howards or Walthams, often were stamped with an eagle on an interior surface.

Tremont Watch Co.:

This was a small outfit in Boston that assembled watch movements from a combination of parts made in America and Switzerland, but the first watches reached the market only after May, 1865, so they cannot be considered truly "CW" time pieces

Elgin Natl. Watch Co.: Founded in 1863, its first watches didn't reach the market until 1867, so all Elgin watches are necessarily post-CW.

I hope folks find some of this info useful. I would be happy to answer questions about specific watches.

Clint Geller, Fellow NAWCC

[Redbeard]

Re: Pocket Watch Primer



This watch seems to be in order (but correct me if I am wrong). It's a key wind, albeit small one, with the correct roman numeral face, and silver case. I have my doubts about the chain, though. Anybody feel like critiquing it?