Thread: POCKET WATCHES

Here is a link to a page that gives a bit of information on Railroad Watches.

http://www.pockethorology.org/Railroad/Railroad.htm

I am fortunate enough to own a very few Railroad Pocket Watches. One I carry daily. It was built in in 1926 and it still performs within Railroad Standards. It's a Hamilton 992.
I also own an Elgin Father Time (Eighteen size) that was built in 1899. It also keeps excellent time. BTW, the dates are determined through the serial numbers. There are web sites that publish serial numbers and the years the corresponding watches were made.
Sixteen size is the size most people are familiar with. Eightees size is slightly larger.
I am including a picture of the Father Time.

I've been collecting Pocketwatches for many years, mostly American. If your going to buy get either hamilton, waltham, Elgin or Illinois. There are many others and they are all great however parts for them are sometimes hard to come by so as the ones I mentioned were the most popular they are still easy to get. Don't buy anything less than 15 jewels. 16 size are the most popular and most expensive. 18 are a little bigger in diameter but much thicker and heavier.

I would suggest you get complete price guide to pocketwatches by Shugart, its the bible and has a great primer on pocketwatches.

thanks for all the great info there is a lot more to pocket watches than i thought. it is amazing how percise and small the gears are it has to take a lot of skill to work on and/or build one of these fine time peices

Well, now I'll have to add something else to the list of things I want... Thanks gents!

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

Well, now I'll have to add something else to the list of things I want... Thanks gents!

wont that antique pocket watch look great next your favorite razor

here ya go fellas a great site

Wristwatches, pocketwatches, antique watches, vintage watches, vintage wristwatches

thanks doc

I blame you guys. I've just ordered a Hamilton 992 from 1933...

I have a good reason to reward myself so I did it.

Some pictures:

Looks great. let us know how it runs when you get it. Do you have a chain? Do not under any circumstances carry that watch without a chain. Its far too easy to have it slip out of a pocket without one and since there is NO shock protection one mishap will do major damage.

I carried a 992 for years and they are great watches. I mostly wore blue jeans with a watch pocket. Doing ironwork back then I fashioned a piece of leather for a chain. I would go around a belt loop over the watch pocket. It stayed close to the jeans and didn't hang like a chain will when I bent over. I have worn a chain and caught it on something and pulled the watch out of the pocket and had it swinging like a pendulum. If I was to carry one today I would go so far as taking my trousers to a tailor and having a watch pocket sewn in. It is hard on the watch to be rubbing on pocket change and what have you if you just carry it in your regular pocket. They also make a leather watch carrier that goes to your belt as an alternative. Here is a site with some stuff.