Pocket Watch

[Shangas]

I do. I had a surgery that put a plate and screws in my forearm, right down to my wrist. My watch sat right on the edge of the plate...felt horrible.

When in college, a friend bought me a nice pocketwatch and I never really used it until then...but now I'm converted!

Sorry, no pictures of it on my PC.


Has a train on the outside. Looks very close to this:

You're the second or third person who I've read, doesn't wear a wristwatch but wears a pocket-watch instead, because of a wrist injury.

What is it about wristwatches on an injured wrist that makes it uncomfortable?

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Does anyone use a Pocket Watch. I did for sometime, a new one I bought in Kohls, nothing special obviously. Any preference to pocket versus wrist. I am not a jewelery guy, not even a wedding ring so it kind of worked for me.

gman41098:
I carry either on my front belt loops or on my 3-piece suit vests, a 1936 Longines 14K Pocket Watch attached to a 14K Double (Prinz Albert), chain w/ a 14K small engraved (CBJ), pocket knife (to cut my cigars). The chain has five (5) Catholic (of which I am a "cradle-to-grave" proud member of the Faith), Charms attached and has a Catholic 'Mustard Seed' as the Watch Fob.

You may asking "What does the parable of the mustard seed mean"? In Matthew 13:31-32, the parable of the mustard seed states:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”

[/IMG]

Also, my Father had passed this Watch, Chain, Fob, Charms and pocket knife on to me (which I will pass on to my oldest son), and still today...and I've never had a reason to wear a wrist watch

This Watch is engraved on back with the words "A Wrist Watch merely Tells Time...A Pocket Watch Tells a Story" including my full name and birthdate

Christopher

 

[ezmike]

I just picked up this beauty on the IHC185 board. As noted in the listing:

A 16 size, 21 jewel, lever set, stem wound, open face Illinois Bunn Special from a 1915 production. It is a Model 9 with the Rayed (fourth pattern) demaskeened pattern. A very clean and nice running example.

This one has what was referred to as the "upward screws" in the balance **** as this one has and you will notice no screw heads from the top. They are under the balance ****.

There were about 7700 of these variants made so they are not all that common.

http://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3426021842/m/4803927457

It does look pretty nice and I think the price was right. I was going to wait another day or two for the price to drop some more but the lack of impulse control got the better of me.

Mike

 

[TxPhoto09]

I have a 1923 Illinois that was worn by my grandfather on the Illinois Central Railroad. I had it virtually redone ($300) and when I got it back, the jeweler told me it was gold. There's no way I'm gonna put that sucker in my pocket -- it's under a glass bell beside the bed!

However, I do have a cheap brass pocket watch I wear fairly frequently, when I don't need a watch that's salt water proof.

 

[ezmike]

My apologies to all those who tried the access the link. I forgot it is a member's only auction site. I will post photos when she arrives, hopefully today.

Mike

 

[maxman]

I've got a nice old Omega that I'd like to use.
I need a shorter chain though.
Anyone know where I can get one? not a 14" chain which seems to be the norm.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

I've got a nice old Omega that I'd like to use.
I need a shorter chain though.
Anyone know where I can get one? not a 14" chain which seems to be the norm.

maxman:
Always good Gold Watch Chains (single or double [Prinz Albert]), on Ebay

Christopher

 

[Shangas]

Hi Maxman.

What kind of chain are you using for your pocket watch? Where will you be wearing it? With a vest? Or with a pair of trousers?

A standard single-albert watch-chain should be about 9-12 inches long (no longer than that, surely, unless you're a particularly large fellow).

A double-albert chain is about twice the size of a single-albert, but if you're a small fellow, then about 12-15 inches of chain should be long enough.

A spring-ring or belt-clip chain should be at least a foot long. These are attached to your trousers at waist-height, so the chains need to be longer for you to be able to lift the watch up high enough to read it comfortably.

Generally...If you have to bend over or stoop too much or if you're in any way physically uncomfortable trying to read the time on your pocket watch...the chain is too short.

 

[Thebigspendur]

In the old days most folks wore a pocketwatch in the provided pocket in their vest or jacket so you only needed a short chain. Most common folk didn't even wear a chain they used a short leather strap.

With modern clothes the best bet is wear the watch in a pouch on your belt. If you wear it in your pocket it should be suspended in your pocket and not touch the bottom of your pocket which can mean the chain isn't long enough if your tall. Keeping a watch in your pocket in your pants exposes it to a lot of dust and moisture and these watches aren't sealed like wrist watches.

 

[Shangas]

Um...Jedi Chef, just be aware that a Double Albert is not the same as a Prince Albert, so I'd be very wary of mixing those two up...

 

[Aussieshaver]

Just going to drag this thread back up.

Other than ebay, can anyone recommend any other online venues to pick up a working relatively simple/entry level antique railroad pocket watch?

 

[mikey]

Or you could simply use the pocket that is provided with every pair of jeans.

In the old days most folks wore a pocketwatch in the provided pocket in their vest or jacket so you only needed a short chain. Most common folk didn't even wear a chain they used a short leather strap.

With modern clothes the best bet is wear the watch in a pouch on your belt. If you wear it in your pocket it should be suspended in your pocket and not touch the bottom of your pocket which can mean the chain isn't long enough if your tall. Keeping a watch in your pocket in your pants exposes it to a lot of dust and moisture and these watches aren't sealed like wrist watches.

 

[Thebigspendur]

Just going to drag this thread back up.

Other than ebay, can anyone recommend any other online venues to pick up a working relatively simple/entry level antique railroad pocket watch?

Actually, pawn shops can be good places but you have to know what the watch is worth and be able to dicker with them. On-line check out Oldwatch.com.

 

[Voomie]

Not to sound dumb but what is the proper way to wear a pocket watch. I couldnt use the watch pocket because it is on the same side I carry my pocket knife and I only have it on one side.

 

[California Cajun]

I have several pocket watches. My best one is a nice Hamilton 992 Railroad watch. Also have several other antique jobs such as Waltham and a very old English one and a few fairly modern ones. I quite like one Chinese pocket watch with a picture of Chairman Mao on the face I picked up somewhere!

I use them a lot when I'm out playing my melodeon for the morris, pub sessions and ceilidh gigs. I find a wrist watch always gets caught on the bass end strap of the squeezebox and if I wear it on the right hand it gets too tight when I'm playing owing to the angle of my wrist.

They all keep excellent time and only the Hamilton has had any work done on it as the mainspring broke a few years ago. There is an excellent old fashioned watchmaker here in Cheltenham who fixed it for a very small fee!

Gareth

My grandfather and dad had a Hamilton 992 (my dad got his when he worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad), and I just got one like it in memory of them. I have always liked pocket watches, and think they just might be better given the size.

 

[TenorClef]

Here's mine a Sekonda Classique Gents Pocket Watch.
Mechanical.
White skeleton dial.
Skeleton back alloy case.
Gold plated stainless steel chain.
Scratch resistant glass.
Push button opening lid.
Gift boxed.

 

[Psicko]

I have 3 pocket watches, At this time, only 1 works. It is a Jules Jorgensen watch. I don't know the model at this time, as I am not at home. It is in a case with the Navy symbol on it. I have one that was given to me years ago. It worked, but I accidentally sat on it. My last one aquired is a Rockford that is mentioned in my thread. I dont know the model number, but the year is a 1906. I am going to repair the two broken ones when I get some money. After I broke my first one, I only wear them when I dress up. Otherwise I am destructive to watches and other things.

 

[oc_in_fw]

That's funny. I am exactly the same about jewelry. It always feels constrictive when you are wearing something. My wife does not like the fact that I don't like to wear a wedding ring even though I offered to get a tattoo on my ring finger instead. I do wear a watch but it was given to me by my son for fathers day and I don't have the heart to not wear it.

I went the tattoo route. Black outline filled in with red. "Mary" in script. The wife liked it because I can't take it off, and I like it because I work around electricity frequently. Tingles a bit in the webbing when they get to it, but that is part of the fun.

 

[TenorClef]

I don't wear my pocket watch for daily use, i have a nice vintage 1950's Omega wrist watch for that purpose. The pocket watch was mainly to add a nice vintage touch to my 3 piece suit so it doesn't get to many outings.

I could have looked for a vintage pocket watch but experience taught me this is more work than its worth. My 1950's Omega had some cosmetic and timing issues which proved to be quite costly in the end to sort out.

This is why i decided to look for a modern pocket watch instead. The Sekonda has a nice Victorian look to it especially with the open view to the inside workings and at only £40 you can't fault it, the next nearest watch in quality was the Rotary but that was like triple the price which is hard to justify if your not using it as a regular piece.