User Name
Password
AppleNova Forums » AppleOutsider »

I just got my Great Grandfather's pocket watch!


Register Members List Calendar Search FAQ Posting Guidelines
I just got my Great Grandfather's pocket watch!
Thread Tools
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-21, 14:39

I'm really excited about this pocket watch. It works and is in great shape! I don't know much of the details for it other than it was given to me by my uncle who was given it by my grandfather who got it from his father. I've been searching the web trying t to find one that looks like this one but the crown/winder and chain loop look different than anything I've found so far. I'm gathering that it was made back around 1910 or so! I just had to share to see if you guys are familiar with this kind of time piece at all.



Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2019-10-22, 00:33

Very cool! The sentimental family lineage is likely to be more important than the actual value. I don't know my pocket watches, so Google and eBay (which apparently isn't crawled) would be my two go-to sources. Does it work? Will you get a watch chain for it?



...

Steve Jobs ate my cat's watermelon.
Captain Drew on Twitter
  quote
PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2019-10-22, 00:47

1910 might predate the usage of it, but is there any luminous paint anywhere on the dial? It can be fun to point a geiger counter at old clocks and watches that do.
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-22, 13:06

Just to be clear on this Drew, I have zero intention of letting this leave my possession until I die (or am close to it) and give it to my oldest son.

I don't see any luminous paint on it at all. I did hear it was "reconditioned" around 1985 or so by my uncle (he paid to have it done) who gave it to me. He didn't have any kids and I'm the one with a relationship with him from our family. I'm guessing that is why it looks so great compared to it's age. Even if it is from the 50's it is now easily over 60 years old.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
chinesebear
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Harbin, China
 
2019-10-22, 19:53

Have you opened up the back of it? If it doesn't have a hinge, it'll screw off. You can also see what work was done on it - the watchmakers etch their initials/date every time they do work on a watch. I love to look at the back of an old watch. You'll also be able to see the serial number inside. that should help find more info about the watch. (I recently got an old pocket watch from family as well, so I've learned some things. Though you now know all I know).
  quote
PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2019-10-23, 08:27

1985 would be after the use of radium-based paint was banned, so no interesting geiger counter readings for you, then.
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2019-10-23, 08:44

Quote:
Originally Posted by chinesebear View Post
Have you opened up the back of it? If it doesn't have a hinge, it'll screw off. You can also see what work was done on it - the watchmakers etch their initials/date every time they do work on a watch.
Oooo this is a fun little tidbit that I didn't know. We need an update with pics if you do this T!

[edit]: Reminds me of the 'artists sign their work' idea wrt the original Macintosh case molds. There was another case during Apple's clone phase that had signatures inside too – behind a door panel – but I can't remember offhand which that was. I'm guessing either Power Computing or Motorola's Starmax line, since those were the ones I was mostly buying back then.

[edit2]: UMAX SuperMac S900! Forgot all about those bad boys. Wish I would've kept one or two for old time's sake.

So it goes.

Last edited by 709 : 2019-10-23 at 09:14.
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-23, 09:00

I had no idea how to open this until you posed to check chinesebear! Thank you. I was able to open it and take a couple of pictures. They are crappy iPhone pictures so I'm going to have to break out my DSLR with macro to try to get better detail.



I failed to wind it every day so now the time is wrong. I still haven't figured out how to set the thing. I think it is the kind where you pull the crown, but I don't want to break it since I'm not sure.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2019-10-23, 09:20

HBO's viral marketing working deep here.
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-23, 09:36

So I discovered the that crystal unscrews as "easily" as the back does. I got some pretty decent images from this thing. The etching on the back cover dates the watch to November 23, 1933, assuming that is the manufacturing date and not a service date. Maybe I can get more from the serial numbers.

There are a handful of numbers stamped into this thing too.

What's the HBO thing? I don't watch it but I'm curious of what you're referring to now.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2019-10-23, 09:51

  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-23, 10:41

More pics!











IMG_7330 is odd to me because there is a notch missing from the side of the threading. It looks like maybe it should be there, but just look interesting. Lighting isn't the best for these because I don't have a soft box or anything like that. At least we can really see the details though.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2019-10-23, 11:14

Neat! According to this it was produced ~1903 and sold for around $25 bucks – $700 in today's dollar. Super interesting!!!
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-23, 13:55

I'm learning so much I just never thought about with this watch! Thank you for that find 709! I am actually a little shocked it is from 1903 though that fits. Maybe my Great Grandfather got it around 1933 when it was worked on by the one who etched the back of the case.

I think I figured out the notch in the image I mentioned earlier. The body could be used with a lever time adjustment mechanism. There is nothing there because this is a Pendant style and I have to make the adjustment with the crown. I was really hesitant to pull the crown hard enough to adjust the time but it finally gave and allowed me to adjust it.

I guess I wind it by pressing the crown in and rotate it counter-clockwise. Kinda hard to tell because it clicks the same at rest and when pressed in.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2019-10-23, 14:59

I have my grandfather's old pocket watch. Just used 709's link and determined it was manufactured in 1895. Hasn't worked in forever, and seems to be worth about $20.

If the thing was mint, it would be worth about $150. In other words, it's gonna land in the recycle bin very soon.

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-23, 15:00

You might want to make it available for someone to pick up. One thing I've seen is there are many who collect these things and bring them back to life. I'm not sure how much effort I would put into it, maybe drop it off at an antique shop near you and let them keep the profit or whatever.

Louis L'Amour, “To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
Visit our archived Minecraft world! | Maybe someday I'll proof read, until then deal with it.
  quote
kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2019-10-23, 15:33

Meh.

For now it will go back in the wife's jewelry box. But, when she goes through that thing in the future, it will likely just get tossed. It either stays in the family, or it gets recycled. Since it neither works nor has any value, it's worth more at the recycle center.

- AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :)
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9)
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2019-10-23, 16:29

No, it's not. Beauty has value. Drop it off at a Goodwill-ish type place, or whatever. Someone will value it more than you, guaranteed.
  quote
kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2019-10-23, 17:13

You want it? I'll email it to you.

  quote
chinesebear
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Harbin, China
 
2019-10-23, 19:58

the notch is for lever-set watches. some old pocket watches have a lever in that notch that you pull out, then you can use the crown to set the dial. Push it back in, and then the time works. If there's no lever, then either it's broken off (happens a lot) or, it is a crown set watch, and the case was manufactured for both types of watch (also very common). it was definitely repaired or tuned up in 1933, though :-)
  quote
chinesebear
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Harbin, China
 
2019-10-23, 20:02

I'm sure it could use a tune up. Good guys who work on pocket watches are hard to find. And, they tend to be a little quirky. not a surprise. modern synthetic lubricants for watches are apparently pretty amazing (and expensive), but I'm sure someone could get it running like new pretty quickly. Looks like a nice watch!
  quote
kieran
@kk@pennytucker.social
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
 
2019-10-23, 21:28

The Waltham Watch Company in Massachusetts is now a very nice apartment building. Almost moved there when we moved to the area a few years ago.

Cool to see something that was manufactured there out in the wild.

That's a super nice watch and excellent pictures Turtle.

No more Twitter. It's Mastodon now.
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2019-10-24, 18:14

Quote:
Originally Posted by kscherer View Post
You want it? I'll email it to you.
Well, you could at least be weird about it. Put it somewhere public, but make it look like it just appeared, dusty and disheveled, out of nowhere.

Unscrew the back, grab a piece of parchment, stick it inside with your handwritten* text: NOW THE CURSE IS YOURS

That shit will freak people out for years.



*better if written with calligraphy, in blood.

So it goes.

Last edited by 709 : 2019-10-24 at 18:41.
  quote
kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2019-10-24, 23:22




Hmmmmmmmmm …
  quote
turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2019-10-24, 23:26

That is so funny. Totally something worth considering as opposed to just throwing it away.
  quote
kscherer
Which way is up?
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
 
2019-10-25, 09:36

With social media the way it is these days, gonna have to be careful, lest I trigger a panic!
  quote
Posting Rules Navigation
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Post Reply

Forum Jump
Thread Tools
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
MC: Minecraft Pocket Edition drewprops GamingNova 3 2018-10-08 10:06
Grandfather passed... psmith2.0 AppleOutsider 35 2007-12-05 22:45
We all have the same great great great .. great great Grandad!!! scratt AppleOutsider 19 2006-07-05 19:23
My grandfather Luca AppleOutsider 17 2006-02-03 23:16
A great article about a great band. FFL AppleOutsider 4 2005-03-07 18:33


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 23:53.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2024, AppleNova