POCKET WATCHES

When I tell people that I collect Pocket Watches, most reactions are that "Oh! I have my Grandfather's Silver watch, which is old and must be valuable". As they they describe it or run to show it, I find I am looking at a sad old silver watch, invariariably not working. Comment is then made,couched in the best possible terms, that it is worthless and worth keeping only for sentimental reasons.It then becomes a little difficult to show what I collect.

It all started after I retired, saying that I would no longer be governed by time. But my fascination for good clocks and watches overcame this thought. I started by collecting good quality Silver watches in good working order. However, as any collector knows, one starts to want to improve the collection.

The first Gold watch was a Half Hunter(one that enables you to read the time with the cover closed) that had a Blue enamel ring around the window. It was made by E.J.Dent who was to become the maker of the clock now known as Big Ben. As it was inscribed I was able to look into the history of the first owner. This is dated 1881. Despite some collectors not wanting watches that had inscriptions because it devalued them, I found them more interesting than the monetary value. As time went the collection grew to maximum affordability. (Mine). Another watch is by Abraham-Loius Breguet who was living around the end of 18th Century and is reckoned to be one of finest watchmakers and today some of his clocks fetch well into seven figures. Sadly my one does not fall anywhere near this category.

There are several by Dent who was also considered highly in his day.
The types of watches also cover the changes over a 100 years from the Fusee ( a chain controlling the mainspring) to the lever type, from key wound to keyless, from key movement of the hands-to push button to the Knob. Also there are Minute repeater to Quarter to Hourly repeaters that enabled owners to ascertain approximate time in the dark.

Also there are open-faced,half-hunters and full hunters(this has to have the cover open to read the time) The oldest watch in the collection is circa 1811 which is a Dumb Quarter repeater which was first owned by the 3rd Earl of Mexborough and was passed to his 6th child and subsequently down his side of the Family until 1924. When it was passed to a Cousin. From then until I purchased it in2005 I have not been able to ascertain ownership.
Another watch, through its inscription, I was able to get a rare insight into the first owner. It was presented to him on His retirement in 1904. As he was a Railwayman of some esteem, a photograph was obtained from The Public Records Office, Kew and then His obituary in a Railway Magazine dated 1941 in His 102nd year.

Another in the collection is a Deck Watch.This type of watch was used in the Royal Navy in the first half of the 20th century and was used to give the officer of the watch the exact time. This being taken from the "Master" watch called a chronometer and this watch has been traced to the ships on which it served.

Watch cases also carry the makers mark and so a watch not only gives you the time it also, if you wish, tells you about the watch and case makers and also the Social history of the time. And so on.....

(to be continued)