by
Professor Emeritus Mortxxx D. S
Knowing of my hobby of collecting pocket watches, my wife, Giovanna,
surprised me by showing me a pocket watch made by the Tavannes company. The
watch once belonged to her late husband, Martin, who was a professor of
labour economics at UCD. Martin received the watch from his father. Both
father and son were held by the Nazis in Bergen-Belsen, one of the most
notorious concentration camps of World War II. Anne Frank and her sister,
and the sister of actress Marlene Dietrich, died there. Martin’s father did
not survive either, but Martin was there, hardly alive at 15 years of age,
weighing 50 pounds and suffering from tuberculosis and other diseases, when
the British army liberated the camp on April 15, 1945. His task as an inmate
and young teenager was to cart bodies to burial pits. Somehow, the watch had
been successfully hidden from the Nazi camp guards.
On liberation day, when a British soldier noticed the watch, he took it
from Martin and gave in return a Mickey Mouse wrist watch. A sergeant nearby
grabbed the watch and gave it back to Martin. When I looked at the watch, I
saw a broken crystal, and I knew that the watch had not been used for at
least 25 years or more. Obviously, the attention of a watchmaker was needed
because the watch would require cleaning, oiling and adjusting along with a
new crystal.
I immediately got in touch with my pocket watch guru, as I called
Darryl Lesser of Darlor Watch up in Montreal, Canada. He has given me
reliable guidance. I have bought three wonderful railroad grade pocket
watches from him so far, and I know that he is a first rate watchmaker too.
When I told Darryl the history of this watch and asked him for a quote on
servicing it, his immediate reply was to instruct me to send the watch at
once, and, further, he could not charge for servicing a watch with this
history. In less than a week, the Tavannes pocket watch was serviced and
returned to me, with a new crystal and obvious watchmaker’s attention to the
case and movement. The watch is now in the hands of Martin’s son.
Sometimes and item such as this watch is less important than the story
behind it. I describe my experience as the joy of watch collecting.
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 WALTHAM
FROSTED APPLETON TRACY HUNTER CASE MOVEMENT AND SERVICED 1889
STOCK NUMBER # WALTHAM520-------Can imagine this piece was produced in the year
1889 (121 years old) and just marvel at the movement condition and it is a
stunning frosted Appleton Tracy model indeed. The dial is in it's orignal
condition and as you can see it is with lines. The beetle hands are Appleton
Tracy and the crystal is glass and not a flaw at all. this is an 18 size gold
filled hunter model piece and across it measures 55mm. The case serial number is
2234637/C. The movement is well maintained and freshly cleansed and inspected.
This is a Waltham produced Appleton Tracy pocket watch and there are 17 clean
and inspected ruby jewels. This frosted ( a bit on the hard side to find in such
good condition) Waltham Appleton Tracy movement is a model 1883 and the serial
number is 4,299,002 which tells me it was produced at the Waltham Mass factories
near Boston Mass in the year 1899 and wow all these years later it runs like a
freshly made factory piece indeed. Please notice the jewels are in gold jewel
settings and they are extra clean as the scans show you clearly.
675.00 USD
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ELGIN GOLD FILLED "STOP SIGN"
GOLD FILLED CASE AND JUST SERVICED 1938
STOCK NUMBER # ELGIN822-------What a nice clean gold filled Elgin case this is
and it is a stop sign shape. The line pattern on the back of this snap in case
are nearly perfect and there are two initials on the outside of the back of this
case and a personal engraving on the inside as you can see. This case across is
43mm. This is a 12 size Elgin and the case is signed "Empress" and the case
serial number is 407,443. The movement is a 12 size Elgin and it is a stem wind
and stem set model with 15 clean and inspected jewels. The serial number for
this Elgin 12 size gold filled pocket watch is 37,008,735 and produced in the
USA in the year 1938. This is a fully serviced piece and a pouch is added n/c to
you. The dial is very clean and 100% original as well as the hands. The crystal
is glass and not a flaw at all.
450.00 USD
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BOY
SCOUT JAMBOREE MOVING ARM POCKET WATCH AND JUST SERVICED 1951
STOCK NUMBER SCOUT100-------When condition counts for everything then this
is the piece for you. All original only the crystal has been changed. This is an
original case , movement and papyrus dial. Even the Boy scout hands waves
up and down as it is the second hand for this Smith's pocket watch and made at
the Great Britain Factories in 1951. This chromed nickel case is 53mm across and
the hands are orignal to wind this manual wind Jamboree Boy's Scout pocket
watch you simply turn the crown. Now for something different, to changes the
time you push the crown in not out and turn the crown while keeping it down and
the hands will move. There are no jewels as this is a pin lever movement as all
early character watches were produced this way, Smith's also made instruments
for airplanes, car clocks and novelty item such as this. I can also tell you
they made Automobile clusters for Triumph and M.G.B as well as many other cars
and they STINK indeed, We had to re wire our 1976 TR-6 as Smith's should have
stayed with airplane clocks and such fine pieces like this pocket watch. As I
write down this description it is sitting right next to me ticking up a storm
and the Boy Scout hand indeed is going up and down. Remember pin lever pocket
and wrist watches are not great time keepers rather they are ok but this piece
is extra extra fine in all over condition and ultra cool for sure!
500.00 USD
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WALTHAM
DIRECT READ TWO TONE HANDS AND DIAL AMAZING CONDITION AND SERVICED
STOCK NUMBER # WALTHAM923-------I have for sale a wonderful super clean Waltham
two tone dial and hands as well notice this is a direct read pocket watch and
just fully cleaned, timed and oiled properly so expect perfection indeed. This
is a gold filled 12 size pocket watch and the crystal is glass. Across this gold
filled case is 44mm and slim enough to wear each and every day as it is
not bulky at all. This case is signed "Wadsworth" and the case serial number is
6,348,970. The movement is well damaskeened and with 17 clean and inspected ruby
jewels and if you notice they are all in gold jewel raised settings. The serial
number for this American made Waltham direct read pocket watch sis 27,321,353
and this number tells me it is from the year 1931. As clean as it gets and as
art-deco as possible, just a nice different looking piece and will turn heads
for sure.
550.00 USD
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ILLINOIS " SIGNED SALESMAN CASE"
MONTGOMERY DIAL AND SERVICED
STOCK NUMBER # ILLINOIS770------I have for sale a fully serviced and signed
Illinois pocket watch from the USA. This is a 16 size stem wind and stem set
model and the case across is only 53mm and slim not bulky like most pocket
watches. This is a true signed genuine salesman case Illinois pocket watch and
it is a see through back not slapped together. This is 100% authentic and very
clean in condition as the scan shows you clearly. The crystals are both glass
and no flaws at all. The dial is a double sunk Montgomery dial and repaired and
very clean as well. The hands are railroad spade and fro this model Illinois
pocket watch. The serial number for this 16 size damaskeened movement is
1,687,368 and this serial number tells me it is from the year 1903 and runs
perfect with a strong tick indeed. There are 15 jewels to this model
Illinois pocket watch and they are in gold jewel settings. Even the center wheel
is solid gold. A nice feature to mention is the demi lune (half moon in French)
click for the winding wheel on the barrel bridge.
500.00 USD
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ILLINOIS " SALESMAN CASE"
3 FINGER BRIDGE AND WELL SERVICIED!
STOCK NUMBER # ILLINOIS633------ I have for sale a fully serviced stem wind and
lever set 16 size Illinois pocket watch in a genuine salesman sample nickel
case. This is a 16 sixteen size Illinois pocket watch and made in the USA no
doubt. This case across is 53mm across. This is a beautiful 3 finger bridge with
15 clean and inspected ruby jewels. The serial number for this Illinois hunter
case model is 1,980,492 which dates this perfectly running Illinois pocket watch
to the year 1907 over 100 years ago and runs like day one I kid you not!. I love
the style of the large barrel wheel and the demi lune (half moon in French)
click , just a nice different feature indeed. The crystals are both glass and
not a flaw to be found. This is a simple piece in a genuine salesman case not
altered but a true case indeed.
500.00 USD
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WALTHAM
"HOME WATCH COMPANY" SILVEROID CASE WELL SERVICED KEY WIND
STOCK NUMBER #WALTHAM620-------As you can tell I am partial to Waltham and I
love to work on the key winds from Waltham as they are simple yet complex and
never quit. This is an 18 size key wind and key set from the front and just
freshly serviced. This case is 55mm across and the case serial number is 508,970
and there are no personal engravings on this case at all. The dial is original
and an early enamel Waltham produced piece with original key wind Waltham hands.
This 18 size American Waltham movement is extra clean as the scans show you from
two angles. The serial number for this Home watch Waltham is 757,567 and this
serial number tells me it was produced in the USA near Boston Mass in the year
1874 and runs like day one I kid you not! There are 15 jewels to this 1857 model
(not the year of production). The all over condition to this piece is better
than 85% and keeps not bad at all time. The glass crystal is perfect and with a
turn of the key this Home watch company Waltham takes off like a rocket!
775.00 USD
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WALTHAM
HUNTER CASE GOLD FILLED AND SERVICED "DEAL
OF THE MONTH!"
STOCK NUMBER #WALTHAM115-------This is a a super clean movement and the hunter
case is nice and in gently used condition. This is a 16 size case and
produced by the "fortune A.W.C.Co" watch case company in the USA. Across this
gold filled hunter case is 53mm. The lid is a tad "sticky" and the price
reflects this. The serial number for this case is 910,601. The dial is double
sunk enamel original Waltham dial and in quite excellent condition indeed. The
hands are original and the crystal is perfect. The movement is fully serviced
and it is a P.S Bartlett Waltham model model 1908 16 size stem wind and stem
set. There are 17 jewels and they have been inspected and cleaned by hand as
well if you notice they are in solid gold press jewel settings and even the
center wheel is solid gold along with the beautiful Damaskeened pattern to
this gem so you know there is a ton of quality to this gold filled hunter model
Waltham pocket watch. The serial number on this movement is 18,002,542 which
tells me this piece was produced in the year 1911 and still as strong as day one
when it rolled out of the Waltham Factories in Waltham Mass near Boston. A pouch
will be added at no extra charge at all and there are no personal engravings on
this piece at all.
500.00 USD
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ILLINOIS " STERLING CENTRAL"
MODEL SERVICIED 12 SIZE
STOCK NUMBER # ILLINOIS320------ Clean is the word that comes to mind for this
slim elegant Illinois "central" model pocket watch. The case is white gold
filled and extra clean. This case is only 45mm across and the crystal is glass.
Please notice the hollow spade hands at the tip as this is really a neat and
different feature. The serial number for this star Watch case is 7,275,113. The
movement is a beauty as the scan shows you and it is with 17 clean and
inspected ruby jewels. The movement is signed "Sterling" and one of their better
models. The serial number for this 12 size stem wind and stem set model is
4,714,573 which tells me it was produced at the USA factories in the year 1923.
I will end by saying the damaskeened patter with the gold capped screws and gold
flashed micro whip regulator really is a nice design and quite uncommon.
375.00 USD
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ILLINOIS GOLD FILED HUNTER CASE
KEY WIND AND SERVICED
STOCK NUMBER # ILLINOIS1610------ The scans show it all! This is a super clean
hunter case model Illinois American made pocket watch and it is from the year
1881 ...can you believe? The case is gold filled and it is quite clean with an
elk o the cover. The lid pops open perfectly indeed. The case across is58mm. The
serial number for this "Plymouth " signed case is 1,030,192. This movement is
aback wind r a stem wind so it is a transitional movement. This is a lever set
18 size piece and the enamel dial is in excellent condition and original tot his
time piece. There are 15 extra large clean ruby jewels and again this movement
has been properly clean and timed to perfection. the chain is gold filled and
adds much to this already vintage American made Illinois pocket watch.
700.00 USD
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HAMILTON 17 JEWELS AND SERVICED AND SIGNED HAMILTON GOLD FILLED
CASE
STOCK NUMBER # HAMILTON7052-5------Here we have a Hamilton 12 size pocket watch
in a signed Hamilton gold filled case and across this case is 47mm wide. The
dial is clean and a nice patina to it. This Hamilton case is with a serial
number and it is 843,567. This movement has been freshly serviced and it
is a Hamilton model 12 size 910 with 17 cleaned jewels and it is a stem wind and
a stem set model. The serial number for this damaskeened Hamilton is 1,968,235
which tells me this USA made pocket watch was produced in Lancaster PA in the
year 1922. The crystal is glass and the hands are correct for this model indeed.
425.00 USD
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