As I work my way through the estates of central Indiana I find some things to be a constant. Everyone owns a George Foreman grill, no one wants the family china and somewhere in the mix I will inevitably find a pocket watch.
For decades the pocket watch has been the great equalizer. Carried by kings and statesmen, railroad conductors, factory workers and farmers, the pocket watch is perhaps the one accessory that men from all walks of life had in common.
Sadly 95% of all watches are of little to no value. When you consider that from the middle of the 19th Century until 1957, the Elgin Watch Company of Elgin Illinois turned out 55 million watches from their factory alone, it is easy to see why so few watches are worth top dollar. But, just in case you happen to be in the 5% group, here are some things you should know.
There are two basic categories for the pocket watch: Open-face and full-hunter. The open-face watch will have no lid to protect the crystal and will often feature a second small dial located at the 6 o’clock position on the face. One of the most common of these is the railroad watch invented in the late 1880s to keep accurate time for railroad conductors and engineers. Hunter-case watches will have a spring hinged metal lid that closed over the face of the watch. They are believed to have originated in England where they were used by hunters so they could view the time with one hand while holding the reins of their horse with the other. Take note that antique hunter-case watches will have the lid hinge at 9 0’clock and the crown of the watch at 3. Newer hunter-case examples will have the hinges at 6 o’clock and the crown at 12.
Watches made of solid gold are of greater value than those that aren’t. If your watch is gold it will usually be stamped 14K, 18K or 750 on the inside cover. Some watches will say “guaranteed for __ years” — these are never solid gold, they are gold plated as are watches marked GF {gold filled}. A watch of solid gold will be heavier than one that is not. If your watch seems heavy for its size, it is worth checking in to.
Late 1800s and early 1900s quality watches are set with jewels, either precious or synthetic, to strengthen the gears of the mechanism to lengthen the life and the accuracy of the piece. A fully jeweled gear train will have 17 jewels and the time piece should be marked to indicate this. If the watch is not marked the train will usually be made of brass.
Determining the age of your watch can be simplified by determining how the watch was wound. If you have a key-wound watch it will mostly likely be pre-Civil War. Stem-wound, factory produced watches were made from 1860 forward. Factory produced watches will have the name of the company, usually on the face of the watch. Names to watch for include; Elgin, Omega and Longines.
Condition is a major determinant in establishing the value of a watch. Externally there should be no rust, dents, or cracks in the crystal. Internally it should be in good working condition with the movements and adjustments all running smoothly. Old pocket watches are delicate so I strongly recommend that you enlist the assistance of a professional to help you with your watch. Some of the large jewelers {e.g. Kay’s, Jared’s} will have a watch specialist on staff but your best bet is to find a privately owned jewelry store. Many of these smaller shops are family businesses and will have someone on hand that can put your watch in good working order and also assist you in understanding its value.
In addition to watches, collectors also have an interest in watch fobs, chains, seals. watch lapel pins and watch holders that would sit on the nightstand to keep the watch safe when not in use. Look closely as you visit the estate sales this summer. Often if there are watches for sale, watch paraphernalia will also surface. Until next time . . . Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates. Linda is not taking clients at this time.
