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Ladies and Gentlemen:
I re-submit, for your perusal and enjoyment, the Pocket Watch Primer. After having been lost in the most recent unpleasantness, I have attempted to reconstruct the article. I can fix it, I can make it better than it was... Anyway, I hope you find it useful.
The Pocket Watch Primer
Many of you presently or may in the future carry a watch during events. Following is information you may use to obtain the most historically accurate timepiece you are able to. These would not have been carried by everyone – many enlisted men could not afford a timepiece that could easily cost over a month’s wages. That is still the case now: a good historical watch could cost a month’s wages (depending on where you work). Most officers could afford a watch, though not all carried one. Wrist watches were still at least 40 years in the future. There are no historically accurate pocket watch reproductions at present. If you want a watch, it will have to be an original (though not necessarily from the time period). Considering how much we spend on various aspects of our hobby, and how much it would get used, getting a good watch should be a priority. Knowing a good local watchmaker to do repair work is important. I do repairs, but anyone who has hired me knows that I don’t work too fast. I will be happy to answer questions.
The Watch Movement
Stem winding and setting was not introduced into American watchmaking until the after the war, so all historically accurate (HA) timepieces will be key wind and key set (KW/KS). A VERY few foreign watches were stem wind at that time. Quality period watches could keep time to within a minute or two per week.
Jeweling
Most watches were 7 jewel – 1 roller jewel, 2 pallet jewels, 2 hole jewels and 2 cap jewels on the balance. Jewels were added on some of the wheels (gears) – 2 on the pallet pinion, 2 on the escape wheel pinion, 2 on the 3rd wheel pinion and 2 on the 2nd wheel pinion for a total of 15. Some only had jewels on the upper visible plate, for a total of 11. These are real jewels, often rubies or sapphires. They provided an extremely hard surface for the pinions to rotate in. Unlike metal holes, they did not get larger with wear under normal circumstances. Watches with more than 15 jewels were rare.
Plates
These were usually gilded brass with various carvings upon them. Movements were usually full-plate, with the wheels fully enclosed and not visible. Nickel plates became common later, but were rare in HA watches. Most were 18 size, though 16 and 14 are possible. The smaller sizes were considered to be “lady’s watches.”
Balance
This is the little moving wheel seen on the back of the movement. It could be solid steel, solid gold, or compensation. The compensation balance was bimetallic (brass over steel) with small screws (usually gold) around its rim. It could somewhat “compensate” for changes in temperature. Solid steel was most common. Post war watches are almost always compensation.
The Dial
Nearly always white enamel with black Roman numerals, single sunk (the seconds bit at 6 is sunk down a little below the level of the rest of the dial). Arabic numerals were not as common, except in the seconds bit. The “12” should be at the winding stem on an open face, and the “3” should be at the winding stem on a hunter case. If you watch is not like this, it is in the wrong case. Hands were usually dark blue steel, simple in outline. European watches often had very fancy gold hands.
The Case
Most commonly these would be coin or sterling silver, from 2 to 6 ounces, hunter case. Open face cases with thick crystals were also used. If you watch was key set from the front (as many period Walthams), your case would have a hinge on the crystal, allowing you to open it to set the hands. Rarely there could be a solid gold case, but these were (and are) very expensive. Later (post war) developments included nickel and various trade nickel alloys (silveroid, silverine, alaska metal, oresilver). Gold-filled case material was patented just before the war, but was not in common use until after the war. Any case that says “Warranted” with a time period (such as 20 years) is gold-filled.
The Chain
Most chains were coin or sterling silver or solid gold with a T bar (or sometimes a spring-ring). These were worn through a vest buttonhole. Hair chains were also used, though they are somewhat fragile. Leather or even string are possible, though if you could afford a watch, you could usually afford a chain. Gold-filled chains were common after the war. I have seen no examples of period belt clip chains.
The American Watch Company of Waltham, Massachusetts made most of the domestic watches available. Their “William Ellery” 11 jewel was common enough to be called “the soldier’s watch” during the WBTS. Lincoln also carried one. My own Waltham “Appleton, Tracy & Co.” 15 jewel was made in March of 1862, and still keeps pretty good time. It came in a 2 oz. coin silver case, which was not strong enough, and cost about $450.00 several years ago. Other American makers did much smaller business, and therefore are even more expensive (such as Howard). A period Howard in a solid gold case would probably sell for over $1200.00. Civil War era watches always command a premium. Prices fall by nearly 50% for post-war models.
Most accurate would be an 18 size war-era gilded Waltham, British or French 7, 11 or 15 jewel KW/KS in a coin or sterling silver or solid gold hunter case with a silver or gold T-bar chain having a winding key attached. Open face would also work.
Next would be any KW/KS (gilded or nickel) 18 or 16 size, 7 to 15 jewel in a silver or gold-filled hunter or open face case with a nickel, silver or gold-filled T bar or spring-ring clasp chain.
Slightly better than a wrist watch – any stem-wind pocket watch, windup or electric, on a belt-clip chain.
Sources include several good online antique watch stores. They usually stand behind their wares and have a good reputation among members of this forum. Ebay is possible for those with enough knowledge and discernment. Caveat emptor.
Consider improving you impression this year with an historically accurate watch – the time is now!
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