Who Knows about Pocket Watches.

[mredburn]

I have a pocket watch Im looking to sell and Im hoping one or more of our members can help direct me to a site or Forum That would be appropriate.
I have an Illlinoise Springfield pocket watch. From what I have been able to look up on line and from a book from the Library, it was made in/around 1881, its probably a model 2. From the description in the book,its referred as a transitional piece because they used model 1 pieces in it to use them up. It has a key winding lug in it although its Stem wound. Its a Hunter, I have seen references to "Double Hunter" all though Im not sure if there is a difference. It has a Dueber solid 14k case. It has "Robert Seivers 1886 engraved on the inner lid inside the back Lid of the case. It worked perfectly when I bought it years ago but now runs sporadically.

What Im lookiing to do is save it from being scrapped. I can destroy it and send the case to the refiner for the gold content myself but I hate to do that to a nice watch.
I dont particularly want to use Ebay but would rather find a forum or watch site I can put it on and sell it to someone that would save it.

I will see if I can upload some pictures from my phone. My main computer died and Im having to get another up and customized.

 

[watch_art]

That's a pretty watch. The only thing I know about selling on forums is that you usually have to be a long standing member before you're allowed to sell.

American Pocket Watches

 

[KenV]

Mike, I accumulated several when I lived in a railroad town. The old guy I learned from had been in the trade decades earlier. He described the process of mix and match. The purchaser selected the movement and then went and selected the case to hold the movement. Engraving etc was done and the parts and pieces were assembled. There was commonly a chain involved at the later stages.

Gold or gold filled cases were usually housing for better movements.

Point is that you have two commodities to sell. They can be sold together or separate. The case will sell for more than gold value.

All the fine print inside the case and on the movement is important to a collector.

You need an appraisal. I have always found an older owner of a local jewlery store who would refer me to someone who knew someone who knew pocket watches. Fox's in Seattle did that for me about 10 years ago.

Armed with an appraisal, you are ready to look for collectors. Last appraisal was about $100.

Watch was valued at $6000

 

[mredburn]

Thanks Shawn and Ken. Great background information,Ken. I have a chain with it but I dont think it was the original but something that someone added much much later, its only gold plated.

I will start looking around for a knowledgeable person here locally.

I really really hate to have to destroy it even if the value was only the gold content.
its the reason I buy old lathes and rebuild them rather than part them out if at all possible.

 

[Eldermike]

Beautiful watches. Definitely find a local person for a face to face appraisal who only has an interest in appraisal.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[Herb G]

I own several pocket watches, but I'm no expert by any means.
That's a nice looking watch you got there.

Personally, I'd take it to a jeweler and have it appraised & cleaned & fixed if possible.

 

[jttheclockman]

I too would take it to a reputable jewelers to have it appraised and cleaned and restored. They have a data base that they go to that can pinpoint that exact watch because of the numbers on it. Too good to scrap and make a watch part pen out of:biggrin::biggrin:

 

[dogcatcher]

Find out who in town is the oldest established jewelry store. If they have the people that they should have they will have an expert on staff to help you.

 

[D.Oliver]

That's a sweet watch, but now I have this image of you with a pocket watch, monocle, and a cane in my head! I'm also hungry for peanuts for some odd reason.......

 

[mredburn]

Most jewelers down here dont do watches themselves. We do have a company that specializes in watches and clocks within a half hour of me. I have done a couple hours of research on the internet and picked up a book from the library. Thats where I got most of the information in my original post. It seems that The watch company would make watches in batches and a batch could be set to the side to let a priority order go first. The serial numbers would not be added until the watches were completed. so some watches were started, set aside, then finished later. I will be finding the best return I can get on it. I would just prefer not to turn it into scrap for melting if I can help it.

 

[steamshovel]

I have a few watches and I subscribed to American watch and clock ass. and had taken several pictures of my watches and they were published in their magazine with opinions and worth.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=ameri...merican+watch+&+clock+ass&cc=US&setlang=en-US

Preston