Pocket Watches - does anyone wear one regularly?

[ArghZombies]

My watch arm is going to be out of action for a few weeks / month, so I won't be wearing a wristwatch in that time (unless I right-wrist it, which is... weird) so I'm considering scratching the itch that is Pocket Watches. It's an itch that has been somewhat there for a while but never seriously considered, but this may be my excuse to scratch it.

So, initially I'm thinking of going with something like the Orient pocket watch just because if it's new then reliability shouldn't be an issue, plus I trust Orient having owned a few of their watches in the past. And if I don't really like it then it's only £150ish, so not the end of the world.

I figure vintage ones may not be ideal as they may not have been serviced, and probably don't have the shock protection that you get in modern watches.

I'm not too concerned about looking like a poser / hipster or whatever the cool kids these days say, I just think it might be a practical solution to not being able to wear a watch for a while.

So, instead of just jumping in blind with the Orient, what do people here think of pocket watches?

[Velorum]

I love pocket watches and have a small collection that expands and contracts dependant upon where my interest is focused at any particular point.

Also - I sometimes suffer from joint pain that radiates from my wrists up my forearms making even a loosely worn wristwatch uncomfortable. This is why I occasionally wear a watch on my right wrist. There are times when both sides are affected and that's when I usually use one of my pocket watches - attached to a leather or lace strap and slipped discretely into a trouser pocket. I can tell the time quicker this way than fiddling with a mobile telephone. In any case, its nice to have them ticking away in your pocket.

This is my birth year Smiths - which to be honest doesn't keep great time so isn't worn very often. Its also a big, heavy old thing:



However the Mondaine quartz, a small and discreet piece is of course very accurate. Probably the most practical:

[ArghZombies]

That Smiths is nice. I've seen a few Smiths pocketwatches pop up on the bay, so maybe they're worth a punt.

I think I prefer mechanical ones to quartz because if I'm going the whole hog with a pocketwatch then it'd be nice to take it out to handwind it too. Make a bit of a ritual out of it.

[Velorum]

Check out the new CWC ones that you can get from Silvermans.

Lovely things.

[Yorkshiremadmick]

Bought for £1 in the 70's Sheffield flea market held in the Top Rank.
Had it repaired by a Polish Chap at Charles Coopers London, he had to make a chain that works the watch or regulates it. That was in 1985 according to the mark in the case. Time keeping is excellent for an old beater. It has an old chain I managed to buy and modern Albert made from Blue John to my design. I love it. Used to wear it on my suits in the breast pocket.





I do think it's a thing of beauty but then I'm biased


Michael
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[alfat33]

@yorkshiremadmick That is really lovely. The movement looks quite unusual, to me anyway (knowing very little). By a 'chain that works the watch' do you mean a fusee chain? Very cool if so.

[Velorum]

That's a splendid looking thing!

[Yorkshiremadmick]

@yorkshiremadmick That is really lovely. The movement looks quite unusual, to me anyway (knowing very little). By a 'chain that works the watch' do you mean a fusee chain? Very cool if so.

That's it a fusee chain, couldn't remember. The name when I originally posted this quickly. Hurried the pictures too.



Michael
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[Griswold]

My Grandma bought this for my Dad whilst he was in the army during WW2. I wear it whenever I wear a waistcoat.





It has a very basic series N movement with a Duplex Escapement. Made around 1890, the history of Waterbury watches is very interesting indeed.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guid...rbury-watch-co




I wear it on the gold chain and Albert I inherited from my Granddad.



I have a number of pocket watches, but this one is very special.

[Yorkshiremadmick]

That's a splendid looking thing!

Thank You


Michael
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[Yorkshiremadmick]

My Grandma bought this for my Dad whilst he was in the army during WW2. I wear it whenever I wear a waistcoat.





It has a very basic series N movement with a Duplex Escapement. Made around 1890, the history of Waterbury watches is very interesting indeed.

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guid...rbury-watch-co




I wear it on the gold chain and Albert I inherited from my Granddad.



I have a number of pocket watches, but this one is very special.

WoW and a great story behind it too. EnJoY It
In Good Health


Michael
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[Griswold]

Thanks Mick.

My Dad gave the watch to me several years ago. Him having passed away very recently, (at 98 years old), the watch now takes on even greater significance.

[Yorkshiremadmick]

That's great, sorry for your loss, but a good age, my old man used to say, the Bible says 3 score years and 10, so he said owt past 70 is good, he managed 83.5 ;-)

[Carlton-Browne]

That is lovely; have you managed to work out the significance of the number on the dial? Perhaps a railway watch?

To answer the OP I normally wear a pocket watch in my jacket breast pocket; normally a GSTP model. I think I have eleven or twelve now and I hope to complete the set at some point but only if I can do it for £50 each (barring a black dial JLC which, sadly, will be more).

[Yorkshiremadmick]

Hi Carlton-Browne Thank You.
Never really thought of the number? Not ever tried to identify it. I assumed it was a fairly mass production hence no maker. It certainly is well used as the machining on the back is worn away, as is the hanging loop. She still keeps good time for an oldie.



Michael
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[Yorkshiremadmick]

In answer to ArghZombies deliberations. I like the look of the Orients you posted. Prefer the Roman Numerals version personally. The CWC from Silvermans looks great with black face and white numbers.
Jump in a get one. They're nice to just fondle and hold. Makes you smile and normally gets good comments. Some chumps ask if you're going to hypnotise them. But other than that they're fun to have.


Michael
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[Geralt]

Had my eye on the Orient (arabic) for ages, and still dithering, but you have the perfect excuse. It's easily the best looking 'modern' one, blued hands, centre seconds, textured dial, all stainless steel, sapphire, and nice small size. Looks gorgeous in pics, and I bet it's even more so in the metal. Shame that there isn't a wider choice of modern pocket watches, but understandable in this day and age.

Go for the Orient - ISTR these were more expensive than they are now.

[alfat33]

I have a couple that I wear from time to time and one or two that I don't.

Despite the lack of shock protection, I'd say that many of the everyday vintage ones are pretty robust and also not hard to repair if the worst happens. Remember these were used everyday by people with a lifestyle that was a bit more robust than most of us now - especially the GSTPs of course.

[andyd30]

I got my 1st as an 18th birthday present (Waltham, which I believe is American), my second as a gift from a family trip to Czech Republic (brand starts with M but struggling thereafter, 1941-45 on the case back also 50 and Made in Russia on the dial) and the third left to me by my Father in law this year (unbranded dial, but is swiss made and that's all I know!).

Group shot:












I love anything mechanical so I did try to wear the Waltham once or twice, however it felt rather cumbersome compared to a wrist watch so they now hang in domes on display at home!

[alfat33]

... my second as a gift from a family trip to Czech Republic (brand starts with M but struggling thereafter, 1941-45 on the case back also 50 and Made in Russia on the dial)

Pobeda (anglicised version of what is written on the front of the case) is quite a well known Russian brand. There are a few experts on here who may be able to tell you more.

Just to add, Pobeda and Molnija seem to be two different Russian watch makers. Also the dial says Made in Russia but the case says CCCP. I assume 41-45 is because it is commemorating WW2, which for Russia was between those years. 50 is maybe the 50th anniversary so 1995?

So quite an interesting combination. Like I said, hopefully an expert will be along soon to explain.

[andyd30]

Pobeda (anglicised version of what is written on the front of the case) is quite a well known Russian brand. There are a few experts on here who may be able to tell you more.

Just to add, Pobeda and Molnija seem to be two different Russian watch makers. Also the dial says Made in Russia but the case says CCCP. I assume 41-45 is because it is commemorating WW2, which for Russia was between those years. 50 is maybe the 50th anniversary so 1995?

So quite an interesting combination. Like I said, hopefully an expert will be along soon to explain.

Hi, thanks for the info. The trip would have been around 1995, so the dates do add up.

[Broussard]

French mid-1850s, cylinder escapement quarter repeater. Also have a small Frodsham that's quite fun.

[Yorkshiremadmick]

Interestingly if you search eBay for Fusee pocket watch there are a good few that are working and around £80-£120 One or two with identical movements to mine to be bagged. Worth a look, mine stayed within 5 seconds of my Seiko Quartz over 24hours.


Michael
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[Lavs]

Not worn but my pocket watch
Omega 17 Jewel, no further details at the moment

[Velorum]

Pobeda (anglicised version of what is written on the front of the case) is quite a well known Russian brand. There are a few experts on here who may be able to tell you more.

Just to add, Pobeda and Molnija seem to be two different Russian watch makers. Also the dial says Made in Russia but the case says CCCP. I assume 41-45 is because it is commemorating WW2, which for Russia was between those years. 50 is maybe the 50th anniversary so 1995?

So quite an interesting combination. Like I said, hopefully an expert will be along soon to explain.

I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert but would say that its a Molnija

Link:
https://www.russian-watches.info/sho...-world-war-ii/

As with most Russian pieces a number of dial designs are available

Here is mine, bought new in the mid 90's





It never ran properly until Brendan sorted it out. Now it winds smoothly and keeps excellent time.

I'm very fond of it.

[alfat33]

I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert but would say that its a Molnija

Much more of an expert than me :)

Nice that yours has had the Brendan treatment and it looks good on that stand.

[Velorum]

Thanks!

Watches are the only things that are allowed to share shelf space with my CD collection



I also like the display domes that you find on eBay - the one below is plastic but at £15 a lot cheaper than the glass ones I could find when I bought it

[Peterkimzey]

I have few of then in my wardrobe. I don't wear them everyday but i also don't miss a chance to pair them with my outfit whenever i can. There are quiet a few ways to wear a pocket watch. However, i prefer them with my suit.

[Broussard]

Charles Frodsham & Co pocket watch

[damperman]

I have my Dads Verity pocket watch, I don’t wear i,t but it works ok and is nice to look at.


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[Lukea]

Love a pocket watch! Only worn one on my wedding day but felt very smart! I’ll post some pictures later (of the watch not my wedding!).

[me32dc]

Charles Frodsham & Co pocket watch

Very nice, have you got pictures of the movement?

[EdHughes1]

That's spooky, I was just thinking about posting a thread about pocket watches. I don't own one yet although my first is en route from Ebay as we speak.

I will post up when I have it to hand.

Any tips for beginners would be most helpful, thanks.

[alfat33]

Any tips for beginners would be most helpful, thanks.

As someone once wisely told me, go for a good dial and hands, as they are much harder to fix than the movement on a cheaper pocket watch (especially if the balance is OK and it runs a bit).

[geran]

I have a number of pocket watches, most of the early ones have fusee movement earliest is a Sewill full hunter, dates to 1847 purchased before the likes of flea bay, where pockets watches seem to be had for very little money.

Can't say I wear one regualy, but I did take a Swiss made pocket watch to work for a week a few years back, as I was fed up of scratching my wrist watch, it kept time surprising well.

[draftsmann]

From university in the mid 1980s until I bought my first Rolex in 1997 (at which point a more serious illness began) I wore a pocket watch daily. I didn’t wear a waistcoat in those days but used to buy shirts with a breast pocket and carry the watches in that on a short chain with the T-bar threaded through a shirt buttonhole behind the tie I used to wear in those days.

My collection comprised antique/vintage watches and I had a chap in the Isle of Man who used to service and repair them who is sadly long since dead.

In the mid 1990s I used to do a lot of conference speaking and I remember after one talk I gave a chap came up to me, grasped the chain between thumb and forefinger and uttered the immortal words “is your todger attached to the end of that?”

I stopped wearing them after a couple of arguments with a particularly bulldog-like menopausal harridan at the Isle of Man airport security who thought it amusing to tip the contents of a security tray onto her hard table from a height of 18 inches. Including my pocket watch. A couple of my watches had been permanently retired as irrepairable and after I told her what I thought of her and her behaviour and was threatened with arrest I retired them all and bought my first wristwatch- an Airking that I still have.

[Broussard]

Very nice, have you got pictures of the movement?

Of course.

[Caruso]

I'm becoming increasingly attracted to the idea of a vintage pocket watch. Where's a good place to buy one online? What's a good thing to go for if my budget is around £500?

[SimonK]

I've a few WW2 British Army GSTPs, picked up on Ebay for around 20 - 25 quid each.




And a collection of Smiths and Ingersoll cheapos from the sixties and seventies - I can't find a photo of them all together, but I think this Ingersoll (made in Wales) is particularly handsome.

[Tenko]

I have just the one, an 18k by elgin. Had it at least 20 years. Never wear it though. I do get it out and wind it occasionally. Keep meaning to send it off for some tlc as the plexi has cracked :(

[EdHughes1]

Has anyone dealt with http://www.oxfordpocketwatches.co.uk/ ?

Lots of very helpful information on his site/blog as well as some lovely watches for sale.

[Caruso]

Has anyone dealt with http://www.oxfordpocketwatches.co.uk/ ?

Lots of very helpful information on his site/blog as well as some lovely watches for sale.

I just dipped my toe in the waters with them on this 1899 Elgin.

He was very easy to deal with and the watch has been keeping very good time today not noticeably gaining or losing time in the course of 5 hours.

[paskinner]

Cheating; but this IWC movement derives pretty directly from a 1930s pocket watch movement. The whole idea was to effectively put a pocket watch on a strap to gain greater precision. As a result the dial is 43mm. Beats at a relaxing 18000bph and winds like butter.



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[EdHughes1]

This one just arrived yesterday (sellers pics)

Around 100 years old, running fine, damn near perfect, and apparently just serviced, all for the price of a G Shock.

Can you tell I really like it

[EdHughes1]

Just a brief update. Yesterday evening I wound the above watch and set it against my radio controlled Citizen.

I just checked it after 24 hours and its +8 seconds. I have to say I'm blown away by that accuracy!