A really sexy Pocket Watch...

[Chris Boonzaier]

I bought this little gem in Simonstown a few years ago.....

[Chris Boonzaier]

2

[Spasm]

An absolutely fantastic little 'gem'. Just look at the engraving, stunning.

Could you get something like that produced today? I doubt it, and if you could it would be so expensive it wouldn't be given as a leaving present from a company in Barry. Everything is shut in Barry now.

[Chris Boonzaier]

This is the company...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Railway_Company

Must have been a nice adventure, leaving Wales for Souh Africa in 1901

[Tony]

An absolutely fantastic little 'gem'. Just look at the engraving, stunning.

Could you get something like that produced today? I doubt it, and if you could it would be so expensive it wouldn't be given as a leaving present from a company in Barry. Everything is shut in Barry now.

Yes you can and it would possibly cost the equivalent today e.g. 100 years ago you could have bought for the same money either a good pocket watch or a 2000 loaves of bread.

I'm guessing of course as I have no idea of the cost of a JW Benson pocket watch or a loaf of bread back in the day but I do know a watchmaker who makes watches to order. The problem is they'll look too modern today.

And yes, it's a great looking watch. What size is it Chris, about 50mm diameter? And how well does it run?

Tony

[Mervyn Mitton]

Chris a good find. Solid silver - however, to get the hallmarks for a date , you will need to open the back and they will be on the

inside of the case. A great pity that we don't know his unit - but, nice that his colleagues thought to give him a good gift. I

wonder if he ever returned to Barry ? Many stayed in Sth. Africa after the war - not so class regimented.

Unfortunately the watch will not have a great intrinsic value - although the inscription will help. I would not think more then about

80/100 pounds. When they are not working and don't have inscriptions like this - I just scrap them. These days people are stopping

wearing watches - their cell phones have a built-in clock. Mervyn

[Spasm]

Betcha this bloke would give you more than 100 quid for it.

This is him visiting Barry railway (he's a bit of a train spotter - got his spotting book in his hand)

Edited March 7, 2013 by Spasm

[Chris Boonzaier]

Who is that??

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

it is a large one, I paid EUR250 for it, which is IMHO not cheap, but OK for what it is.

I think watch sellers are missing the boat on great potential with these. Agreed people dont carry pocket watches, agreed unless you are a collector there is no real point in having one.....

But I found a reason....

Now, i am no wood worker, my dismal failure at making a Truncheon for the competition are more than enough proof of this, so this stand is of course ugly as hell.... but if you have someone who is a bit of a woodworker, and you want a really nice watch on your desk.... they make fantastic desk watches for the mancave. Imagine what Brian could turn out in 30 minutes down in his workshop.....

To look up from your work and see a quality 100 year old swiss watch ticking away... for folks who like old stuff....

And if your customers are a wife who just does not know what to get hubby for his birthday... he likes old stuff, but needs something praticle.... a watch with a stand for work...

And if the customer is a snob... sell him a nice old Omega Pocket watch with a stand.. tell him its the first thing folks will see when they enter his office..

And if some young guy complains his new wife cannot even boil an egg correctly... tell him to get here a watch with a stand for the kitchen.

IMHO the problem with many of the antiques we like and love.... few serve any practicle purpose, other than being there.... give them a practicle purpose and they are 100 times better....

[peter monahan]

I've worn a pocket watch - well, actually a series of them - since I was 10. Can't abide wrist watches and broke the only decent one I ever bought within the first month I owned it. I now carry a cheap one daily and my great grandfer's 1882 gold repeater for re-enacting and fancy dress. Sadly, however, Mervyn seems to be correct. Unless the watch has history - engraving, family legens, etc - it seems they have little salability.

A new-ish trend in fantasy role playing and dress-up is something called 'steampunk', based on an alternate history in which steam is never replaced by the petrol or diesel engine. The costumes and gadgets lean heavily to brass, leather and random gears stitched or glued to things, so hundreds of old pocket watches are being gutted for the brass works! I saw a stall this summer in which were at the very least 60-80 old watches, all sans works. What a shame!

[Spasm]

Who is that??

Deleted, sorry it's a Gentlemen's forum

Edited March 7, 2013 by Spasm

[Tony]

I reckon the price was ok for what it is. JW Benson is a known maker, his watches can get quite expensive depending on the movement etc. and the inscription is great, although I'd have walked on if it wasn't in working order.

So, tell us all about the hallmarks, is the case English silver or imported and if imported what are the import marks?

I sometimes go out with my great grandad's pocket watch and even though I believe it's a great watch that doesn't need any day to day adjusting it's nothing like the fantastic sounding repeater Peter has.

Tony

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi Tony.

will get some pics done tonight.

Best

Chris

[Mervyn Mitton]

You can buy watch stands contemporary to the watch. When a Gentleman retired for the night, his watch hung on the stand to act

as a bedside clock. I expect these will still be available from good antique shops in Germany.

Watches make an excellent subject - I hope other members will post old pocket watches. Mervyn

[Stuart Bates]

Got this military presentation watch engraved to a Trumpet Major of the 14th Hussars with a rather nice 14th Hussars pillbox cap and the owner's medals.

Stuart

Edited November 6, 2014 by Stuart Bates

[Tony]

Got this military presentation watch engraved to a Trumpet Major of the 14th Hussars with a rather nice 14th Hussars pillbox cap and the owner's medals.

Stuart

watch.jpg

That's a nice lot Stuart and great to hear they've been kept together all these years. Is the watch a runner?

Tony

[Stuart Bates]

Hi Tony,

the watch runs for a short time, haven't actually measured that, but I do not feel inclined to take it to a watchmaker. Better left alone as I don't wear fob watches anymore, and I did for quite a few years

Stuart

[Mervyn Mitton]

Probably best left alone as it is in your collection - and a lovely set to have. Seems to have a gold sheen - do you think it is plated or, 9ct?

Chris : do you still have your presentation watch - I think it has probably gone-up in value over the last few years - the Boer War

seems to have resurrected itself and there is definetly more interest now then in 1999. Perhaps people are looking back from

the World War.

The one thing we all have is a watch of some sort - Chris and Stuart have shown very good examples - what do you have ? Mervyn

[Stuart Bates]

Hi Tony,

I should have mentioned that the "lot" also came with several original photos and I managed to get his full service record, so a bit of a coup.

Stuart

[Tony]

It doesn't get much better than that Stuart, a really good find.

Tony

[Stuart Bates]

I had an Elgin 1911 fob watch that I wore in the 1970s, complete with chain and fob, which was given to me by my late father. The medallion was for his participation in the Northamptonshire cricket club and was a valued piece. Unfortunately it was stolen with a break-in and never recovered. Such is life.

Stuart