BS: Vintage watch thread

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jan 16 - 04:36 PM

Smiths alarm clocks, 1960

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: olddude
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 12:00 AM

That is way cool jack, thank you

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: Will Fly
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 04:39 AM

This is still one of the greatest films about how a watch works - the Hamilton watch factory in 1949. I have a Hamilton Grade 747 just like the one featured in the film.

How a watch works

Wonderful watches. The modern Swiss Hamiltons are good - I have a Khaki Mechanical with an ETA 6497 movement in it, but there's something about the original US movements.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: Will Fly
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 05:03 AM

This is one of the most intricate and beautiful Hamilton wrist watch movements ever made (IMO) - the "Intramatic". It's an automatic movement, developed with Buren, which uses a mini-rotor. It's not the most efficient automatic movement by a long way, but gorgeous to look at!

Hamilton "Intramatic"

Click on the pic of the movement to see it larger size.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: gillymor
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 08:21 AM

olddude: "I started carrying a size 18 hamilton 21 Jeweled railroad pocket watch. I can see the damn thing without reading glasses."

Exactly the reason I asked for (and received) a Seiko Solar military style watch for Xmas. It has characters almost as big as my Waltham Vanguard which I only carry when I wear a suit, about twice a decade. Between the Seiko and my lovely Citizen's Eco-Drive my outdoor and indoor chronometer needs are met.
Not trying to hijack your thread, Dan, just wanted to say a few words on behalf of solar aficionados and the mothers in Nashville.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: olddude
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 09:20 AM

Those are great watches gilly.
Will, I completely agree with you. Wonderful

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: frogprince
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 11:28 AM

Dan, we had a spring gala reception at the local art gallery last eve. That little Waltham attended, with the chain looped across the red vest my current lover made for me a few years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: olddude
Date: 09 Jan 16 - 01:35 PM

Wonderful foggy thatis a great Waltham

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: cnd
Date: 10 Jan 16 - 01:31 PM

I bought a watch at a yard sale a couple years back but it has no identifying info on it. Nothing like your fancy ticking ones, but I thought it'd be an easy way to find out if anyone knows what type of watch it is. Here's a picture of it: http://i.imgur.com/MUvXHZY.jpg

Any help identifying it would be great. Before the question is asked, it doesn't work and I don't have the strap. It does have a (presumably dead) battery on the back that is about the size of the watch, and two buttons, one on either side.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: olddude
Date: 10 Jan 16 - 04:22 PM

Cnd, in the early 80s they made a ton of this style digital watches. Some Japan movements some from Taiwan, the us made would be marked. Could be just a new battery. You can pry open the back and replace it. It should run and the old ones are fun

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: banjoman
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 06:11 AM

I own a 1930,s Benson Gold Pocket watch. Its in perfect order and keeps time accurately. Bought to replace the similar one bought as a 21st birthday present for my father in 1931 which mysteriously vanished after his death in 1951.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 06:40 PM

I am not familiar with Benson but I bet it is a beauty ... I usually carry a hamilton 992b like the one my dad gave me as a teen. That one was destroyed in a house fire but I have the exact replacement that will go on to my grandson

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: olddude
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 08:18 PM

Sorry last post was me

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: frogprince
Date: 11 Jan 16 - 09:13 PM

"I usually carry a hamilton 992b like the one my dad gave me as a teen"

Appalachian roots, for sure; Dan, just how old were you when your teenage dad gave you the watch?

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Jan 16 - 04:56 PM

J.W. Benson was a London watchmaker in the early years of the 20th century - Swiss movements imported and then cased and finished in London. I have Benson watch with an Audemars movement:

Benson Audemars

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: olddude
Date: 12 Jan 16 - 05:28 PM

Wonderful

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: Will Fly
Date: 14 Jan 16 - 06:54 AM

My latest Swiss Hamilton - the X-Wind Automatic Chronograph. This is an aviation watch with a rotating bezel sliderule system which allows the calculation of crosswind drift.

All I need now is the plane to go with it!

http://www.mjra.net/WillFly/Hamilton%20Khaki%20X-Wind%20Automatic%20H776660%20face.jpg

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: Will Fly
Date: 14 Jan 16 - 06:55 AM

Wrong link!

Hamilton%20Khaki%20X-Wind%20Automatic%20H776660%20fa

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: olddude
Date: 14 Jan 16 - 09:51 AM

Those watches will are amazing.. I absolutely love it

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Sep 19 - 03:06 PM

This past weekend, I drove to
Waltham, Massachusetts, once known as the City of Watches, I hear.

I wasn't there about time-pieces.
The trunk of my car was full of books, which it was time to get rid of.
By the railroad tracks that follow the banks of the Charles River,
a long street of warehouses includes one property which maintains
a shop for second-hand books.
The shop is staffed by the teenagers and adolescents who
participate in a program for older children in care of some sort.
The program is a non-profit.
The building is the real deal, warehouse-wise, with
garage doors and loading docks.
And they happily took my grocery sacks full of books.

Had an awful time getting to that shop, however,
because of one-way streets and also
two-way streets on which left-hand turns are forbidden ...
had to go around in spiraling circles in my car
just to get from Point A to Point B.

Okay, thread hi-jack over. Thanks for listening.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: cnd
Date: 18 Apr 22 - 10:26 AM

I was recently gifted an antique pocket watch from a family member. He told me it was owned by my great grandfather, and was used during his days as a signalman and cook while working on a caboose.

He said it was circa 1880s and looked a lot like this one (link) -- Illinois Watch Co. with a gothic script logo, Arabic (not Roman) numerals to show the time, and a smaller circle for the seconds. I haven't opened it up to get a serial number yet.

Sadly, the action is not currently working. I'm considering taking it to a local watch shop to get it fixed.

Subject: RE: BS: Vintage watch thread
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 18 Apr 22 - 10:50 AM

My great aunt once informed me that Ansonia, Connecticut, was the "City of Watches." Timex used to be there.