Pocket watch history

[SteveR]

I am looking for some history on my Dad''s pocket watch. Any ideas? I could not track down the name on the movement, may be just a shop owner?

Steve

[clockboy]

Almost certainly an English fusee pocket watch made in about the 1870,s. Some have no makers ID,s

[KarlvonKoln]

Definitely following this! 

May I ask, could you possibly take a few more pictures: close-up of the back plate, and of the works from the sides?

Can you tell if the signature reads "W. C. Davies" or "W. G. Davies" or what it might read?

I'm thinking it's likely fuseé and English lever.  Nice swing-out case!

Welcome to our forum by the way! 

Addendum: does it read "Mountain Ash" in the upper left?  Or what does it read?

Edited March 23, 2021 by KarlvonKoln
Made an addition

[KarlvonKoln]

Here, something to read about while I do some more research:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-swiss-935-silver-cased-pocket-312597484

[KarlvonKoln]

Something for you to Google:

W. C. Davies, Jeweller, Llwyn Villa, Oxford-street, Mountain Ash, Wales

He died Dec. 31, 1910, aged 57

[KarlvonKoln]

I think Clockboy made a really good guess on year of manufacture.  If I found the right guy, he would have been born in 1853, so in the mid-1870s he'd be in his early 20s.  He *could* be a [random number] generation jeweller/watchmaker and thus could have apprenticed for several years prior to making your father's watch.  Hard to say how many he made, let alone how many survived to this day.  Was your dad born in, traveled to, or stationed in Wales or England?

Edited March 23, 2021 by KarlvonKoln

[KarlvonKoln]

Further research hasn't turned up anything more.  Thinking on it, being that he advertised as a jeweler first and foremost, there is still a chance Mr Davies engraved his own name on the watches he sold, but perhaps did not make.  But it is still possible he made it.  Either way, let us hope it never needs a replacement part.

[Gra]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If you post a photo of the hall marks on the case (or you could look them up online) this can be dated to the year the case was made also the case maker, not always the same people, does not necessarily mean the movement was made the same yours but it is more information for you.

Graham

[SteveR]

Thanks for the feed back, very interesting. I have added a few more pictures. 

and unfortunately it does need a fusee chain repair, see chain in case back picture. Any ideas who may have the skills to add a new hook?

Thanks again for the info ..

[SteveR]

sorry ... WC Davies and Mountain Ash are engraved on the movement.

[KarlvonKoln]

Oh dear, I see the fuseé chain is off.  I cannot tell from the picture; I see one hook but does the other end have its hook?

[SteveR]

the actual hook part has broken off ... Any idea who could repair it?

[clockboy]

I have not found a info of repairing the hook. You might have to purchase off eBay a new (used) chain or part of a chain that has a hook. The repair to broken chains is via riveting. When I repaired a very similar pocket watch I cleaned and soaked the chain with paraffin so all of the links were really free and lubricated.
On YouTube this is an excellent vid by Richard Perrett servicing an English fusee pocket watch. Also ironically showing how not to break the chain.