My Junk Shop Find Waltham.

[bsshog40]

I got this at a junk shop for $25. I tore it down, replaced a broken mainspring, cleaned her up and she actually ticks fairly nice.

This is a Waltham model 1892, 18s, 17j, A.T.& Co.

[noirrac1j]

It is  Gorgeous pocket watch to be sure, but pictures! You have to post pictures! Just being melodramatic...welcome to the forum bsshog! Usually when fellas overhaul a nice find like the one you have here they post pictures of what they did along the way. I love Waltham, but don't have any American movement watches. Kepp posting!

 

JC

Edited June 29, 2015 by noirrac1j

[clockboy]

Great find bsshog40 in UK sterling that works at about £18.

Nice pics of the repair & strip down would be nice but not essential. Keep hunting & enjoy

[WillFly]

Waltham made some gorgeous movements, as did other US makers like Elgin and Hamilton. Just look at the damaskeening on that movement - and the quality of the plate and bridge work. Stunning!

[dbals]

Everytime I see beauty such as this, I wonder why they didn't have display backs.

[bsshog40]

Sorry guys. I use my samsung note for forums. When I was tearing down the PW, I used my regular camera and put the teardown pictures on the computer. Here's a couple I have on my note also.

[WillFly]

Everytime I see beauty such as this, I wonder why they didn't have display backs.

I've sometimes wondered just the same thing. The display backs were used mainly by salesmen for the watch companies' retail outlets, but I've no idea what percentage of regular, ordinary customers would buy them. Perhaps they were considered too fragile for everyday working use.

[bobm12]

Very nice, I love the result and the watch!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[Geo]

A thing of beauty, what a lovely movement! :)

[noirrac1j]

That is much better! Oh wow look at the intricate turning and lathing work done on the bottom and top plates and the gorgeous damaskeening on the rest of the piece. Unquestionably a high-quality timepiece.

 

JC

[Gary]

Beautiful and nice job! 

[clockboy]

Great Job done lovely watch

[Vich]

Remarkable find and lovely movement just patiently waiting for you in the shop to fix and service.

 

Excellent,

 

Vic

[xzqt]

Nice movement.

[bamadadof3]

Pretty nice work for a watch made in 1901! I'm always amazed at what these american and swiss companies were able to produce considering they had limited lighting and power systems. Many of the factories at this time still ran on hydro power and sunlight! Just amazing. These Appleton Tracey grade Walthams are some of my favorites due to the mirrored wheels and the sunken balance wheel. 

[Gary]

Excellent! Craftsmanship and detail!Thanks for sharing! 

Edited November 11, 2015 by Gary

[autowind]

Very nice watch and I bet it's glad to be ticking again after who knows how many years rest.

 

It's hard to believe watches of this quality were mass produced,  but they were.

[mk3]

I found a couple of very similar Waltham movements while going through some stuff earlier. Funnily enough as a child I grew up right next door to the village of Waltham in the UK which is famed for its windmill and for its airfield RAF Waltham / Grimsby and former home to the 100 squadron. I'm guessing Waltham in Massachusetts derived its name from there and hence the Waltham Watch Company.