Pocket Watch

[Wilson]

I have a friends pocket watch and she wants me to service it. She was wanting to know who makes the watch and I told her I would try to find out. There isn't a lot to go on because there's no serial number on the movement. All I can see on it is 15 Jewels. Can anyone tell me what I have or where to find out more about this watch. She said the watch belonged to her Great Grandfather. There's also a chain with the watch and I was wondering what the words on one of the links mean? I can read UNION and GOLDFILLED but I'm not sure about the rest.  How old it the watch and chain? See photo link. Thanks.

 

http://s621.photobucket.com/user/FDX156/slideshow/Pocket%20watch

[Geo]

This is a tricky one, I would guess at about 1910 or thereabouts for the date.

Here is some information I managed to dredge up from the net.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Fahys_%26_Co.

Fahys seemed to have only made gold-filled, silver and Oresilver (nickel) cases from the early 1890's and up to 1910 (where my research drops off). However, starting in the mid-1890s, Fahys is listed as the General Agent for the Brooklyn Watch Case Co., a manufacturer of solid gold cases. Sometime around the turn of the century, ownership of Brooklyn passed to Fahys.

The Montauk grade of case is a gold-filled case, warranted for 15-year up to about March 1898 (http://photos9.flickr.com/14849527_7f12ec5cf1_o.jpg), 20-year thereafter (http://photos14.flickr.com/14849528_53d3661451_o.jpg).

I hope this helps you?

[clockboy]

It's always difficult to get identities of pocket watches as the movements were fitted to various cases (Gold/Silver etc etc). One popular maker of cases was Denison. If you know it's size you can do a search @ Ranfitt and you might get lucky.

http://www.ranfft.de/cgi-bin/bidfun-2uswk.cgi?1&ranfft

[Wilson]

Thank you for the information men.  :)

[Gotwatch]

Your best bet for answers on American pocket watches as they have a huge data base is the NAWCC pocket watch board here:

 

http://mb.nawcc.org/forumdisplay.php?11-American-Pocket-Watches

 

They will need photos of the movement, serial number, and dial to do any good. You do not have to be a member but will have to register to NAWCC forums to post questions.

[Rafal]

this looks like a Swiss made for American market, it has "swiss" just by balance wheel. Usually there is a stamp/logo somewhere i.e. from dial side