Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

I have begun restoration of a very nice ladies watch with a Wadsworth Pilot 25 yr gold filled case and an OPTIMA 15 jewel 2 adjs movement.  I have attached 3 photos for you review.

The inside of the case back shows quite a few watchmaker marks suggesting that this watch has had good care over the years. I was not able to find any info on the "maker mark" on the case back.   The dial does not have any info on it.

I am wondering if anyone can identify this watch and year(s) of manufacture.  I have searched OPTIMA and Wadsworth on the web.  Most Wadsworth info is regarding pocket watch cases.  OPTIMA searches resulted in a German watchmakers name but no catalogs or sales info regarding OPTIMA watches or movements.

I would like to have some history to go along with this watch when I give it to my daughter to wear.

Thanks,

Keylessworks

IMG_3693.jpg

IMG_3694.jpg

IMG_3695.jpg

Posted
2 hours ago, Keylessworks said:

I have begun restoration of a very nice ladies watch with a Wadsworth Pilot 25 yr gold filled case and an OPTIMA 15 jewel 2 adjs movement.  I have attached 3 photos for you review.

The inside of the case back shows quite a few watchmaker marks suggesting that this watch has had good care over the years. I was not able to find any info on the "maker mark" on the case back.   The dial does not have any info on it.

I am wondering if anyone can identify this watch and year(s) of manufacture.  I have searched OPTIMA and Wadsworth on the web.  Most Wadsworth info is regarding pocket watch cases.  OPTIMA searches resulted in a German watchmakers name but no catalogs or sales info regarding OPTIMA watches or movements.

I would like to have some history to go along with this watch when I give it to my daughter to wear.

Thanks,

Keylessworks

IMG_3693.jpg

IMG_3694.jpg

IMG_3695.jpg

A little googly has provided the name Alb grossenbacher the original founder of the Optima watch company.  A couple of suggestions came up if not in -house made of Felsa and Eta but there could be more that supplied movements to Optima. Follow Mike's advice if you are investigating this for yourself from inside the watch. The other side of the movement under the dial is where you look to find the identifiable parts that point you in the direction of the maker.

Posted

Many thanks to all   I will send photos  when I disassemble the pocket watch and try to identify more movement markings.

Sorry  -  not a pocket watch 

Attached is a photo of the movement dial side.  The only marking I have found is a "10" stamped near the movement face edge.  One photo is the bare movement (dial side) with keyless works off and the other is with the keyless works in-place.

 

Thanks for you time !

Keylessworks

IMG_3712.jpg

IMG_3698.jpg

I forgot I had a copy of the old Best FIt catalogs.  I found the keyless works which match my Optima movement.   The "10" stamped on the face identifies it as an Optima 10 movement.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • We the human beings never see our own aging.      
    • Hello Tom and welcome to the forum.
    • Hah! Well, California will have to do. Lived in TX for a brief period back in the early 70s, though, so maybe that counts. 🙂 Funny you should mention making vacuum tubes- I've actually tinkered with that! It's REALLY tough to do, and I've never made one more complicated than a simple diode that barely worked, but I have played around at it. But there's just no infrastructure for vacuum tube fabrication. I can get a lathe and learn how to use it to make complex parts, and while it might take a while to learn- and money to get the equipment, of course- it is possible to do more or less "off the shelf". But vacuum tubes, not so much. There are a few folks out there doing some crazy cool work with bespoke tubes, but they have setups that are far beyond what I can manage in my environment and it's mostly stuff they built by hand. I also have been playing with making piezoelectric Rochelle Salt crystals to replace ancient vacuum tube turntable needles- nobody's made those commercially for probably 60 years. I'm a sucker for learning how to do weird things no one does any more so I can make things no one uses work again. (I think this is drifting off the topic of lathes, lol).
    • You shoulda been born in Texas. Tough to make a vacuum tube though. You can substitute with a MOSFET eq ckt I guess. I was playing around making a pinion the other day. More to it than meets the eye.
    • Well, turns out it was a fake bezel! The crystal is domed mineral glass and I was able to find a cheap replacement that should be here in two days.  I used my crappy little press to pop out the cracked crystal, Ill give the case a good cleaning in the meantime and do a once over on the movement.     
×
×
  • Create New...