Pocket Watches Fun Fact

Did you know? The small pocket in the larger pocket of your jeans was designed for pocket watches. You don't have one? Come to Father Time Antiques to get one of the best pocket watches there is.

Waltham "Up - Down" indicator

This is the pinnacle of Railroad Pocket Watches...The "Up/Dn Indicator". This very special feature, shown on the small dial under the 12 o'clock position, "indicates" how many hours of service are left to operate at full efficiency. This "Up/Dn Indicator is a Waltham, 23 jewel, "Vanguard" Yep, it's hi-grade! As an interesting aside in 1891 there was a head-on crash between two railway trains, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, near Kipton, Ohio. There was conjecture about what caused the the crash...some say that the engineers watch stopped for four minutes and then started-up again and others say that the stem pulled out and altered the correct time. Either way the fast mail train was coming through and, although the engineer thought he was at at the crossing at the correct time, he was in fact, four minutes late and the resulting tragedy made the American government take notice. A railroad commission was established headed by Webb C. Ball who was a Cleveland jeweler. The railroad officials asked Ball to establish strict standards for railroad watches that would assure accuracy and regular inspection backed by stringent record keeping for each individual timepiece. Prior to this time all manner of clocks and watches were used to time the movements of the trains. Each railroad had its own standards and there was no universal compliance. Once Ball established the high water mark for ruggedness and accuracy the manufacturers set about meeting those standards and soon there was a list of the companies that could meet these new Railroad Standards. Ball became the general time inspector for over 125,000 miles of railroad in the U.S., Mexico, & Canada. This is how the expression "on the ball" came into the vernacular. This particular Waltham Indicator is 16 size, 23 jewel, lever set, three quarter plate nickel movement, has gold jewel cups and a special marking on the winding wheel which states that has a "Lossier Inner Terminal Hairspring"... a new development in watch making when this wonderful timepiece was made circa 1926. This fantastic movement is housed in a screw back/screw bezel, steel case (very rare). Most railroad watches were in yellow gold filled cases. Make sure you notice the gold jewel cups, interesting damaskeening pattern on the plates, and the pristine condition of the movement. Our master watchmakers have it running, winding, and setting so that it could pass railroad inspection today. Remember all our timepieces are fully restored and warrantied for a year for parts and labor so that you may buy with confidence.

Price: $3500
SKU: pw1564
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Illinois "Bunn Special"

This Illinois 16 size open face Pocket Watch is simply spectacular. The 21 jewel movement is unsurpassed for this era and the "Bunn Special" iterations are some of the most desirable Railroad watches ever made! The case is yellow gold filled and is what is called a "Railroad" case with a non-pull out, fancy bow. These cases were designed to have a screw back & screw bezel thereby preventing dust and debris from entering the movement. The user would simply unscrew the front bezel to access the lever for setting, and, if he wanted to see the movement he would unscrew the back of the case. When you take a look at the"Zoom-In" photos of the movement you can see that it is as clean as the proverbial whistle. Our master watchmakers have it timed to within an inch of its life and it is performing like new. Make sure you notice the interesting damaskeening pattern on the plates. Pride of workmanship is everywhere on this watch. The double sunk, porcelain dial is a spectacular "Montgomery Dial" displaying red numeral 5 minute indicators and well as all the minutes in an hour. Railroad watches were the most accurate watches of their time and they rival many mechanicals made today. This particular "Bunn Special" was made circa 1925 and was well cared for over the years. When you take a gander at the "Zoom-In" photos you will see what we mean...it is beautiful! The sixty hour designation means that it has a full 30 power reserve (twice the normal mainspring). The movement is a 3/4 plate nickel killer that has gold jewel cups and a gold center wheel. It is a double roller with a motor barrel, micrometric regulator, and is adjusted to temperature and 6 positions. It is all housed in a 10K yellow gold filled railroad case that is marked "Bunn Special Model" just as it should be.

The Illinois Watch Company had its beginnings in several other incarnations starting in December of 1870 at Springfield, Illinois. The two founders were John Whitfield Bunn and John C. Adams. They started the Springfield Watch Company by attracting several other investors until they had amassed the princely sum of $100,000.00 which in those days was no small task. William B. Miller was to be their first secretary as they started production and a journey over what was to be a bumpy financial road. By 1877, after some difficulty, the company was reorganized and renamed the Illinois Springfield Watch Company and Erastus Newton Bates was chosen to lead them out of the financial difficulties they had encountered, but by July of 1878 they were once again faced with a re-organization and the named changed once again to the Illinois Watch Company, the final iteration that we know today. The chief executive was Jacob Bunn Sr. (1814-1897) and he was an all round entrepreneur with his fingers in finance, newspapers, land development, coal, banking, railroads, wholesale groceries, politics and even the manufacture of rope. The Bunn brothers, John & Jacob, were close friends with Abraham Lincoln and whose political career was financed and managed by them. The growth of the enterprise grew steadily from this point on under the management of the Bunn brothers. The fortunes of the company were starting to rise and by 1880 they had over 400 employees up from 260 in 1879, and ultimately 1200 at their apex. Production was up as well from 33,285 in 1879 to 47,065 by 1880. Just ten years later they could boast offices in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. With the advent of the Railroad Commission, in 1893, Illinois became one of the leading forces behind the design and manufacture of the highly accurate railroad timepieces that became world standards for accuracy and reliability. If you are longing for a very accurate, high-grade, railroad watch then this may be the one for you. It is fully restored and warrantied for a year for parts and labor so that you may buy with confidence.

Price: $2500
SKU: pw1720

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Jaccard 15 Jewel 18K Gold with Inlaid Enamel

 

This is a very special pocket watch that is Swiss manufactured. It is 18K solid gold with inlaid black enamel. Everything about this spectacular timepiece is unusual. The rich deep yellow, gold color is handsomely contrasted by the inlaid black enamel designs. Made circa 1876, it bears the aura of its day. The case measures41mm in diameter by 11mm thick and is 58mm from the top of the bow to the bottom of the case. This is a hunting case that bears a central "R" initial in the cartouche. Finely engraved engine turning graces the case on both sides. The watch was made for the famous Jaccard & Co. of St. Louis. When you open the front cover you are greeted with a lovely porcelain dial that has Roman numerals. The hands have Fleur-de Lis ends that gracefully point to the correct time. At the 4:15 position there is a small lever that peeks out from under the bezel. By pushing this with your thumb-nail it pops into the setting position. Once you set the hands to the correct time all you have to do is close the front cover and the setting is automatically disengaged - quite an innovation for 1876. When you open the back cover you will see an engraving that says " IDA FROM ED", 22nd March 1876 and the 18k mark. What's really unusual is that there is an oval porcelain insert on the 2nd inner lid that has an actual photo of Ed in sepia tones. This portrait is framed like a typical Victorian picture and is surrounded by black enamel designs. If all these features were not enough there is a fantastic, fantastic three finger bridge, Swiss 15 jewel movement that is running like the day it was made. It bears the patent date of Aug. 8, 1871. All in all this is a unique time piece that is quite old and in excellent running condition. This wonderful heirloom could be yours! Remember all of our watches come with our famous one year warranty for parts and labor.


Price: $3650
Year: 1876
SKU: PW1195
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Our Restoration Process

What makes us different than many other watch and clock sellers that you see on the internet, is our level of commitment to the restoration process. We purposely set our standards high so that our customers can rely upon Father Time Antiques to deliver only the best available in the Vintage and Antique watch market. The first step in the process is to select only the watches and clocks that are in the best "as found" condition. In order to do this we work with contacts all over the globe who are constantly on the look out for prime pieces that we can restore and then offer to our customer base. We also attend regional, and national, watch and clock shows under the aegis of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors organization. We have been members of this seminal organization since 1980 and have done business with dealers around the world for over 36 years. We also comb the internet looking for those choice pieces that have not been on the market for many generations and, because we are a "bricks and mortar" store, we can also acquire timepieces over the counter from private collections and past customers.

Once we have acquired a choice watch or clock the process begins in earnest. The piece is inspected by our head watch maker and he decides what will be needed to fully restore the particular timepiece. Then it is completely disassembled and visually inspected under a ten power loupe with great attention to wear, finish, proper function, alignment, originality of parts, and strength. He produces a timing tape, as a diagnostic, if the watch is functional, so that it can be compared with the final timing tape once the restoration has been completed. The piece is then estimated for cost and time to complete. Then the parts are sourced and ordered. We only use original parts for those timepieces for which parts are available, and for those watches or clocks that do not have available parts we can fabricate parts. Parts sourcing is a full time job that our Store Manager, Chuck, has on his plate everyday. We sometimes have to scour the globe to find an elusive part to restore a precious watch or clock. I can remember parts coming from every corner of the globe this year. This extensive search can take several weeks (in most cases), to several months in the extreme.

While parts are being sourced our clock maker and watch maker are busy polishing and restoring cases, replacing crystals, refinishing dials, and cleaning movements so, that the minute the correct parts arrive, they can begin the task of bringing the timepiece back to life. Whether the timepiece is one of ours, or a customer's, they all receive only the highest quality of restoration that we can deliver.

When parts have been acquired we start the restoration process in earnest. First the parts are examined to determine if they are correct for the particular timepiece at hand, and then they are positioned in the movement to determine proper fit. Then the movement is completely disassembled including all cap jewels, plates, screws, bridges, mainsprings, levers, springs, staffs, gears, pinions, and any other removable part. The various components are carefully separated and compartmentalized for cleaning. The cleaning process uses various chemicals to remove old oils and dirt that may have accumulated in the movement. Once the first cycle of the cleaning process has been completed the hole jewels and caps jewels are inspected for a spotless appearance. Many times very old, hardened oil, will still leave a residue, even after cleaning, especially on the surface of the caps jewels and in the hole jewel recesses. The watchmaker will then use French pegwood to manually remove this residue and then the chemical cleaning process is repeated to make sure the jewels are spotless. Once the watchmaker is happy with the the cleaning process he starts the assembly of the movement. First the front plate of the movement is positioned in a movement holder to support the assembly procedure and then he begins the assembly of the gear train, gear by gear. Once the train is in place (in the front plate), he positions and aligns the back plate and then he checks the freedom of movement of the gear train by apply a small force with his tweezers to the main wheel. If the train moves freely he can proceed to the next step of installing the mainspring and its barrel. The mainspring is first inspected for wear and loss of strength and, if found wanting, is replaced with a new original specification spring. The spring is then lubricated over its entire length and installed in the barrel bottom. Now the mainspring arbor is installed with attention to the proper positioning of the hook and engagement of the arbor. Then the barrel lid is positioned and closed tight. The mainspring, in its barrel, is now ready for installation into the movement. Once the barrel has been installed the watch maker's attention is on the assembly and proper adjustment of the escapement. Then the entire movement is properly oiled and wound. This is the moment of truth. If the watch or clock has been properly assembled, and all the parts are in their proper positions, the timepiece will start to tick. The next few steps in the restoration process really separates the amateur from the professional. The proper adjustment of the hairspring, the balance staff, the roller jewel, banking pins, and regulator are all critical. In a watch the first step is to properly poise the balance wheel, especially if the restoration required the installation of a new balance staff. The watch maker accomplishes this by placing the pivots of the balance wheel on a poising tool. The parallel ruby jaws of this tool provide a level and perfectly smooth surface for the pivots to rest on. If there is a heavy spot on the perimeter of the balance wheel it will cause the wheel to revolve on the poising tool indicating where the heavy part of the wheel may be. Just like balancing a tire on an automobile with small lead weights that can affect the true running of the tire, the watch maker uses very small weights to bring the balance wheel into a poised state. He uses tiny little gold washers that are place under the heads of the screws on the perimeter of the balance wheel. These washers are rated in terms of seconds per day as to how they affect the overall timing rate of the watch. The proof of the pudding is the fact that no matter how it is placed on the poising tool, after being properly balanced, it will not favor a heavier or lighter portion of the wheel. Once the balance wheel is properly poised the watch maker can place it into the watch and put it into action. Now the task becomes regulation. By placing the watch into the jaws of the Vibrograph he can immediately tell if the watch is running fast or slow and make the proper adjustment to the regulator. He can also tell if the banking is correct and if the watch is in-beat.

Illinois Hunting Case 14K Gold Multi Color

This an Illinois 6 size solid gold multicolor (pocket watch measuring 40mm in diameter) that conjures up images of the Victorian era when American watchmaking was in full bloom! It is a size that either a man or a woman could wear. The engaving is beautifully executed in solid 14K green, rose, and two colors of yellow gold. The center cartouche on the front lid is pink gold and displays the stylized initials "OA". Around the cartouche are five floral depictions in all the gold colors. Notice the fine lines of engraving still visible in the background even after all of these years; a sure sign that this watch has been lovingly cared for since 1891 when this watch first saw the light of day. The inner lids are all marked with the U.S.Assay mark of 14K solid gold and the dust cover tells the name and address of the original owner. Many times we never know who owned these beauties, but that is not the case here. It's original owner is enshrined on the inner lid for all subsequent owners to see. We are, after all, only caretakers of these magnificent timepieces for future generations. We have some customers that are continuing this tradition for the next generation to marvel at...you could join them with the purchase of this watch! The back lid has a shell-edged cartouche that displays a beautiful diamond set into the lid center. The porcelain dial with Roman Numerals is pristine carrying the "Illinois" name in a fanciful border just below the 12 o'clock position. There is a sunken seconds bit at the six o'clock position and the watch is set by means of a lever at the 4:45 position. All-in-all this is one heck of a solid gold timepiece from a stellar American company. The movement is a 15 jewel engineering marvel that we have fully restored to run superbly and our famous one year warranty will allow you to buy with confidence.

Price: $2895
Year: 1891
SKU: PW1465
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Lepine 18k Repeater

Lepine was a contemporary of Breguet. Both men were trailbazers in the history of watchmaking. Lepine lived from 1720 to 1814 so this was, perhaps, one of the last watches the company made before his death. Lepine was significant for his advances that led to the ability to make watches much thinner. In fact, Breguet emulated these characteristics in his watches and they were thus called Lepine calibre watches. Lepine developed the stand-alone barrel that revolutionized watchmaking which assured that his name would be written in the history books of watch development. Repeaters, like this one, are the pinnacle of the watchmaker's art, since they are some of the most complicated watches made. This watch chimes the hour and the quarter hour, on demand, by pushing the pendant down. It strikes on two separate gongs that are housed inside of the case body. It first sounds single tones

for the hour that it is past, and then double tones for the quarter hour that is current. The repeater was designed so that one could tell the time in the middle of the night without rising to light a candle. It was also used to impress one's friends by activating it in the company of others. Very few of these Lepine repeaters survive intact let alone functioning correctly. This fine example is not only functioning but keeping time and repeating via a lovely chime. Notice the hand turned dial texture at the center of the silvered dial, the inlaid enamel Roman Numerals, and the Breguet Style lunette hands. This is evidence of the dial maker's skill that is rare today. Inside the 18K solid gold case, on the cuvette, there is this inscription "Lepine & Co. Neuveu Horologers du Roi, a\' Paris\"; a clear indication of Lepine's association with the king. This particular watch was

made in the first quarter of the 19th century and has been well cared for over the last 190 years! This Lepine, which is an important timepiece, was found by our Hungarian watchmaker and then carefully restored to it's former glory. The movement is a classic 13 jewel Lepine, cylindre, escapement and you may rest assured that this is the real McCoy with all of it's original parts. If you are a collector or want something that no one else on your block has, this is the watch for you! Remember all of our timepieces come with our famous one year parts and labor warranty!

Price: $7950

SKU: PW570

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