# Did I Do Ok (Boot Sale)



## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

Last year I picked up a couple of old Pocket watches for Â£15 the two.

Both working and keeping time.

Here is my favourite;




























Can the resident experts tell me a little about it?

Many thanks


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

Here's the other one;


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## Zimmer (Mar 15, 2010)

Sorry don't know anything about the watches, but the watch "chain" on the first one looks familiar. :lol:


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## Mikrolisk (Jan 23, 2008)

The first watch, signed with "SIRO", was made by Georges Christian from Holstein (Switzerland). This trademark was registered on the 17th Feb. 1925.

He must have been affiliated with the ORIS Watch Co., because SIRO is ORIS backwards!

Perhaps you can provide us that patent number from the second movement (Patented + {number} Swiss Made).

Regards, Andreas


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

Mikrolisk said:


> The first watch, signed with "SIRO", was made by Georges Christian from Holstein (Switzerland). This trademark was registered on the 17th Feb. 1925.
> 
> He must have been affiliated with the ORIS Watch Co., because SIRO is ORIS backwards!
> 
> ...


Thanks Andreas, fascinating, so far.

Would the Siro be worn by drivers or by station staff and is it sought after?

The number on the movement of second watch is 136702

:thumbsup:


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## Mikrolisk (Jan 23, 2008)

No no, that is certainly no railway watch or related to the railway. The train should just makes you think that the watch is very accurately. Not more.

That patent number does not help us in finding the manufacturer. It belongs to Ed. Kummer from Bettlach (CH), dated to the 29th august 1929, and applies to a special balance wheel bearings. The manufacturer just remarks that he uses that patent.

Andreas


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

Well,

That's ruined one romantic idea of an historic and well travelled timepiece :duh:

Is that rope typical of any particular use?

Any opinion on retail value?

Glenn


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I'd be happy with those two pieces for Â£15, I think you've done rather well!. The ORIS/SIRO connection is tenuous, but would seem to be correct if you wiki or google it. The rope looks like that thing my wee Grand-daughter does - is it Scooby they call it where they plait plastic into the same shape and make wee key rings and so on from it - looks like string plaited the same way :yes:

The length is about right to pass the end through the buttonhole that *used* to exist in men's jacket lapels, with the watch then hanging in the top pocket where Gentlemen used to keep an ever-present white linen hanky to proffer to Ladies in a time of need. You would have used a thing like a "kirby-grip/hair-pin" through the string at the back of the buttonhole to keep it in place - I remember my paternal grandfather used a leather plaited strap like this in this way. :to_become_senile:

Sigh! The Old Days - - I remember them well









(Ask your Granny or an old Aunty for a Kirby and you'll see how it works - pass end of string thru buttonhole from front, then push kirby through loop at end of string at the back. Overalls and Boiler suits buttons were often held on in the same way, and taken off for washing to avoid snagging other items)


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## Zimmer (Mar 15, 2010)

When I found a couple of pocket watches in the attic a couple of weeks back, I'm pretty sure there was a piece of "rope stuff" in the box. Never dawned on me until, I saw your post, that it might be a watch "chain" of sorts, but I can't find it now, because I probably threw it away.

You definitely have nice purchases for Â£15, although like I said I know nothing about the watches.


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## Shangas (Jan 27, 2008)

They look like very basic watches to me, certainly not, as Andreas stated, of RR quality.


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

mel said:


> I'd be happy with those two pieces for Â£15, I think you've done rather well!. The ORIS/SIRO connection is tenuous, but would seem to be correct if you wiki or google it. The rope looks like that thing my wee Grand-daughter does - is it Scooby they call it where they plait plastic into the same shape and make wee key rings and so on from it - looks like string plaited the same way :yes:
> 
> The length is about right to pass the end through the buttonhole that *used* to exist in men's jacket lapels, with the watch then hanging in the top pocket where Gentlemen used to keep an ever-present white linen hanky to proffer to Ladies in a time of need. You would have used a thing like a "kirby-grip/hair-pin" through the string at the back of the buttonhole to keep it in place - I remember my paternal grandfather used a leather plaited strap like this in this way. :to_become_senile:
> 
> ...


It's a pity men don't wear these any more. the look would suit my eccentric personality and it keeps surprisingly good time.

Thanks for solving the mystery of the plait. This certainly is the place for expertise.

I'll ask my old mum for a Kirby, ran out of Grannys 

As the watches don't fit my collection I'll put them on sale when I hit the necessary 50 posts.

Glenn


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## Shangas (Jan 27, 2008)

> It's a pity men don't wear these any more. the look would suit my eccentric personality and it keeps surprisingly good time.


I wear a pocket watch every day.

If you don't see a watch-chain on me somewhere, I don't have the time.


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

Shangas said:


> > It's a pity men don't wear these any more. the look would suit my eccentric personality and it keeps surprisingly good time.
> 
> 
> I wear a pocket watch every day.
> ...


It would be great to see more of these beautiful pieces in public(not mine, obviously).

To a layman like me the decent ones look very under valued compared to wristwatches


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## thinus (Mar 20, 2010)

looks nice dont know inithing about it thow


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## Mikrolisk (Jan 23, 2008)

I wear pocket watches all the time, I don't like wrist watches. My oldest wearable watch is from about 1820 (and keeps time!)...

Andreas


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## Shangas (Jan 27, 2008)

This is me about 11:45 yesterday morning, before I headed off to work:










Like I said; I always wear a pocket watch. The waistcoat was a new addition to my wardrobe. Yesterday was the first time I wore it in public.


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## glug (Mar 20, 2010)

Shangas said:


> This is me about 11:45 yesterday morning, before I headed off to work:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is that your 'white stick' propped up against the wall : :blind: :taunt:


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## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)

Wear what you like, I say. At my age, I should be wearing a jacket, shirt and smart trousers everywhere I go. A bit like this:










but I usually look like I've just fallen out of a tree. Er, when I say that, I don't mean like this:










I mean more like this...










But sometimes with less fur. Ok, sorry for the thread derailment.


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## Shangas (Jan 27, 2008)

Hey glug,

Yes it is.

Having a visual impairment is an awesome excuse to wear a pocketwatch.

I just make up the ****-and-bull excuse that I can't read wristwatches.


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## Walnuts (Apr 20, 2010)

Shangas said:


> Hey glug,
> 
> Yes it is.
> 
> ...


You shouldn't feel the need to make up a **** and bull story just tell them you like them cause they're awesome :feck:


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## Shangas (Jan 27, 2008)

I tell them that too, but if they don't bite that bait, then I use the other hook.


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