# A.W.W Co - New Arrival



## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

A new arrival but an old watch.

American Waltham Watch Co (A.W.W.Co) with a model 1883 movement

Serial number dates it to 1895/6 or thereabouts.

Open face rear key wound, with the hands front set using the key fitted the centre of the hands (quite fiddly)

I like the spade and whip hands, makes a change from the blued hands.

The silver case is British with Birmingham hallmark and hallmark date of 1897 the maker's hallmark is A.B in a rectangle which is the mark for Waltham Watch Co (Alfred Bedford was the manager of Waltham Watch Co in London hence the A.B).


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## Melville (Jun 17, 2013)

Hi,

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the movement you have posted is not a 1857 Model, P.S. Bartlett Grade. It's a 1883 Model, 7 jewel movement. When you looked it up you missed off the 7 digit at the front of the serial number and so you were 7 million movements earlier than you should be.

Serial Number 184171 is indeed a 1857 Model, P.S. Bartlett with 11 jewels that dates to 1865, but this is not it.

The serial number on your movement is 7184171 which is a 1883 Model Amn Watch Co. Grade with 7 jewels and dates to 1895/96. Thirty years later.

The hall mark date letter 'x' is for 1897 and that ties in very nicely with the age of the movement to circa 1895/6. The movements were shipped to the UK as movements only and were then fitted with dials and hands and then cased so they are always earlier than the cases. The dial and hands are correct for the period.

The main reason the case hallmark can't be the earlier date letter 'x' for 1872 is because Alfred Bedford wasn't in the UK at that time and didn't register his A.B mark with the Birmingham Assay Office until the 12th March, 1879.

After saying all that, the watch appears to be totally original and in very nice condition.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

Melville said:


> Hi,
> 
> Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the movement you have posted is not a 1857 Model, P.S. Bartlett Grade. It's a 1883 Model, 7 jewel movement. When you looked it up you missed off the 7 digit at the front of the serial number and so you were 7 million movements earlier than you should be.
> 
> ...


 Thanks @Melville I had no expectations as it was sold simply as a Waltham pocket watch at a modest price so no disappointment and being 7 million watches out is probably a sign I should go to the opticians! :laugh:

I will edit my post!

I am really pleased with it, running very well and with a case showing little wear.


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## Always"watching" (Sep 21, 2013)

Lovely watch, and some interesting information - just what I like to see on the Forum. I do enjoy it when a member provides a series of great photos as you have here dear @JoT, one leading on from another to form a full pictorial description of the watch in question.


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