# Any Info Please



## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

Hi guys this is my first time posting in the pocket watch section as this is my very first pocket watch , which i hope you can give me some info on , sort of age and anything of interest really.

Its a Services Scout , German made with a pin set movement (don't know if thats the right term )but there is a pin to depress at 1 o'clock to set the hands ?

Its only been in my posession for about an hour at the time of posting but its working fine so far (touches wood very quickly)

Any info most appreciated

cheers

Andy


----------



## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Nice Andy, but don't let Mach know you've got this, he'll have it away if he gets the chance. Nice dial on that one, like it :yes:

(In fact, I might have it away myself - I know where you live :butcher: )

PS on another topic, Andy, all arrived well and safe! Thanks :yes:


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Mel just alerted me to this thread, a lovely Scout you have there Andy well done :thumbsup:

I`d been searching for one of these for a few years since Jason gave me an original Services box for one, I recently got outbid on Ebay for one but managed to win another which was listed a couple of weeks later :clap:

Naturally since then quite a few have sold on ebay for a lot less then I paid :taz:

Anyway to answer some of your questions, the Scout was made for The Services Watch Company Limited Leicester by Thiel Brothers Ruhla, Thuringia Germany. It used an unjeweled pin-pallet movement (I`ll do some checking & get back to you on which model) & would date from sometime in the period late 1920`s/mid 1930s.

I`ll try to take & post some photos of my own one tomorrow


----------



## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> Mel just alerted me to this thread, a lovely Scout you have there Andy well done :thumbsup:
> 
> I`d been searching for one of these for a few years since Jason gave me an original Services box for one, I recently got outbid on Ebay for one but managed to win another which was listed a couple of weeks later :clap:
> 
> ...


Excellent thanks to both you and Mel ,look forward to the pics and any more info

regards

Andy

p.s picked it up at a local auction, I wasn't there for pocket watches , i was after some wristwatches but didn't get them !

Basically I bought this blind I hadn't even viewed it , so i was quite relieved that it was ok !


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Ok here`s some Q&D shots of my one, you`ll notice that whereas yours has `German Made` mine says `Foreign` I have found no information for this difference (which appears on a number of Services watches) but have assumed that it may be due to the prevailing political climate at the time each watch was made*. Due to this my `feeling` is that your watch may be earlier then mine so circa late 1920s /early 1930s

* I`d be interested in hearing if anyone out there has another possible explanation for the fact that otherwise identical Services watches where marked `German` or `Foreign`

*
**"Services"** Scout, `Foreign`( made by Theil Bros Thuringia Germany) circa mid 1930s. *










Complete with an appropriate original box...



















I can`t indentify the movement model but it was most likely made by Theil Brothers (unless of course someone out there knows different).










Any chance of a photo of your one`s movememt just in case there are differances, oh & let me know if you ever decide to let your Scout go :wink2:


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

BTW that `24 Hour Dial` continued to be used by Services & also it`s sister company Aviation into the 1960s...

*
Aviation (circa mid/late 1950s, Services circa 1960s **possibly** up to early 1970s,supplied by The Gurnos Works, Ystradgynlais Wales. *


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

They also used the dial on wrist watches...

*
**"Services" **Despatch Rider `24 Hour Dial`Foreign circa Mid 1930s.*










*
**"Services" **Competitor `24 Hour Dial`, German Made circa early 1930s*










*Aviation (supplied by Louis Newmark Croydon), unjeweled Pin-pallet circa 1954.*










(there was a Services version of this watch as well)


----------



## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

Excellent!

Thanks for the info , must say there are some beautiful wristwatches you have there.

Here is a pic of my movement I note it is slightly different to yours (advance & retard lever ?) and un signed

cheers

Andy


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

andyclient said:


> Excellent!
> 
> Thanks for the info , must say there are some beautiful wristwatches you have there.
> 
> ...


Thanks, it`s a Theil `Suprise`










(photo nicked off the net)

I gather the `Suprise` was in production from 1908-1933 which seems to confirm my suspicions about yours being older then mine. The fact that it`s unsigned may indicate that your one is very early, possibly late `20s (the earliest date I`ve found so far for the Services Watch Co., Ltd., is 1928). The movement in my one is clearly not a Suprise, as you say the mounting for the timing adusting lever is located differently to yours, hopefully one day I`ll find out more about it`s origins.


----------



## dombox40 (Oct 20, 2008)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> Ok here`s some Q&D shots of my one, you`ll notice that whereas yours has `German Made` mine says `Foreign` I have found no information for this difference (which appears on a number of Services watches) but have assumed that it may be due to the prevailing political climate at the time each watch was made*. Due to this my `feeling` is that your watch may be earlier then mine so circa late 1920s /early 1930s
> 
> * I`d be interested in hearing if anyone out there has another possible explanation for the fact that otherwise identical Services watches where marked `German` or `Foreign`
> 
> ...


Right I,ll have a guess at this, if these watches were made as you said mid 20s and 30s you must bear in mind Hitler never came to power until 1933 so your explanation does not hold a lot of water about the political situation of the time, my guess is the one,s marked German were for the home market and the foriegn marked one,s were for export, another thing to remember a lot of these watches would have been brought home after the war so you would find quite a few in England today. only a guess mind.


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

dombox40 said:


> Right I,ll have a guess at this, if these watches were made as you said mid 20s and 30s you must bear in mind Hitler never came to power until 1933 so your explanation does not hold a lot of water about the political situation of the time, my guess is the one,s marked German were for the home market and the foriegn marked one,s were for export, another thing to remember a lot of these watches would have been brought home after the war so you would find quite a few in England today. only a guess mind.


Sounds reasonable & now you mention it any anti-German feeling would be more likely after Hitler came to power & even then probably not imediately anyway. Also this 1933 advert does mention that they had customers "Both at home and abroad"










However it would depend on the overseas markets the company were selling to, `Foreign` would work for English speaking countries such as the colonies & America (not that I know if the company exported to the US) but I`m not sure for other places? :huh:

,


----------



## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Mac, I'd hazard a guess that Services didn't do much in the way of export to the States, mainly 'cos a lot of the guys on the Timexicans forum knew nothing of them at all - given we're talking guys of a "certain" age







, that would mean it more likely they didn't manage much in the way of a breakthrough into the Dollar Watch market - it would have been very hard up against the established "local" makers ? :yes:

And I asked first! if he's parting with it! :assassin: :lol:


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

mel said:


> Mac, I'd hazard a guess that Services didn't do much in the way of export to the States, mainly 'cos a lot of the guys on the Timexicans forum knew nothing of them at all - given we're talking guys of a "certain" age
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I suspected as much :wink2:



> And I asked first! if he's parting with it! :assassin: :lol:


Hurrumph!!! :disgust:


----------



## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

> And I asked first! if he's parting with it! :assassin: :lol:


Hurrumph!!! :disgust:


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

> andyclient said:
> 
> 
> > > And I asked first! if he's parting with it! :assassin: :lol:
> ...


Mel started it







:lol:


----------



## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

fftopic2:

Kind of hi-jacking Andy's thread, but still related in a way - the Scout and Despatch Rider 24hr dial is RATHER swish in a very retro way - wonder if Uncle Roy could do a repro one with his custom dial service? - but as an option for an RLT with a sub second, OMG, it's such a lovely dial when you look closely at it :yes:

And a thought Mac, wouldn't it look something else as one of those elusive "Services" clocks? :man_in_love:

Sorry Andy, tell us to go forth and multiply if you like :lol:


----------



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

mel said:


> fftopic2:
> 
> Kind of hi-jacking Andy's thread, but still related in a way - the Scout and Despatch Rider 24hr dial is RATHER swish in a very retro way - wonder if Uncle Roy could do a repro one with his custom dial service? - but as an option for an RLT with a sub second, OMG, it's such a lovely dial when you look closely at it :yes:
> 
> ...


You`re not wrong about the dial Mel, I`m not too keen on Romans but this is definitely my favourite & a "Services" clock with it would look really cool B)


----------

