# Time For Some More British Pin-Levers?



## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

This one has been sitting in my collection for a while needing a service. Finally I got it done, and fitted an unused vintage strap










No second hand on this one because that cost extra back in 1950.

I'm guessing this was probably one of the first watches to come out of the Newmark factory in Croydon as the movement is signed 'EB' as in Ebosa, Switzerland. Right from their first year of production Newmark watches were entirely British made, so unless there has been a movement swap, this watch must have been built with imported parts just before the tooling was set up for cutting movement parts.










Now here is the hairy wrist shot










Hopefully Mach will show up soon with some more examples in somewhat better condition than mine.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Good to see you`ve got the old girl going, I`ll have to get my camera out & take some photos of my BPLs 

BTW do you know when Newmark first started watch production? :huh:


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## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> Good to see you`ve got the old girl going, I`ll have to get my camera out & take some photos of my BPLs
> 
> BTW do you know when Newmark first started watch production? :huh:


They started getting set up (with government backing) in 1947. The first watch left the factory in 1950. Initially the cases were bought in from another English manufacturer. Throughout production mainsprings, hairsprings, dials and hands were outsourced (also within Britain). So considering mine also has a bought-in ebauche, basically none of the metal was actually cut in Croydon!

Total production from 1950 to 1960 was 7 million pieces. When they started, the prices ranged from 2 to 4 guineas, and by the time they quit, they ranged from 52s 6d to 92s 6d. Having grown up with sensible decimal currency, none of that means anything to me.


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## Chascomm (Sep 9, 2005)

Here's another British cheapie just back from the mechanic.

Westclox, made in Scotland.

Case designed in USA in the mid-1950s










Movement designed in USA in 1936










Made in Scotland from 1959 to 1975


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I really must get round to taking some new photos of my collection of British Pin-levers to add to this thread


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## BlueKnight (Oct 29, 2009)

Fascinating bit of history. That's the part I like the most about watches.


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