# How Do You Display Your Pocket Watches?



## Ted (Oct 29, 2009)

New boy John had a great idea for a post...pictures needed showing how you display your pocket watches. Thanks.


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## a6cjn (Oct 29, 2009)

Just a quick snap of the ones which are 'out' this week (It took me 10 mins to find the camera lead  )

I used to make and have a bit of a collection of watch stands but when they brought out the little acrylic ones, the rest seemed unnessesary.

Still kept the black walnut one, in the pic 'cos it was a pressie, the others are on acrylic stands.

Chris


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)




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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

I hang mine from hooks...










BTW, is that a "Services" Army I see on the right? 



a6cjn said:


> Just a quick snap of the ones which are 'out' this week (It took me 10 mins to find the camera lead  )
> 
> I used to make and have a bit of a collection of watch stands but when they brought out the little acrylic ones, the rest seemed unnessesary.
> 
> ...


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## a6cjn (Oct 29, 2009)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> BTW, is that a "Services" Army I see on the right? ]


Yep :thumbsup: , case is a bit rubbed but it runs well

Chris


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

As yet, my two pocket watches are confined to a drawer







But I liked John's mahogany stand with the baize lined recess (see 'Permission to come on board') Simple but effective (just like the missus!) I've got some nice oak and mahog at work, so will try and knock a couple up and then get some pix done.







Now where did I put that router..............


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

The stand that Roger refers, which is very much a 'proof of concept/prototype,' started life as a desk drawer carcass. Two layers were glued together then drilled with the hole saw shown. The first surprise was the cleanness of the cut, from such a brute of a saw, which only required a few seconds on a drum sander to clean up. These 2 layers were then glued to the third and cut to shape on a small band saw. The baize is glued to a bit of thin ply shaped to fit but don't look too closely as the glue (PVA) has bled through and stained the front.










The concept works for me but the dimensions are hopelessly unbalanced - aesthetic design is not my strong point! As said it's a prototype and has not been finished, the surfaces have yet to see any sandpaper let alone varnish, stain or sealant and what you see is straight from a block plane after cutting on the saw. I'll be trying something slightly different for my Benson in a few days, photos to follow.

Rgds

John


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

OK....had a little spare time today so thought I'd have a go at one of John's watch stands. (Hope you don't mind me pinching your idea John......you haven't copyrighted the design have you? :sweatdrop: ). Made a quick template from a bit of 8mm mdf, then routed the recess in a piece of 70mm x 25mm oak I had left over from making a garden bench. Cut the top off to create the space for the stem, and bevelled the bottom on the chop saw. Planed the edges, cut a bit of sticky back baize in the hole and hey presto! 15 mins later,a fairly respectable little stand. It needs staining/oiling/varnishing, whatever to finish.



















OK....I should have put the bevel on the side for a hunter watch, but you get the idea.

Had another idea for a quick stand if you're not too confident with tools....cut a scrap of timber and use a couple of clear, long headed map pins to support your watch.




























If you've got series of watches, you could make a long rack with a row of pins and display them in a line.

Hope this gives some food for thought, and thanks to John for the original idea! :notworthy:


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

watchnutz said:


>


 Mate ....that is some collection! :notworthy:


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## a6cjn (Oct 29, 2009)

Looking good Roger, that masonic watch is a real eye catcher

I did wonder if a small triangle of timber glued to the back would prevent them from falling backwards.

Well done with the woodwork

Chris


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## Shangas (Jan 27, 2008)

*Roger*, do you find your map-pin watch-stand (which I can see there, is holding your Masonic watch) to be an effective design? I mean, do the pins hold the watch comfortably? Is the stand stable enough?

If you think that a stand like that is good quality and safe to use, I may consider making just such a stand for my watches. My father recently disassembled a whole heap of old wooden fencing that we used to have and as a result, we've got lots of scrap wood lying around at the moment. Some of it we'll burn for firewood, but I could save a couple of nice pieces to turn into watch-stands...


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

> I did wonder if a small triangle of timber glued to the back would prevent them from falling backwards.





> Roger, do you find your map-pin watch-stand (which I can see there, is holding your Masonic watch) to be an effective design? I mean, do the pins hold the watch comfortably? Is the stand stable enough?


I made these very quickly and like John before, they are 'work in progress'. Having tried them out, I concur with Chris, that in spite of the bevel on the bottom to create the slight backwards tilt, a small triangular block added to the back will provide adequate stability. The map pins I used have fairly long heads with a flattened grip at the end, which seem to hold the watch adequtely and stop it slipping off the pins. (See side on pic)


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## a6cjn (Oct 29, 2009)

I think those map pins are a great idea, saves a lot of work trying to make them

Work in exactly the same way as these on the sort I used to make










Have to say though, that since they brought out the acrylic ones, I have used them










At one time I did try to source some glass domes to go over the watch stand but they were too expensive I seem to remember.

Chris


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

Stack them! high street multiples like pound shop/boots/wilkos all sell photo frame BOXES about 3 inch square and deep enough to fit most watches-bit of cloth at back straight or angled over stance for watch-bobs your uncle.-sometimes in sets so you get 2 or even 3 in larger display boxes. Cost about Â£1 a box on average and they stand up or stack however you want.Check you dont get the ones with those daft pins that you have to tweezer or bend to get card back off -best are those with back fastening "hands" on a screw swivel-still a sovereign-go look brilliant.will do pics if asked


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

and you donthave to dust them


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

Roger - Looks good and that little bevel finishes it off perfectly, I'll be pinching that idea for my next attempt!! :notworthy: Is it a product of a router table or hand held? In my garage I've a little bit of 5mm round brass stock waiting for another project, swap the pins for an inch or so of that and you've a winner (says he who couldn't design an egg cup).

a6cjn - That tray looks fantastic, what's the wood (old oak and ??).

Rgds

John


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

John...probably going a bit off topic here (and should be in the hobbies section), but I cut a 64mm hole (with a hole saw like yours) in a scrap piece of 10mm MDF. This was clamped to my piece of oak. Then, with a 13mm guide bush and an 8mm cutter in the router, the recess was cut and cleared. The finished recess was 54mm (10mm less than the template). It all depends what size guide bush and cutter you use as to the finished size of the recess. The router is guided by hand. Then the top and bottom are snipped off on the chop saw. By putting a cove/ Roman ogee/rounding over cutter in the router, the edges could also have a nice moulding added.


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## a6cjn (Oct 29, 2009)

JWL940 said:


> a6cjn - That tray looks fantastic, what's the wood (old oak and ??).RgdsJohn


The pic is a close up of this watch stand










It was made from American black walnut and has an elm burr inset disc.

Both timbers were left over from a couple of other projects, as Roger said, it's getting a bit OT but the walnut was from a regulatator clock I made










And to be totally OT, the elm burr was from one of my other hobbies, custom knife making










Chris


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

I think I feel a new topic coming on in the hobbies section!......that clock and knife are the 'mutt's nuts'! I wanna see more....used to have a wood turning lathe and enjoyed making bowls, goblets, eggs, fruit, pens, clocks etc, etc...perhaps we can have a chat down there Chris, and anyone else that's interested......... :thumbsup:

BTW.. how do you do that reply that incorporates the previous posters name and date etc? I've only mastered the



> text


 thing so far! :duh:


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## a6cjn (Oct 29, 2009)

Roger the Dodger said:


> BTW.. how do you do that reply that incorporates the previous posters name and date etc? I've only mastered the
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Click the 'multi quote' icon bottom right of the post and then click 'use full editor' to make your reply.

You can then select the text of that post that you want to quote.



Roger the Dodger said:


> I think I feel a new topic coming on in the hobbies section!.....used to have a wood turning lathe and enjoyed making bowls, goblets, eggs, fruit, pens, clocks etc, etc...perhaps we can have a chat down there Chris, and anyone else that's interested..


Good idea Roger

You show me yours and I'll show you mine :swoon:

Chris


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

a6cjn said:


> Roger the Dodger said:
> 
> 
> > BTW.. how do you do that reply that incorporates the previous posters name and date etc? I've only mastered the
> ...


Good idea RogerYou show me yours and I'll show you mine :swoon: Chris 

Steady, Tiger!!!....See you there......(has it worked?)


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Obviously not............. The text has come out but not the box... :duh:


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

a6cjn said:


> Good idea RogerYou show me yours and I'll show you mine :swoon: Chris


Ok has it worked this time?

Edit: yeeessss...crikey that was complicated just selecting the bit I wanted!


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## James (Jul 17, 2006)

Mine are very boring. All are in velvet pouches except ones NIB, trying to find a specific one is a chore


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

a6cjn said:


> The pic is a close up of this watch stand


:hi: Do you have any more of those lying about?

I have a Waltham car clock that my father gave me many decades ago, he had it screwed (via the crystal) into a metal stand he had some high school hobby shop students fabricate (he was an English and Drama teacher), but I long since discarded it as he had it fitted into with wound rubber bands ... and winding was difficult.

For the last few years, I've had it sitting in a folding Pottery Barn stand meant for a much thicker battery powered, faux antique watch. But I'd love something better, either covered in a dome, or just a better fit. Suggestions welcome, I've all but given up on hitting up the odd retailer who had something close posted online, but no longer in stock. As you can see, the long stem on the bottom makes most watch stands (including generic acrylic jobbies) out of the question.


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

My latest effort and if I could approach 10% of a6cjn's quality I'd be happy; Chris - that knife was simply awesome, I'm going to be stalking you on another web site to see more of your work!










Rgds

John


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## a6cjn (Oct 29, 2009)

David, I think that Waltham clock is superb and I can see why you want to display it

I've just done a quick search on flea Bay and there are a number of stands, in a variety of timbers, of a similar deign to that one. I'm sure that there must be some avilable in the US

John, thank you for the kind words and I really like the design of your stand. Looks like Utile Mahagony and Danish oil is a good finish for it.

Chris


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

David

I walked past a watch/clock like that at a Flea Fair on Sunday and am now kicking myself for not getting it. I have just knocked this up (that might not translate into US English very well) using scrap in my garage but it might give you an idea or two.



















Now my question, how do you get that information to the left of your post that gives gender, location, interest etc?

Rgds

John


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## Roger the Dodger (Oct 5, 2009)

Brilliant, John...that stand looks excellent....did you do that with a router? To add all that infomation at the side of the page , click on your user name right at the top of the page (Where it says The Watch Forum) and select 'My Profile'. You can now add all the interesting bits about yourself! :cheers:


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

Thanks Roger but compared to Chris's work I'm on the aeroplane home.

It was made from two sheets one of which had two holes cut through using hole saws which were connected together with a scroll saw (3 attempts to get it right). The sheets were then glued together and bevelled with a router.

Rgds

John


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## Ted (Oct 29, 2009)

a6cjn said:


> Just a quick snap of the ones which are 'out' this week (It took me 10 mins to find the camera lead  )
> 
> I used to make and have a bit of a collection of watch stands but when they brought out the little acrylic ones, the rest seemed unnessesary.
> 
> ...


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## Ted (Oct 29, 2009)

Nice display, Chris.


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## Chromejob (Jul 28, 2006)

a6cjn said:


> David, I think that Waltham clock is superb and I can see why you want to display it
> 
> I've just done a quick search on flea Bay and there are a number of stands, in a variety of timbers, of a similar design....


Will have to look again, last year I found nothing on watch vendors' sites. Oh, I'm wary of fleabay, I've lately had 40% luck on honest sellers, others goof up something on the description. I'm really disappointed in the decline and fall of seller honesty and integrity on the 'Bay, I guess their "feedback" and resolution practices are all for naught.



JWL940 said:


> David
> 
> I walked past a watch/clock like that at a Flea Fair on Sunday and am now kicking myself for not getting it....


There are many out there like this, when working (I had this one overhauled and the mainspring replaced in the 1990s) it makes a lovely tick tock (gf hates it). This is one of the few I've seen (while looking) with polished brass numerals. ... It took a fall a few years ago which broke my heart (and the crystal, and knocked a hand loose), I bought a couple of similar models off fleabay and replaced the crystal, and had a watchsmith reattached the hand ... I have one that is sort of working that is in my daughter's room when she visits, and another that is non-functional that I got the crystal off. Maybe I should offer it here, or learn to repair it....


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