# Anyone got a case for this beauty?



## Sticky Mick (Jul 24, 2021)

When I finished my apprenticeship in 1983 I decided to go it alone. One day an elderly lady came into the shop and gave me a box, quite a large box, too.

Inside there was all sorts of watch/clock paraphernalia - including this beauty:



































Thomas Wagstaff of London. Verge fusee dated 1750 under the dial.

Benjamine Franklin owned one of these between 1706 - 1790. His watch realised $34,500 at auction. But that one was in a 18k gold case - mine isn't.


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## Karrusel (Aug 13, 2016)

Suspect this would have been housed in a Pair Case, suspect the subsequent owner(s) scrapped the case for it's precious metal content :taz:

Auction houses or Watch & Clock Fairs will possibly be your best source for a replacement?


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## Sticky Mick (Jul 24, 2021)

That smiley was my reaction when I realised what had gone on with it. I thought 'Not a Thos Wagstaff, surely?'

Finding a case has been a bit of a task though. I've even considered re-casing it as a miniature mantle clock under a small glass dome.


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

Dear @Sticky MickThat beauty certainly deserves to be preserved. Hopefully a suitable case will turn up and in the meantime you could, as you suggest, re-case it as a small clock. I would certainly advise that this re-casing should be done in a "reversible" manner so that the watch can be brought back to its original form if and when a more suitable watch case is found.


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

I guess that Your idea of finding a replacement case is a little wrong. Yes, it is not impossible to fit the movement in another case, but normally the case is made for the particular movement and no other movement will go there easy. When searching for a new case, one must check if the ring with the dial will fit to the case and if the depth of the cae is enough so the movement will not touch the bottom. Then, the hinge of the movement must be removed and another one mus be made in order to fit the case, and in the end - the hole for the winding must be bunged and drilled in the correct place...

Yes, making a small clock with this movement is a good idea.


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## Welsh Wizard (Jun 18, 2021)

I'm no expert in these matters but looking at the craftmanship involved it must surely be worth investing a bit of time effort and dare I say money into ensuring such skill and beauty continues to be preserved. Hope it comes to successful conclusion for you-Good luck


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## Bagpuss (Feb 14, 2016)

A good siversmith could make it a new case


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

Bagpuss said:


> A good siversmith could make it a new case


 Yes, this is truth. But, this is the same like 'a good watchmaker could make a new movement'. And some of them really can.

Go and show to a silversmith a case for this kind of watch and then ask him, if he knows how to do it and soon You wil understand that this is well forgotten skill... In my country a few silversmiths has tried by 3D modelling and casting, but the result is really bad ahd has nothing with the original case...


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