# Birch & Gaydon



## The Monk (Dec 23, 2010)

We have here a few drawers filled with old watches and clocks dumped after people have died. They are stored in a dry place but that it about the only positive thing to say! Looking through them for the first time I found some striking names - Omega, Smiths, Le Cheminant, Elgin, Waltham, Lip, Sekonda, Precista. These at least I have heard of. Some I have not. They are a mix of wrist and pocket watches.

One took my fancy -it has on its dial "Birch & Gaydon Ltd, Fenchurch Street, London - Land & Water". The numbers 12, 3 and 9 and painted with lume, and a large dot for the 6 which is replaced by a seconds dial. The movement is a Zenith Swiss Made, and seems at least cosmetically in adequate condition.

A quick online search suggests that the watch is from the 1920s. But I am not always convinced that an obscure name and advanced age mean something is necessarily of vlaue.

Do you think it is worth restoring, at least as a piece of history? I rely on the collective wisdom of the members here! :notworthy: Two (rushed and poor) pics attached.


----------



## The Monk (Dec 23, 2010)

I have just found an old ad for sale on Ebay which suggests that the watch might possibly be older than the 1920s, though the lettering on the dial is slightly different. Now I am really fascinated!


----------



## AbingtonLad (Sep 8, 2008)

Mate, it's not about value... just look at that watch! It's an absolute beaut and a bit of history whichever way you look at it.

If you decide not to do anything with it, I get first dibs as I was first to reply to your thread.

That's how it works here, honest


----------



## The Monk (Dec 23, 2010)

AbingtonLad said:


> Mate, it's not about value... just look at that watch! It's an absolute beaut and a bit of history whichever way you look at it.
> 
> If you decide not to do anything with it, I get first dibs as I was first to reply to your thread.
> 
> That's how it works here, honest


 :wink2: Yep, you are officially first in line! Actually, one reason I did post about it was that I thought it looked gorgeous too. Maybe I should post some of the other ones I have found in the drawers of horological delight. Some of them are just lovely, even in their un-maintained state.

And I do take your point about financial value over personal value. Moreover, I think sometimes history is respected when some of the more obscure watches are resurrected. Some of the threads in this part of the forum are history lessons in themselves.


----------



## Sailor99 (Aug 6, 2010)

Fabulous find! To think there was a silver watch designed specifically to be suitable forthe trenches. Makes one think - did they really know what they were going off to?

I see it says Zenith on the movement - The Zenith I wonder?


----------



## The Monk (Dec 23, 2010)

Sailor99 said:


> Fabulous find! To think there was a silver watch designed specifically to be suitable forthe trenches. Makes one think - did they really know what they were going off to?
> 
> I see it says Zenith on the movement - The Zenith I wonder?


That I cannot tell you. I cannot find a Zenith movement serial number database. The serial number on this one has 7 digits, beginning 240xxxx, if that helps anyone in the know.


----------



## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

That can be a beauty - clean and service, clean and shine the case, and a lovely black "Bund" or variant stap - it's a cracker for sure. Is it large enough to be a converted PW? Very NICE, indeed! :yes:


----------



## The Monk (Dec 23, 2010)

mel said:


> That can be a beauty - clean and service, clean and shine the case, and a lovely black "Bund" or variant stap - it's a cracker for sure. Is it large enough to be a converted PW? Very NICE, indeed! :yes:


Thanks Mel, especially for the strap suggestion. I was only thinking about that little while ago. It is too small for a PW methinks - the case is 30mm excluding the crown.

That said, I have just come across a lovely "A.W.W Co., WALTHAM MASS." (wording new to me)PW that is just 35mm across the case. The serial number (thanks to the Waltham online serials list) dates it to 1891. It is a full hunter in gold in excellent cosmetic condition. It is not running but I hope that just means it needs a good service. I will take a pic and add it.

Some of these old watches are beyond my means to fix up, but they may be well within some others' means. When I sort them out a bit better I will offer a few.

My old confrere who has been minding the drawers never did anything with these (he took possession of them first in 1954!) because the quartz reveolution had made them valueless in everyone's eyes. I have tried to convince him that is not quite so, but he is not yielding. He thinks I am a bit soft in the head I suspect!







But he has let me loose in the drawers, that is the main thing.


----------



## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Yep thats definatly a Zenith movement, i have an identical watch, diameter is 35mm not including winder but with a white dial with black writing, will do a picture in a bit and post it.........  Here it is.........


----------



## KevG (Dec 15, 2008)

Please stop teasing and show the rest that is absolutley gorgeous and only need a little TLC,we need to see the rest if only to figure out how much of the funds need to be raided.


----------



## The Monk (Dec 23, 2010)

harryblakes7 said:


> Yep thats definatly a Zenith movement, i have an identical watch, diameter is 35mm not including winder but with a white dial with black writing, will do a picture in a bit and post it.........  Here it is.........


White dial on yours - lovely!


----------



## The Monk (Dec 23, 2010)

KevG said:


> Please stop teasing and show the rest that is absolutley gorgeous and only need a little TLC,we need to see the rest if only to figure out how much of the funds need to be raided.


 :cowboy: Sorry - if it is any consolation I am teasing myself too. I just posted the Waltham pocket watch in the PW section. I will root around now and find another for watch p*rn. :wink2:


----------

