# Waltham Riverside Maximus



## Melville (Jun 17, 2013)

This is a hunter Model 1899 Riverside Maximus. It is one of the highest grade watches that were made by Waltham. It has 23 jewels in gold raised settings including four diamond end stones, double roller escapement, steel balance wheel, exposed sapphire pallets, adjusted to temperature and 5 positions, all gold train wheels and a micrometric regulator. The movement is in superb condition and keeps excellent time. The movement is also enhanced by the fact that it retains the original fine glass double sunk enamel dial. This type of script used on the 'Waltham' name was only used on the Maximus dials. A Riverside Maximus without this correct dial is greatly devalued.

This watch is now over 110 years old. Only 3850 of the 1899 Model 23j Riverside Maximus were made.


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## Guest (Aug 11, 2015)

that movement is incredible, lovely watch


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## novicetimekeeper (Jul 23, 2015)

I only collect English watches and clocks but I can see that is a thing of beauty and quality, I really like it including the dial.

I have a question though, given that rubies and sapphires are the same stone simply different colours, was the choice of sapphire a style thing?

I'm only conscious of sapphire (synthetic) being used for watch crystals but it makes me wonder why historically jewels were ruby.(or diamond)


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## Melville (Jun 17, 2013)

Over the years a great deal has been written about synthetic jewels used in watches, and most of it goes over my head. These synthetic rubies and sapphires are made from Corundum and the difference in colour is down to the impurities in the Corundum. Pure Corundum being colourless.

I have read that the watch makers preferred rubies because having a coloured background to work on they could more easily check visually if the jewels were fully set and level, and the use of clear sapphires on the pallets was because the oiling of pallets correctly is quite tricky and requires a very closely limited amount of oil. A clear sapphire provides a better view and improves the odds of getting the pallet lubrication correct, plus any specks of dirt can be more easily seen. Diamond end stones were harder than rubies and so had better wear ability when in contact with the pivot ends.

This may all be true but others seem to think that another reason, as far as the manufacturers were concerned was that ruby jewels in raised gold settings and faceted diamonds that sparkled and glistened also looked great!


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## novicetimekeeper (Jul 23, 2015)

ah, I had not realised that the pallets were clear synthetic sapphire. I did go off and look into it and saw that a swiss guy who was friends with Newton and worked with Huygens had invented the procedure for using natural rubies. He came up with the method of drilling them and gained a patent for 15 years in 1704. I found they did use sapphires back then, which would have been coloured but I could not find why rubies became the preferred option. As you say it may have been down to colour. Though they are both the same oxide of aluminium I suppose they might not have been readily available in equal numbers in the early 18 century so that may have been part of it.


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