# Information On This Pocketwatch



## albumshire

Hi

My wife has justinherited this pocketwatch and would be gratful for any information.There is no makers name on the watch that I can see ,the case appers to have an18ct gold mark on it and a few numbers.Ialso have a technical question there is a small button near the winder what is this for.

Thanks.


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## Shangas

This is a pin-set pocketwatch...which...appears to be...missing the pin.

The pin is the little notch on the case. You press down the pin and then turn the crown to set the time. Then you release the pin to keep the hands in the right position.

Judging from the lack of a subseconds dial (And therefore, infer a small size), this is a ladies' pocketwatch.


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## a6cjn

Hi and welcome to the forum. it's a nice, friendly place

You have a piece which appears to be in excellent condition, the engraved back is very crisp with few signs of it having been worn

It has a Swiss stem wind, pin set movement.

To adjust the hands, you need to press and hold the small pin or **** next to the watch stem and then turn the crown to set the time and then release the pin.You are supposed to use a finger nail to do this so they are some times called a 'nail set'

Being 18ct gold, it will be quite valuable, sadly though as scrap :thumbsdown:

You've taken some very good pics, p'raps you could show the marks on the inside of the cover as they may yield some more info'

Chris


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## Roger the Dodger

I must concur with Chris and Shangas...it's a very nice ladies pocket watch...some ladies used to wear them on a long 'guard chain' (also known as a muff chain) around their neck...that's how my wife wears hers...but they also used to wear a chain similar to a man's Albert, usually with multiple (3 or 4) fine chains and a tassel of fine gold wire, called a Chatelaine. Originally, this was a chain worn around the waist by the mistress of a large house with her keys and purse attached to it, but the name later became applied to the ladies watch chain described above.

As Chris said, some pics of the marks inside the covers will help us deduce a bit more.


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## albumshire

Hi

Thanks for the information any idea of its age my wife is trying to work out who the watch belonged to in her family so a basic date would be useful .The watch is about 35mm across would this confirm it is a ladies watch.The small button is their I pressed it and the handles move but it will not wind-up ,should the winder pull-up to do this.I have added a couple more pictures of the markings on the case as requested .










Markings are top a shape with K18 in then a crown on top below that is watch looks like a queens headand at the bottom are the numbers 8020










What looks like the word CUIVRE NUMBER 8020 and what looks like the initials J.V

Hope this will help Geoff.


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## Shangas

Hi again 

It's a crown-wind, pin-set watch.

You push down the pin and turn the crown to set the hands.

You release the pin and turn the crown (without pulling it up or pressing it down) to wind the watch.

If it doesn't wind, that means the watch requires a peek-a-boo from a watchmaker. Most likely, the mainspring has worn out.

It's a crown-wind, pin-set watch. This would date it to the second half of the 1800s (post approx. 1860). Just from what I can see there, I'd hazard a GUESS at the late 1800s, say 1880s-1890s, American made.



>


The watch has been serviced (or pawned) at least once. These scratch-marks (extreme left) would've been left by the watchmaker or the pawnbroker when the watch was either sent in for an overhaul or put in-hock at the pawnbroker's shop.


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## a6cjn

I'm never 100% sure working from pics but the outer case is stamped 18K and the lady is the Swiss Helvetia gold mark for 18K.

There were over 20 different Swiss Assay offices and each had their own mark - normally a single letter.

There is a very detailed article (14 pages in pdf format) by L.S.Flocco about Swiss marks if you google it

The other word you are reading is probably "cuivre" french for copper but is used for "metal" on Swiss watches. This mark is often seen on the dustcover or cuvette of otherwise 18k gold watches.

There doesn't seem to be an import mark or stamp which suggests that it was purchased abroad and brought back as a momento or souvenir.

I think it would be well worth it getting it looked at by a watch repairer (not a High St. jeweller) for a service

Your wife may want to consider wearing it, they can look very smart for formal ocaisions

Here's a version that SWMBO sometimes wears










Chris


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## Anz

Chris that is a very pretty watch. *green eyes*


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## albumshire

Hi

Thanks for the information so far,bit confused as to where it was made is it an American watch with a swiss movement.Also well done Shangan spotting the marks on the left didn't see them, on closer inspection I think there are some more marks on the right.My wife got a chain with the three watches she inherited I'll add a picture later to get opinions on if it's a ladies chain.

Thanks Geoff.


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## a6cjn

It's a watch with a Swiss movement and a Swiss case

Chris


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## Mikrolisk

Movement is from Manzoni (Manzoni & Fils, Arogno), an ebauche maker. Alas that don't tell us the watchmaker who finished the whole watch.

Andreas


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## AlanJohn

All that could have been said about the watch has already been said above, I'd just like to add, it is a beautiful watch, well worth restoring and using. I sure would.


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## Roger the Dodger

Roger the Dodger said:


> ...but they also used to wear a chain similar to a man's Albert, usually with multiple (3 or 4) fine chains and a tassel of fine gold wire, called a Chatelaine. Originally, this was a chain worn around the waist by the mistress of a large house with her keys and purse attached to it, but the name later became applied to the ladies watch chain described above.


Found a pic of a typical ladies watch chain or Chatelaine, complete with tassel to give you an idea of what I meant in the post above. This one is actually missing its 'T' bar, which should be fitted to the jump ring above the tassel, so it hangs down.


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