# Nepman



## nepman (May 26, 2006)

Is it acceptable form to inquire about my Soviet pocket watches, or is this pretty much reserved for wristwatches?


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## ESL (Jan 27, 2004)

Heck no - ask away - and welcome.


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

hi nepman, welcome to the forum

you can ask pretty much what you like here, there may not be too much knowlege of pocketwatches though, probably your best bet would be to ask raketakat or mach, they seem to be 'in the know' concerning russian pocketwatches









here's mine




























regards, john


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## nepman (May 26, 2006)

I appreciate the feedback.

That is just a lovely Sekonda-a make that pretty well didn't make it to the USA. My first Molnija was a gift from a friend who bought it at the gift store in the UN, he bought it in the mid-80s. Possibly the only place in the US you could buy them, then. We of course had a horrendous import tariff on Warsaw Pact goods, and it served to pretty well keep out Eastern Bloc imports.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Nepmap,

The United States made some of the best affordable pocket watches in the world, not just my humble opinion.

Waltham, Elgin, Gruen and Hamilton (and others) made pocket (and wrist ) watches that kicked the rest of the worlds bottom at that time.

The Swiss have enthralled us with their watches for some time but they learned lessons from others along the way, they weren't always dominant. 

Many Swiss companies did strive to advance horology in the face of terrible competition and survived through sheer guts, determination and skill. Rolex is one brand that comes to mind.

However, we should not forget the contribution of the American watchmakers that forced the Swiss watchmaking industry to come up to their level of quality and ability to produce watches economically so that an industry could be created.

You may have guessed that I love American made watches?









I do so for the same reasons I love Russian and Swiss watches but I love the watches made (entirely) in the USA more than any others.

Why? Because American skill and inovation produced a watch movement like the Hamilton Cal 770 that was as capable as the best the world had to offer in its time.

My old Hamilton trent has a very vulnerable case (thin, but rolled gold) but the movement is capable of outstanding accuracy and is quite rugged.

If Roy can find a few Hamilton Cal 770's lying around and fit them into a nice, modern case .........

I'm dreaming again, ignore me.









I have a nice Hamilton Trent, it has the last and most noble movement Hamilton USA made before it became a slave to the Swiss.









A Hamilton Trent from circa 1956 eqipped with the cal. 770:-










Notice that the shape of this movement lends itself to be fitted to a square or circular case, this was a well thought out design feature at that time.


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## nepman (May 26, 2006)

My maternal grandfather passed in 1947, 11 years before I was born, but he owned a 16 size Hampden side winder 19J lever set. Sunk seconds, very long thin Romans, some wear to the case but the dial is nigh on to perfect.He must have obtained it second hand, as the watch itself was made in 1903, and he was 8 years old then.

I have it now, and in fact carried it regularly in the '70s, before I realized the consequences of no shock or water resistance-managed to dodge the bullet on that one, and it was never damaged. It was the first good watch I ever owned.

From a standpoint of timekeeper, it would be entirely serviceable to my needs in 2006-103 years later. I had a fine watchmaker, now sadly passed, do some regulation work on it when I had it cleaned ca. '90, and the timekeeping is laudable.

Made it a point when my stepfather turned 70 in Strassberg PA to see the Hamilton plant in nearby Lancaster-it's been converted into upscale apartments (flats) and retail shops, but is basically preserved on the outside.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

Nepman,

I think it's important to keep the heritage of American watchmaking alive for the benefit of the horological world. I would prefer to see the product but would love to see the observatories they built maintained too.

It is so sad that much has been lost, in the UK we had the Smiths watch company. It was not on a par with Hamilton for quality but it provided a timekeeping for many people.

Just as Timex did.

I love Timex, though there are people better able to tell the story of that amazing company than I.

Don't you just love honest watches?

I need to go to bed, it's late in Blighty.


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## nepman (May 26, 2006)

Smiths is reasonably well known in the US, what with Mt. Everest and all, but the watches themselves aren't very common in my experience. Did have a total loss no-jewel pocketwatch dial marked for the once-massive national retailer sears Roebuck and Co., but a Smiths movement in a low end stamped sheet brass case.

Surplus dealer at recent (2003 or so) gun and militaria show had some essentially new Smiths G10s a couple of years back, as well as some Corteberts. No Hamiltons.

A shame, as they made some quite nice watches in addition to the unjewelled numbers.


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

johnbaz said:


> hi nepman, welcome to the forum
> 
> you can ask pretty much what you like here, there may not be too much knowlege of pocketwatches though, probably your best bet would be to ask raketakat or mach, they seem to be 'in the know' concerning russian pocketwatches
> 
> ...


Sorry but my knowledge of Russian pocket watches is rather poor


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

mach 0.0013137 said:


> johnbaz said:
> 
> 
> > hi nepman, welcome to the forum
> ...


 sorry mac, i though you were 'wised' up with all ruskies









regards, john


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

johnbaz said:


> mach 0.0013137 said:
> 
> 
> > johnbaz said:
> ...


As my signature says.....



> Founder Member of the;-
> 
> *"No Really, I Haven`t A Clue, Club"*


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

As my signature says.....



> Founder Member of the;-
> 
> *"No Really, I Haven`t A Clue, Club"*


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

johnbaz said:


> > As my signature says.....
> >
> >
> >
> ...


Didn`t you want to join up one time John?









New members are always welcome


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