# Waltham from the bootsale today!



## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Hi all

I picked this nice old American watch Co full hunter today from the bootsale..

The balance was swinging strongly so I took a chance, I tried setting the hands after winding the watch and the minute hand started flopping about and then fell of it's shaft completely!! :laugh:

I removed the bezel, Refitted the hand and all's well apart from it losing time, The regulator was too far from centre causing a long strokle so less BPM, I centralised it more and it gained, Retarded it it again and it seems closer now but will have to make smaller adjuistments until the rate is acceptable :thumbsup:

The serial on the Illinois Watch case Co doesn't match the one of the movement but it's a good fit so is fine with me..





































The crystal will need a polish as it's scratched, I cleaned the dial and inside of the acrylic crystal too as they were loppy!!

I also bought several watches too, Not the cheapest i've had from the bootsales but very nice pieces anyhow!!

Sorry about the scruffy hands, I bought a swivel bench vise that needs wire brushing to remove surface rust, My hands removed most of it!! :tongue:

John


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## gimli (Mar 24, 2016)

Very good find!


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## stdape (Mar 9, 2018)

Show off  wish i could get out to a bootsale. Just have tout up with cheap ones on E-bay which nearly always need apart, which i can not locate lol


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## mr3d (Aug 10, 2018)

stdape said:


> Show off  wish i could get out to a bootsale. Just have tout up with cheap ones on E-bay which nearly always need apart, which i can not locate lol


 Drives me up the wall. Why they can't tell you which part is damaged - Sparse and Repair doesn't tell me anything. I have spent so much on so little.


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## stdape (Mar 9, 2018)

Lucky B.. so and so. Very nice. Wish i could get to Boot Sales, but being housebound at present, not an option. Only E-Bay where bargains getting a rarity.


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## Melville (Jun 17, 2013)

That's a very nice find. The serial number dates the movement to 1914. It's a 14 size Model 1897, Grade No 418 with 15 jewels. Quite a popular movement in it's day with 56,350 produced.

Waltham at that time only made movements which they sold on to the various retail outlets. The retailer would offer the customer a selection of cases by various watch case makers. All the case making companies had their own system of numbering their cases. So the case serial number never matches the movement number. Looking at your case and movement, they appear to be original to each other. Notice there are no extra case screw marks around the edge of the case. A good indication that this movement has spent it's entire life in that case.

Well spotted!


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Melville said:


> That's a very nice find. The serial number dates the movement to 1914. It's a 14 size Model 1897, Grade No 418 with 15 jewels. Quite a popular movement in it's day with 56,350 produced.
> 
> Waltham at that time only made movements which they sold on to the various retail outlets. The retailer would offer the customer a selection of cases by various watch case makers. All the case making companies had their own system of numbering their cases. So the case serial number never matches the movement number. Looking at your case and movement, they appear to be original to each other. Notice there are no extra case screw marks around the edge of the case. A good indication that this movement has spent it's entire life in that case.
> 
> Well spotted!


 WOWSER!! :jawdrop1:

Thanks for the amazing info! :thumbs_up:

John :thumbsup:


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## toyboy (Jan 20, 2019)

hi all i don't want to hijack this thread but since you're discussing the waltham pocket watches i'd love some info on this family heirloom

pics speak louder than words:


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## stdape (Mar 9, 2018)

https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/6601126

not sure of case is correct for the model, but am sure someone will be able to say for sure


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

stdape said:


> https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/search/result/waltham/6601126
> 
> not sure of case is correct for the model, but am sure someone will be able to say for sure


 it is very common to find vintage watches where the case manufacture diferent than the movment. in the USA. vin


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## Melville (Jun 17, 2013)

The initials AWCC stand for American Watch Case Company, a Canadian company that was based in Toronto. Three of their best known gold filled case grades were:- Cashier, Fortune and Empress. The Cashier was the highest grade of these three with a 25 year 'wear through' guarantee.


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## stdape (Mar 9, 2018)

Interesting anout Cashier must remember it


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