# Great or great-great-grandfather's old gold pocket watch



## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

Greetings all,

My great-grandfather or great great-grandfather, we are at this time not sure which one, bought himself a gold watch on a business trip to continental Europe.

This would been between around 1860 at the very earliest or around the first world war at the absolutely latest, depending who did the trip. Since my grandparents passing me or my mother have been unable to verify the details.

I would like any help in identifying the watch, any information is welcome. I believe it might be Swiss, and it is made of 14k gold. I am for now unable to provide a photo of the movement since my mom who currently has the watch back home in Norway is not qualified to safely open it and I am currently an ocean away. Supposedly it still works fine.

Thank you for any assistance!

O. Iversen




























Forgot to add; higher resolution of the photos


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Hi, nice watch and welcome to The Watch Forum :rltrlt:

We really need to see a picture of the movement and a picture of the hallmark of the casemaker inside the lid of the watch to be able to give more information

I hope you will keep the watch in the family, so many people sell their family heirlooms for a few hundred pounds and all that heritage just gets thrown out the window which does upset me.

Looking forward to seeing more pictures


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## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

Thanks for the welcome!

No plans of selling this watch ever, it will stay in the family as long as I'm around. I inherited it from my grandfather who inherited it from his father or grandfather.

By hallmark I assume you mean a stamp inside the watch when opened to expose the movement, and not the shield stating 14k inside the watch case, correct?

I am fairly certain the number below states 726020 but have no idea what it means. Will get on trying to find a safe way to have the watch opened and photos sent for this thread.


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## stdape (Mar 9, 2018)

Opening the Watch is simple back just shuts. You can see where to open it by a slight protruding bit. As said the movement, hallmark would be of great help


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## ifanfos (Feb 21, 2019)

can be a display including rare items


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

welcome to the forum. my granfathers railroad watch was given me by my granmother. p.o. ed my father,! but he took me to a jeweler to tell me how to set the time. i think he knew it was a "lever set". vin


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## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

Back with some photos and info. On the inside of the back lid there are three rows of information that reads as following:

726020 IWC

617748 H5

+55231

I'm no expert but I assume the look of the photos place it at the more recent end of my posted estimated age.

Any help most appreciated!

Photo of movement:



















Sorry, I misspelled. The info is not just on the back lid but also written in the movement itself. I believe first row inside the lid and the following two in the movement, as seen on the photo.

And my mother managed to post a photo of the front that just has our family initials B. I. on it, not the hallmark, bless her oops:

Higher resolution of the movement:


http://imgur.com/xVLwUPq


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

The movement year of manifacturing is 1914 - 1915. Case was made 1919 -1920... This is a serious, good quality watch.


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## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

1920 makes sense for my great grandfathers last trip abroad. The clock is still ticking so the quality must indeed be nice! Anyone have any idea as to country of manufacture, brand etc? Or anyplace I can make use of the engraved letters and numbers to find out more?


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

The manufacture is IWC Shaffhausen...


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## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

Nevenbekriev, thank you so much for your help so far I appreciate it!


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## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

Looks like it might be one of IWC's finger bridge calibre models but I cannot find a model that exactly fits the look on my great grandfathers watch.

Are anyone able to tell what model or guess at number of jewels of the watch?


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

Cal 66 H5, probably 15 jewels


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## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

Thank you again Nevenbekriev. With that many jewels I assume its a quality watch with some value, any tips as how to store it for posterity? I'm afraid the watch's original case is lost to time, only the watch itself and its gold chain remains thankfully in good health.


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

Yes, it is quality watch, it is not only because of the jewels number, but tne accuracy and finish of details. IWC of that time allways means quality.

The watch doesn't need special storrage - keep it clean, away from moisture and dust and do not drop it!!!... If You are going to wind it often and keep it running, then You beter give it to a good watchmaker for cleaning and oiling. Othervice - just love it...


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## Iversen (Mar 30, 2019)

If it is a valuable watch I might consider sending it to IWC for service, I expect that to be an expensive endeavor so will only consider it if it if the watch is worth it. I have no plans of dropping it or giving it a bath.. same treatment as todays expensive phones!

All three dials still move seemingly correct when winded up and appear to be original blued metal, but some numbers have faded and who knows what I cannot see in the movement.

Is there anywhere reliable I can go or ask online to find out an approximate value of this watch model? I cannot seem to find much info online myself because it is an old model or also maybe not many made.


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

Hm...

Yes, the watch is valuable - because of the movement, and bacause it is golden. Actually, it is most valuable because of the familly history it keeps... But, it will be a great mistake to send it to IWC... This will be a financial suicide! My advice is to look aroud for some old watchmaker, who still knows and remembers how to work wid old mechanical watches... Actually, the regular service of one is not complicatd or hard to do task, this is a routine... Do not giv it to somebody without ehperiace, as he will probably ruin it... In my country, it will cost about 50 Eur, at least I am doing it for that... But I know that this is different in You part of Europe...

The dial needs restoring, but it is not a routine task, it will be expensive. But my advice is to leave as it is, as it will be a complitely different watch after the dial restoring, the familly history will be errased from it... Just be verry carefull if trying to clean it, because the numbers and marks will easy go off!!!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=IWC+golden+pocket+watch&_sacat=0


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## spinynorman (Apr 2, 2014)

Iversen said:


> If it is a valuable watch I might consider sending it to IWC for service


 If you can get it to the UK, you could ask @simon2 on here. He's worked on a Longines movement of mine from 1925, always does good work. His web site is here https://www.essexclockandwatchclinic.com/


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## vinn (Jun 14, 2015)

Iversen said:


> Looks like it might be one of IWC's finger bridge calibre models but I cannot find a model that exactly fits the look on my great grandfathers watch.
> 
> Are anyone able to tell what model or guess at number of jewels of the watch?


 also, can anyone see if it is a clyindar escapment? vin


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## nevenbekriev (Apr 21, 2019)

vinn said:


> also, can anyone see if it is a clyindar escapment? vin


 No, this is swiss lever escapement. Cylindres from that time usually are cheap or ladies watches movements.


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

nevenbekriev said:


> But, it will be a great mistake to send it to IWC... This will be a financial suicide!
> 
> In my country, it will cost about 50 Eur, at least I am doing it for that... But I know that this is different in You part of Europe...


 Correct on both fronts. And if you have ever been to Norway then €50 is four pints, unless you go somewhere nice where it is three pints...

Nice watch. I wouldn't recommend doing anything with the dial - it can only be original once.


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