Another new arrival (I will stop soon I promise), a new Tandorio flight watch. They use a Japanese movement in their watches, and is the first 'wind-up' watch I've had in a long time. I bought a metal bracelet for it that is still on its way, as I think it will be more durable for work, but I wasn't expecting the leather band to look so good on it.
I bought it as the face reminds me of an old style speedometer:
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One of my favorite books is Shepard of the Hills, where the postmaster declared to a crowd of loafers Jim bought a four dollar watch in 1907:
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"James Creelman, E-S-Q., Wal, dad burn
me. Jim done wrote t' that there house in Chicago more'n three weeks ago, 'bout a watch they're a sellin' fer fo' dollars. Ba thundas! They'd sure answer
me quicker'n that, er they'd hear turkey. What! I done tole Jim it was only a blamed ol' fo' dollar house anyhow."
At this many nods and glances were exchanged by the group in silent admiration of the "gov'ment," and one mountaineer, bold even to recklessness, remarked, "Jim must have a heap o' money t' be a buyin' four dollar watches. Must er sold that gray mule o' hisn; hit'd fetch 'bout that much, I reckon."
"Much you know 'bout it, Buck Boswell. Let me tell you, Jim he works, he does. He's the workingest man in this here county, ba thundas! What! Jim he don't sit 'round like you fellers down on th' creek an' wait fer pawpaws to git ripe, so he can git a square meal, ba thundas!" The bold mountaineer wilted.
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What the mail order houses sold for four dollars at the turn of the century was an American seven jewel movement in a nickel silver case.
I own a couple of examples. They had two pallet jewels and two hole jewels with two cap jewels for the balance, and one impulse (roller) jewel.
This arrangement might last a lifetime if the watch was serviced annually, and carefully worn.
But the train of a watch is under a lot of pressure from the mainspring, and to insure long life a watch needs 15 jewels, and 2 more for the center wheel don’t hurt, making 17 jewels.
I own several 15 and 17 jewel watches over a century old and still good timekeepers. Any more than 17, or at most 23 jewels, is more to sell a watch than improve function.
Information, serial numbers, specs, and values of American antique pocket watches, with serial number lookups for manufacturers such as Elgin, Illinois, Waltham, and Hamilton.
pocketwatchdatabase.com
