The Watch Enthusiast

February 2006

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 1. Welcome to the February issue of The Watch Enthusiast. The Watch Enthusiast is a free newsletter about watch collecting that should be issued 6 times a year. Our goal is to provide original articles about the enjoyment of collecting and wearing wrist and pocket watches and up to date information based on reliable sources.

In this issue, I'm focusing on 12 size pocket watches primarily for their value as the 12 size has not increased in price in the same way the larger size watches have gotten pricier. In fact, unless it says Cartier or Patek or something similar, the price on this size watch has moved very little over the last couple of years. Additionally, 12 size pocket watches were the dress watch of their time and generally also contained a good quality movement. Also, for wearing pleasure, it is the 12 size that will still fit in most current blue jeans watch pockets and work best if using a vest or upper jacket pocket.

Remember that collecting anything should be fun. This is especially true when you can actually wear part of your collection and be able to enjoy its presence by just checking the time. Please let me know if there is a particular watch or style of watch that you would like to see discussed in future articles.

2. 23-Jewel Howard

It is true that many Howard collectors only focus on the older or pre-Keystone Howards. This limited focus makes sense from a collecting standpoint but if done to such an extent, one will miss a couple of excellent watches bearing the Howard name after being taken over by Keystone.

The series II Railroad Chronometer is highly praised and sought after by RailRoad collectors and the Edward Howard model may be a star in a collection. However, often the top 12 size pieces are ignored.

Few platinum pocket watches were made by the American watch companies. The primary production models were 10 & 12 size Hamiltons and 12 size Walthams.  These pieces were generally made with high grade, or the highest grade movements produced by the companies and the overall quality compares well with similar platinum pieces produced in Switzerland.

For their workmanship and price, these American platinum pieces are normally a good value when compared to their Swiss counterparts. However, for those individuals whose sole collecting focus is on high-grade movements, one can generally find the same movement in lesser grade cases for equivalent savings.

5. Musings... A Hamilton collector friend recently told me that the best values he's been getting is on the 12 size Hamiltons. What can be even more interesting is that many of these pieces will, due to inscriptions, cross the line to be of major interest for non-watch collectors. http://pages.captainhucksbooty.com/3559/PictPage/1922412774.html One can also find some simply outstanding cases. http://pages.captainhucksbooty.com/3559/PictPage/1922825294.html Chances are these pieces are priced closer to their present gold value than similar larger watches and this can make a big difference when collecting on a budget as there may be considerably more gold in the larger watches.

Finally, there are some unusual shapes in 12 size watches that just would not work in larger pieces. For value, unusual design and general quality, I suggest that 12 size pocket watches be considered as part of any pocket watch collection (unless you only collect railroad pieces as the 12 size was not approved for use on any railroad).

My apologies for the erratic publication of this newsletter in the past and currently plan to publish every other month this year so I might actually do some of the other writing I've been trying to get started. Please provide your comments about this newsletter and let me know if there is any watch collecting area you would like to see explored in this newsletter.

6. Illinois 6-sided Pocket Watch

One of those unusual shaped 12 sizes is the six-sided thin model made by Illinois Watch Company. 

These were made with both 17 and 19 jewel movements during the 1920s and occasionally held A. Lincoln movements. They are simply fun pieces from a maker that was always ahead of the curve in design with solid quality workmanship.