November 23, 2008
Pocket watches saw their heyday in the late 19th century, as a wave of investment went into pocket watch design and manufacture. The reason for this was that railroads needed highly accurate, precision timepieces so their locomotive engineers could maintain strict schedules, thus avoiding collisions.
Antique pocket watch collectors care both about a watch's movement and its case. Cases were made of different metals like silver and gold. Many were gold-filled, with two thin sheets of gold on the outside around a thicker layer of brass.
Pocket watch cases were also made from a wide variety of silver colored material, with trade names like silveride, usually nickel based. While gold watch cases are appealing to collectors, today's value has more to do with what was appropriate to the watch at the time.
The quality of an antique pocket watch movement is related to the number of jewels it has and other factors. For a more detailed discussion of jewels see railroad pocket watches.
I got started collecting pocket watches partly because I hated wearing wristwatches; I used to carry my wrist… [more]
Barry Goldberg’s excellent collection of pocket watches, mostly American models from the late 1800s and early 189… [more]
Tom McIntyre’s reference site on antique watches, especially those made by the American Watch Company (later know… [more]
This simple but impressive site features visually stunning, high resolution photographs of American pocket watch mo… [more]
This virtual museum, created by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, lets you stroll through tim… [more]
Got a site to suggest? Let us know.
Are we missing one? Tell us.
Breguet No.4629 Sold On July 4 1829 For 1.800 Francs Buy it Now$26,800.00 Ends Thursday 22 bids
Rare 18k Gold Patek Philippe Split-second Chronograph$7,601.00 Ends Monday 21 bids
Fantastic Patek Philippe & Co Geneva Chronometer - 1892$2,550.00 Ends Wednesday 12 bids
Rare French Enamel Gold Dumb 1/4 Hour Repeater Fusee$2,225.00 Ends Tuesday 20 bids
Beautiful 18s Waltham 14k Gold Hunter Case Pocket Watch Buy it Now$2,025.00 Ends in 13 hours 19 bids
Rare 14k Gold 5 Minute Waltham Repeater Pocket Watch$2,024.99 Ends Monday 12 bids
18k Huguenin Minute Repeater Chronograph Enamel Horse$2,000.00 Ends Monday 16 bids
18k Gold Theodore B. Starr Minute Repeater Chronograph$1,842.00 Ends Tuesday 22 bids
Illinois Elinvar 23 Jewel 60 Hour 163a Bunn Special $1,800.00 Ends in 12 hours 16 bids
Unique Solid Gold 14k Tiffany & Co Perpetual Calendar$1,775.00 Ends Monday 11 bids
18k Gold Patek Philippe Chronometro Gondolo Watch 56mm$1,642.00 Ends Tuesday 17 bids
Rare 22k Repousee Paircase Verge Fusse Pocket Watch !!$1,325.00 Ends in 28 mins 16 bids
Vintage Cartier Pocket Watch - 18k Solid Gold$1,300.00 Ends in 12 hours 1 bid
Fine & Scarce 16s Illinois 163a Bunn Spc 23j/60hr #41a$1,125.00 Ends Wednesday 6 bids
Rare Illinois "bunn Special", 23 J, Double Roller-1932 $1,080.00 Ends Tuesday 11 bids
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Watch$1,030.00 Ends Friday 24 bids
Antique Patek Philip Watch Box Stamps 18k Gold Jewels$1,025.00 Ends Monday 13 bids
5 Drawer Oak Crystal Cabinet Hamilton Illinois Waltham $1,000.00 Ends Monday 1 bid
Hampden 16s 23j 14k Solid Gold Hunter Case Ex/mint !$950.00 Ends in 9 hours 10 bids
Hamilton 21j Paragon Time Keeper Mermod & Jaccard's$900.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid
Illinois Pocket Watch Sangamo Special / Rare$900.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid
Awesome Patek Philippe & Co Geneva Chronometer - 1890$863.00 Ends Monday 15 bids
23 Jewel 60 Hour Bunn Special With Box & Papers$860.00 Ends Tuesday 8 bids
Solid Gold 14k Waltham Riverside Maximus Pocket Watch$860.00 Ends Tuesday 6 bids
Superb Mans Heavy 18k Antique 1878 Waltham Pocket Watch$860.00 Ends in 15 hours 29 bids
Rare Antique 18k Patek Philippe 20 Jewel Pocket Watch$821.00 Ends Monday 15 bids
Iwc International Watch Co - 18k Pocket Watch$820.00 Ends Saturday 4 bids
Rare 14k Huguenin-breguet Minute Repeater Pocket Watch$805.00 Ends Monday 21 bids
Hamilton 950b 23 Jewel 16 Size Pocket Watch 93n$750.00 Ends in 13 hours 1 bid
Fantastic 16/s Elgin Up/down Winding Indicator$735.00 Ends Tuesday 7 bids
23j Bunn Speical 60 Hour Scarce Case Pocket Illinois$717.00 Ends Tuesday 7 bids
Longines 18k Gold Split-second Chronograph Pocket Watch$715.00 Ends Thursday 19 bids
18karat Gold Accutron Watch And Band M9$711.09 Ends in 13 hours 4 bids
Triple Signed 992b Railroad Aprv Hamilton Pocket Watch $709.99 Ends in 13 hours 17 bids
Rare 18k White Gold Patek Philippe Chronometro Gondolo$687.00 Ends Tuesday 11 bids
Fine 16s Hamilton 950 B 23j/6pos Railroad Grade Nr #40e$676.66 Ends Wednesday 7 bids
Iwc Schaffhausen Stainless Steel Antique Watch 1902$660.00 Ends in 11 hours 32 bids
14k Multi Color Gold 18s Waltham Hun. Case Pocket Watch$656.00 Ends Monday 13 bids
Superb Solid 9 Carat Gold Full Hunter Pocket Watch.$631.19 Ends in 3 hours 14 bids
Rare 18k Gold Early Patek Philippe Enamel Diamond Watch$630.00 Ends Tuesday 10 bids
Rare Large A. Lange & Sohne Deck Watch W Certificates$625.00 Ends Friday 11 bids
Charles Frodsham 18kt Demi-hunter Pocket Watch--rare!$611.00 Ends in 18 hours 9 bids
Unique 1904 $20 Gold Piece Coin W 18kt Ebel Watch Insid$610.00 Ends Monday 3 bids
Magnificent 1800’s 18k Gold Enameled Key Wind Pocket!!!$610.00 Ends in 9 hours 25 bids
18ct Gold "patek Philippe " Open Face Pocket Watch,$607.46 Ends Tuesday 9 bids
Spectacular 1880 Museum 18k Solid Gold Enameled Pocket!$600.99 Ends in 9 hours 15 bids
American Watch Co Waltham Bridge Model Pocket Watch $600.00 Ends in 11 hours 1 bid
Rare Illinois Ball 16 Sz. 23 Jewel Railroad Pocketwatch$585.88 Ends Monday 5 bids
Pocket Watch Antique 14kt Rose Gold/f Elgin Hunter 1903$585.23 Ends in 7 hours 38 bids
Hamilton Ball 999 23 Jewel 16 Size Railroad Pocketwatch$575.99 Ends Monday 7 bids
Wymark 18 K Solid Gold Pocket Watch, Fusee, 1830-1835 Buy it Now$565.99 Ends Monday 10 bids
Rare 18k Gold Enameled Hunting Case Pocket Watch$565.00 Ends Monday 18 bids
Zodiac Chronograph Zodia-chron Hermetic Valjoux 72 Buy it Now$560.00 Ends Thursday 9 bids
Vintage Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Movement $9.99 Nr$559.99 Ends in 4 hours 8 bids
24 Jewel 18s Illinois Bunn Special Freshly Serviced!!$546.56 Ends in 9 hours 6 bids
Spectacular 1878 18k Solid Gold Elgin Hunting Case!!$538.88 Ends in 8 hours 10 bids
Illinois Sangamo Special Unmarked 60hr 23j Pocket Watch Buy it Now$535.01 Ends in 8 hours 9 bids
Howard 18s Series Vii 14k Solid Gold Hunter Near Mint!$535.00 Ends in 9 hours 8 bids
