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Pocket watch use peaked in the late 19th century as a wave of investment went into pocket watch design and manufacture by companies such as Elgin, Waltham, Hamilton, and Illinois. The was because railroads needed highly accurate, precision timepieces so their locomotive engineers could maintain strict schedules, thus avoiding collisions.
Hunting case watches, popular during the 19th century, have a closed cover that flips open when you push a button. By 1900, the open face watch took over and hunting case watches became less commonplace.
The shafts on the wheels of pocket watches are made of steel, and the plates are made of different kinds of brass, most commonly nickel brass (also known as nickel plate). The ge...
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 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.
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by Interviews & Articles
A Short History of the American Antique Pocket Watch
I got interested in clocks in 1967, and I started collecting watches fairly seriously in the early ‘80s. I ran out of room for clo… [more]
Keeping Time with Waltham, Hamilton, and Illinois Pocket Watches
I got started collecting pocket watches partly because I hated wearing wristwatches; I used to carry my wristwatch in my pocket, s… [more]
Jonathan Snellenburg Ticks off the History of Watches and Clocks
I grew up outside of Philadelphia. I didn’t have any particular interest in clocks or watches as a kid; that came after I started … [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Barry S. Goldbergs Pocket Watch Collection
Barry Goldberg’s excellent collection of pocket watches, mostly American models from the late 1800s and early 189… [read review or visit site]
American Watch Company Web
Tom McIntyre’s reference site on antique watches, especially those made by the American Watch Company (later know… [read review or visit site]
National Watch and Clock Museum
This virtual museum, created by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, lets you stroll through tim… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Pocket Watches
Other Great Reference Sites: Pocket Watches
Top eBay Auctions
Antique 1888 16 Size Waltham 5 Minute Repeater In Original 14k Box Hinged Case
Patek Philippe Rare Solid 18k Rose Gold Antique Vintage Pocket Watch July 1893
Very Rare 18k White Gold 4x Signed Patek Philippe Vintage Pocket Breguet Numbers
Stunning Patek Philippe & Cie 18k Gold Pocket Watch With Floral Decorations
Vintage Vacheron Constantin 18k Rose Gold Pocket Watch 
Rarest Patek Philippe 18k. Solid Gold Pocket Watch With An Original Paper
Antique Musical Repeater Pocket Watch 18k
1912 Patek Philippe Mens Pocket Watch - 47mm, 18k Gold
Auguste Saltzman 18k Fine Gold Pocket Watch -matching Serial #s On Movement/case
Patek Philippe 18 K Gold Open Face Pocket Watch With Box
Patek Philippe & Cie Skeleton Engraving Chronometer Pocket Watch Movement 1913
Antique 1800's Patek Phillippe Geneva Chronograph Mens Nickel Case Pocket Watch 
A197 Antique 18kt Gold Ulysse Nardin Pocket Watch Triple Signed 104gr Open Face
Mens Antique 1887 E. Howard & Co Boston Vintage Amazing Beefy Watch Size 18
Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Gold 18ct 117gr 1895?
American Waltham Riverside, Solid 14k Gold Gentlemen
Savonet Pocket Watch,chronograph Minute Repeater 18 K Gold
Vacheron Constantin Gold And Silver 60mm Chronomtere Royal Pocket Watch W/box
1926 Waltham Vanguard M.1908 Lossier~wind Indicator~2 Time~23j~locomotive Case
Omega 14k Gold Pocket Watch 1912 Caliber 23j 
A. Lange & Sohne Glashutte Higest Quality Chronometer Pocket Watch Movement 1889
Lot Of 1,082.7 Grams Gold Filled Pocket Watch Cases Scrap Or Use
Lot Of 889 Grams Gold Filled Pocket Watch Cases Scrap Or Use
Rarest Patek Philippe 18k. Solid Gold Pocket Watch With An Original Paper
18k A. Lange & Sohne Pocket Watch
Rare H Mathey Peytieu Solid 18kt Gold Key Wind Pocket Watch 60.6g Not Scrap Gold
Rare Fine Vintage 14k Gold 16s Ball Waltham 19j Railroad Grade Pocket Watch
14k Lecoultre Repeater Pocket Watch, Dial Signed Chs. J. Gauff & Co, Hong Kong
Iwc International Watch Co Schaffhausen High Quality Pocket Watch Movement 1915
Stunning Swiss 9ct Gold Quarter Repeater Chronograph Full Hunter Pocket Watch
Tiffany & Co 18k Solid Gold Women's Pocket Hunters Watch
Hamilton 950 - 23 Jewel - 16 Size - Perfect Condition
1857 London 18k Gold Joseph Barling, Maidstone. 15 Jewel Fusee Pocket Watch.
Museum Quality 18s American Waltham Antique Hunting Case Pocket Watch. L@@k
9ct. Gold Waltham Vanguard 23 Jewels Pocket Watch (1928) - Working. 6 Positions.
Extra Nice Hamilton 950b Railroad Pocket Watch - Model A Case - Ca51-55
23.9 Grams 18k Gold Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Case 42 Mm Scrap Not 14k Read
Antique Swiss Calendar Rare 19 Ligne Pocket Watch 14k Solid Gold Hunter 105 Gram
33.1g 14k Waltham Pocket Watch W/ Diamonds
Iwc International Watch Co Observatory Chronometer Pocket Watch Movement - 1909
Rareantique 1800 H. Moser & Cie Silver Niello Hunter Case Pocket Watch Runs Well
Repeater Goldfilled Pocket Watch Case
Rare Silver Case Quarter Repeater Verge Fusee Antique Pocket Watch - 1770 
Rrae 14k Gold Civil War Era 10s 44mm Antique Waltham Pocket Watch Hunting Case
Superb Man's Pocket Watch 5 Cm Solid Gold 18k From Reckling Paris In 1889
Omega Skeleton Gold Wild Cat Engraving High Quality Pocket Watch Movement - 1900
Quarter Repeater Pocket Watch,made Byl.droz.gunmetal Blue.date & Seconds
1905
16s Waltham 23 Jewel Railroad Pocket Watch True Montgomery Dial Up/down Wind Ind
14k Solid Gold Open Face Hamilton Pocket Watch 17j Ca 1920 
Vacheron & Constantin 40 Mm Hunting Pocket Watch Movement. 93j
Unique Gold Plated Verge Fusee Pair Case Antique Pocket Watch - 1798
Jaeger - Lecoultre Half-skeleton Dragon Engraving Pocket Watch Movement
Rare Sterling Silver Thomas Cooper Chinese Duplex Pocket Watch W/ Painted Dial
Rare Elgin B W Raymond Gct 22j Military Hack Pocket Watch With Gimbals Case
Lot Of Gold Filled Pocket Watch Cases And Scrap Gold Fill 395.9 Grams
Mens Ultra Rare 1903 Waltham - Usa Vintage Extraordinary Watch Fully 19 Jewels
Elgin Rr, Of, 16 Size, Ls 21j Bw Raymond, Invar Up/down, Superb Watch
18k Solid Gold 1858-59 Patek Philippe & Co Early Keyless Wind Pocket Watch Ticks
Antique 18k Gold Pocket Watch With Key Henry Hutton Ballarat 63 Grams
Recent News: Pocket Watches
Source: Google News
Bidders descend on antique English pocket watches
WatchPro.com, May 23rdThis pocket watch made in London and decorated with Masonic symbols was the top lot at the auction. Antique pocket watches made in England sold for as little as £10 when a collection went under the gavel at Goulding Young & Mawer's auction house...Read more
Pocket watches by Lincolnshire watch makers such as Jackson of Spilsby sell ...
Skegness Standard, May 23rdThe highest price paid at the sale was £420 for a William IV silver cased pocket watch, made in London in 1837, with Masonic symbols to the dial. Auctioneer John Leatt said: “This was a well selected collection of pocket watches which appealed not only...Read more
Bonhams in London to sell pocket watch made for Coco Chanel's French lover
Art Daily, May 15thLONDON.- A pocket watch made for the illustrator and designer Paul Iribe – one-time lover of the legendary fashion designer Coco Chanel – will be among the lots in the Bonhams Fine Watches and Wristwatches Sale in New Bond Street, London, UK,...Read more
Antiques Expert Says Scilly Is Pocket Watch Crazy
ScillyToday, May 10thBrian Chesters appears on the television programme Dickinson's Real Deal and came over to value antique items in the session at Tregarthen's Hotel yesterday. Brian regularly visits isolated island communities, including the Channel Islands and the...Read more
World's first atomic pocket watch
GlobalPost, May 8thSet for release at the end of the year, London-based watchmaker Hoptroff is creating the world's first atomic pocket watch. Developed under the codename 'Atom Heart Mother,' the new Hoptroff No. 10, is the world's first atomic-powered pocket watch. So...Read more
First atomic pocket watch starts ticking
E&T magazine, May 7th“As far as we know it is the first time an atomic time source has been used in a pocket watch movement, and it delights me that it was achieved right here in London, not Le Locle (in Switzerland) or Tokyo." The front dial of the watch will be designed...Read more
Hoptroff No 10 is world's first atomic pocket watch movement
CNET UK, May 2nd"As far as we know it is the first time an atomic time source has been used in a pocket watch movement," boasts Richard Hoptroff, managing director of Hoptroff, "and it delights me that it was achieved right here in London, not Le Locle or Tokyo."...Read more
Hoptroff's atomic pocket watch is the ultimate rich guy accessory
Engadget, May 1stLuxury timepiece maker Hoptroff has just teased details of its latest method of parting you from your money -- a pocket watch with its own atomic clock. Unlike your average radio-receiving watch, the Hoptroff No. 10 will apparently contain a...Read more