Pocket Watches

About Antique Pocket Watches

Pocket watch use peaked in the late 19th century as a wave of investment went into pocket watch design and manufacture. This 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 gears are usually made of brass, but some were made of steel and gold was used on high-grade watches.

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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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Pocket Watch Collector Tom McIntyre

I got interested in clocks in 1967, and I started collecting watches fairly seriously in the early ‘80s. I… [more]

An Interview With Antique Pocket Watch Collector Barry S. Goldberg

I got started collecting pocket watches partly because I hated wearing wristwatches; I used to carry my wrist… [more]

An Interview With Vintage Watch and Clock Expert Jonathan Snellenburg

I grew up outside of Philadelphia. I didn’t have any particular interest in clocks or watches as a kid; tha… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Barry S. Goldbergs Pocket Watch Collection

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

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]

Heartland Horology

Heartland Horology

This simple but impressive site features visually stunning, high resolution photographs of American pocket watch mo… [read review or visit site]

National Watch and Clock Museum

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]


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Clubs & Associations: Pocket Watches


Discussion Forums: Pocket Watches


Other Great Reference Sites: Pocket Watches

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1923 Dudley Masonic Pocket Watch Series 2! Very Rare!!!$5,252 Ends Monday 20 bids 49 watchers
Patek Philippe & Co Geneva Chronometer Officer Style$3,999 Ends in 13 mins 29 bids 130 watchers
Very Early Patek Philippe & Co Geneve Chrongraph - 1875$3,630 Ends Monday 32 bids 115 watchers
1824, 18k Gold Duplex Repeater Pocket Watch, Boxed$3,407 Ends Sunday 22 bids 53 watchers
Very Rare Solid 18k Gold Patek Philippe & Cie Geneve$2,550 Ends Sunday 28 bids 134 watchers
Rarest!!patek Philippe Minutes Repeater/chronograph$2,550 Ends Saturday 7 bids 36 watchers
Vintage 18k Yellow Gold Patek Philippe Pocket Watch 651$2,222 Ends Sunday 7 bids 17 watchers
Outstanding Illinois 163a Elinvar~23j 60 Hour Dial~ Nr$1,836 Ends Saturday 13 bids 36 watchers
Outstanding 18kt Yellow Gold Waltham 18sz Pocket Watch$1,825 Ends Sunday 11 bids 30 watchers
Rare 1700s Antique 18k Gold Enamel French Pocket Watch$1,765 Ends Sunday 21 bids 48 watchers
Patek Philippe Open Face Pocket Watch - 18k Yg$1,580 Ends Monday 14 bids 23 watchers
Howard 18k Hunters Pocket Watch Excellent 3.14 Oz$1,500 Ends Sunday 1 bid 12 watchers
Azimuth$1,350 Ends Monday 29 bids 24 watchers
Outstanding Ball 998 Elinvar ~ Stirrup Bow Case~ Nr$1,313 Ends Saturday 12 bids 25 watchers
Thomas Russell, 9ct Solid Gold, Hunter, Pocket Watch$1,238 Ends Sunday 42 bids 44 watchers
Patek Philippe & Co Geneve Chronometer - 1886$1,230 Ends Thursday 14 bids 56 watchers
14k Gold Pocket Watch-waltham 1886-hunter's Case$1,200 Ends Saturday 1 bid 2 watchers
16s Illinois 161a 21j Elinvar Railroad Pocket Watch #2$1,035 Ends in 4 hours 12 bids 39 watchers
18k Jules Jurgensen Split Second Chrono Pocketwatch Nr$1,026 Ends Monday 2 bids 7 watchers
Watch Patek Cronograph 48mm $1,021 Ends Sunday 37 bids 39 watchers
1880 J. Assmann ,a.lange Antique Watch Glashutte$1,009 Ends Saturday 15 bids 28 watchers
Hamilton 18s Rose Gold Battleship Case O'hara Dial Ex+$999.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 19 watchers
Scarce 14k Gold 16s Hamilton 991 Railroad Pocket Watch$931.00 Ends in 5 hours 19 bids 73 watchers
Beautiful Longines 18k Gold Pocket Watch$900.00 Ends in 18 hours 1 bid 4 watchers
Ulysse Nardin Deck Watch$870.00 Ends Tuesday 2 bids 30 watchers
Top Grade 20 Jewel Nickel Lange Movement No.13715 $870.00 Ends Sunday 16 bids 63 watchers
Hamilton 950 Elinvar Railroad Watch, 23j, Original!$830.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 25 watchers
Mens Xix Cent. Huguenin 1/4 Repeater Chronograph Watch$810.00 Ends Monday 24 bids 106 watchers
Azimuth$810.00 Ends Sunday 29 bids 24 watchers
Rare Art Deco Vacheron Constantin Watch Solid Silver.$769.00 Ends Sunday 19 bids 69 watchers
Men's Mint 14k Solid Gold 120 Gram Waltham Pocket Watch$761.01 Ends Saturday 5 bids 34 watchers
Illinois Bunn Special 161e 21j Railroad Pocket Watch $730.00 Ends Sunday 11 bids 35 watchers
Illinois Bunn Special Railroad Elinvar Pocket Watch$720.00 Ends Saturday 7 bids 27 watchers
Hamilton Pocketwatch 23 Jewels - B53$688.89 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 23 watchers
16s Hamilton 950b 23j/6pos Railroad Pocket Watch No/re$680.00 Ends Saturday 14 bids 58 watchers
Illinois Elinvar 23 Jewel Bunn Special 163a Pkt Watch$665.00 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 9 watchers
Antique Vntg Heuer Monte Carlo 3 Button Stop Watch$610.00 Ends in 6 hours 3 bids 33 watchers
Antique E Mathey 14kt Gold Repeater Pocket Watch$610.00 Ends Sunday 5 bids 22 watchers
Vintage Patek Philippe Movement & Dial. Circa 1900$600.00 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 17 watchers
Antique Pocket Watch Quarter Repeater Steel Black Case$599.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 17 watchers
18k 19 Jewel Touchon & Co Pocket Watch$599.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 12 watchers
9ct Gold Albert Pocket Watch Chain Weight 46.5 Grams $565.11 Ends Sunday 21 bids 29 watchers
Rare Pair-cased Horn Verge Fusee London C1770 Project$556.80 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 36 watchers
Rare Painted Dial St Paul's Silver Verge Fusee Watch $531.87 Ends in 14 hours 15 bids 64 watchers
Watch Non-magnetic Cronograph 48mm $510.00 Ends Sunday 19 bids 7 watchers
Wwii Elgin Watch, Navigation, Master An-5740-1$510.00 Ends Sunday 5 bids 15 watchers
Fantastic H.grandjean & Co Locle Minute Repeater$510.00 Ends Friday 13 bids 65 watchers
Ball 23 Jewel Railroad Pocket Watch With Chain & Knife$500.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 19 watchers
18k Gold Cresarrow 21 Jewels Pocket Watch Not Working$499.99 Ends Saturday 1 bid 11 watchers
Waltham Pocket Watch, Canadian Pacific Railway, 18s 17j$499.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 17 watchers
Rare Pin Plate Waltham Eagle Hc #10,897 Pocket Watch$499.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 14 watchers
Watch Patek 33mm $485.00 Ends Sunday 29 bids 25 watchers
Zenith W/ 39gr 18k Solid Gold Mint Hunting Pocket Watch$481.00 Ends Friday 13 bids 32 watchers
18 Kt Solid Gold Waltham Riverside *heavy 18kt Case*$480.00 Ends Sunday 23 bids 31 watchers
Solid 18k Gold 30tooth Rack Lever By M. I. Tobias C1815$473.70 Ends Monday 6 bids 39 watchers
Heavy Antique 9ct Gold Double Albert Watch Chain 34.6g$465.39 Ends Sunday 15 bids 24 watchers
Vintage Moon Phase Triple Calendar Goliath Pocket Watch$458.74 Ends Thursday 13 bids 43 watchers
9ct Gold Albert Graduated Pocket Watch Chain Weight 42g$450.43 Ends Sunday 5 bids 13 watchers
Omega Seamaster 300 Automatic 1964 Watch Collectors $449.00 Ends Sunday 2 bids 67 watchers

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Recent News: Pocket Watches

Source: Google News

World's most complicated pocket watch sells for £3m
Watch Shop UK, November 20th

With a huge 33 complications, the Patek Philippe Yellow Gold Calibre 89 pocket watch weighs nearly 2.5lbs and has an 18k yellow gold case, created in order...Read more

Fall River residents share treasured artifacts, talk about lost ancestors
Fall River Herald News, November 19th

A watch Edna Dennis gave him was his grandfather's pocket watch, which he'd carried when he walked a beat in the city's Corky Row section...Read more

BEHIND THE SCENES: Roland Serves Up Fashion Advice
News One, November 19th

But Roland doesn't stop at the ascot, he's got more fashion tricks up his sleeve and in his pocket. Watch as he gives you all some tips on how to pimp out...Read more

Walters Art Museum show traces evolution of jewelry since Greece, Rome
Baltimore Sun, November 19th

Craft will be repairing an elaborate timepiece that is an early precursor of a pocket watch, and which was made in Switzerland between 1640 and 1660...Read more

Patek Philippe Pocket Watch Sells for $5 Million, Sets New World Record
Luxist (blog), November 18th

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) Nov 18th 2009 at 8:02PM A Patek Philippe Yellow Gold Calibre 89 pocket watch, the world's most complex timepiece as mentioned...Read more

Picture of the Week: Emperor Menelik's Pocket Watch
Tadias Magazine, November 17th

An historical pocket watch made for Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II (1844 – 1913), “The Negus Watch” dates from 1893. The Watch was a gift to Léon Chefneux in...Read more

Tiny Clip-On Timepieces Turn Anything Into a Watch
Wired News, November 16th

There's a theory that the pocket watch has returned, almost entirely replacing the irksome, vulgar upstart wrist-watch, which had itself pushed the...Read more

Lindsay's Former Mgr: Michael 'Way Beyond Low'
TMZ.com (blog), November 9th

A pocket watch (or pocketwatch) is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket, as opposed to a wristwatch, which is strapped to the wrist...Read more

Pocket Watches

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