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Watch fobs, popular during Victorian times, were medallions or ornaments attached by a strap, chain or ribbon to a pocket watch to assist in locating and removing the watch from the pocket. Similar to today's key chains, fobs came in many styles and designs (including advertising). They would be used to add weight to help anchor the watch chain into a vest pocket, or to just hang off the chain as a decorative piece of jewelry.
Watch fob designs ranged from simple shapes to intricate hand made miniatures embedded with precious stones. Fob chains were made from gold, platinum, sterling, Boar's hair, leather, string, or even human hair.
See all 42 Pocket Watches events

I bought my first piece of jewelry—a gold ring with a big lapis stone propped on prongs—when I was about 12 with mo… [more]

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

I started out with general antiques and collectibles... I was a dealer for a while and bought and sold all kinds of… [more]

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

My background is in fine art. My B.A. was in Art Education, so I started out as an art teacher. Later, I began work… [more]

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

I started collecting jewelry when I was about 13 years old. I was very close to an interior designer who took me to… [more]

How did I get started collecting Arts and Crafts silver? My wife and I had been collecting Arts and Crafts items as… [more]

This incredible reference dictionary on jewelry, from Enchantedlearning.com, is both beautiful and comprehensive. S… [read review or visit site]

Barry Goldberg’s excellent collection of pocket watches, mostly American models from the late 1800s and early 189… [read review or visit site]

Tom McIntyre’s reference site on antique watches, especially those made by the American Watch Company (later know… [read review or visit site]

Although not actually a university, this website has a lot of great educational information about antique, vintage,… [read review or visit site]

Jewelry collectors, feast your eyes on this internet gem! It's a goldmine of jewelry information featuring all styl… [read review or visit site]

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

Paul Somerson's incredible reference on handwrought metalwork from the American Arts and Crafts movement of the ear… [read review or visit site]

This virtual museum, created by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, lets you stroll through tim… [read review or visit site]

With its vast galleries featuring clear images of jewelry and style, this site really covers it all! Divided up by … [read review or visit site]

Australian historian and collector Hayden Peters' handsome site is a great resource for fans of memorial, mourning,… [read review or visit site]

Since March of 2007, readers of Lori Ettlinger Gross’s JewelHistory blog have been treated to her weekly (sometim… [read review or visit site]
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