/fa/ - Fashion

>>14844694
A few other things about this that if you're an enthusiast getting into pocket watches, you should know regarding this watch:

1) Of the big three American makers (Waltham, Elgin, and Hamilton), Waltham was the oldest. That doesn't necessarily mean anything, but historically they were a standard by which other American watchmakers were judged. Their industrial facilities were studied by a young Henry Ford, and their first 'machine-produced' pocket watches won international awards to the surprise of many from the European continent, who by tradition did everything by hand. Granted, the movements in the Walthams required hand finishing, but the tooling was advanced for the time and the turnaround of numbers was far larger than other makers.

2) The Vanguard is considered the best movement Waltham ever produced in terms of accuracy over the long term. It was used in their Railroad Grade pocket watches, and in models like mine which could be considered somewhat more 'civilian'. Railroad Grade at this time in history required watches to have the crown at 12 and to be lever set (a small lever you pull out from the side of the face before manipulating turning the crown to set the time; used to prevent accidentally time reset if the crown pulled out while in the pocket). Mine however is one of 300 made in this configuration at this time where the movement is railroad grade but it's pendent set (like modern watches) and the crown is at 3. This requires a slight alteration in the organization of the barrel, but it's not unusual. Waltham made all three variations of the movement (crown at 12 and lever set, crown at 3 and lever set, crown at 3 and pendent set), and since the casings for the pocket watches were done locally (mine was done in Canada, likely Toronto) the order was done for a movement only. Customized to the customer.

Sorry...best pic I can do of the mvt.