The wife or family buys the Dad an expensive railroad pocket watch. If he's a railroader or even a railroad wannabe, he never or rarely uses it. Keeps it in the top drawer still in the original wrap. Only takes it out to look at it or use it for special occasions. How many 950 or 950B's or E's have you seen really used? Sure, there are some but most are minty. It's even the case with the 992B's and E's. At least this is the case with the watches I see on eBay. A 950 Hamilton would be like buying a car today almost??

If you give me the year and the price I can tell you what in 2001 dollars that family spent... It will surprise you!

Jim

Railman:

I know a few railroaders up in Canada who worked as Yardman, and Yard Foreman who used Railway grade pocket watches and hardly ever carried them at work. They would leave them at home and use a wristwatch, they would get away with this as Railway time in a yard was not is crucial as it was out on the road as there were no trains to meet or any schedule trains in a terminal (Yard) where trains were switched for made up. This way their watches were like new and it saved them having to get them cleaned as often .If they heard that the company officials would be out checking for watch cards they of course would bring their pocket watches to work. Another instance I know of is a good friend of mine who worked as the Railway fireman on the Canadian Pacific and bought a brand-new Ball 999 B in 1952 but was furloughed in the mid-1950s when the CPR converted from steam to diesel power he went to work in another career as a police officer but still has his pocket watch which I just had cleaned for him and it is in beautiful condition.

Buchaneer

sorry, but i differ in opinon on this....

With production numbers of 500k of 992B and 992 movments, I don't think there has been observed a large enough sample to say most are mint.....

I have seen plenty that the cases were flat worn out..... many with movements rusted, screws boogered up, dials cracked, cases swapped, etc......

Also one has to quantify 'mint'.... to see a truly 'mint' version is an uncommon occurrance... and making that judgement based only on a picture is very very very difficult..... There is a 'trick' with an eyeloupe on a model 2 case, for example, that can separate the cream from the curd.


Now it is true there have been some nice items come out of the drawers when the money gets right.... I have seen this in my short experience.... some of the 'old timers' have seen the cycle repeat more than once.. the $$$ bring em out..

I was born in the US. My Mother came from Canada. I used to go to Portage La Prairie every year of my young life. The CN and CPR went through the small town. These were steamer days. An old guy used to let me ride in his 0-6-0 in Portage. Maybe, an 0-8-0, I really can't remember. This was in the early '50's. I know he couldn't have afforded an expensive RR watch...

Jim

Gregg,
On the lower-end scale of RR watches plus case:

In 1926 a $48.00 RR pocket would cost $467.66 in 2001 dollars.

In 1947, an $80.00 RR pocket would cost $698.14 in 2001 dollars.

Most of the ads I've seen are just for the movement only. This was a real expense for a working stiff...

Jim

Railman:

In order to be employed by a railway, you were required to carry a railway grade watch no exceptions. This required a big amount of money to be put out upfront to gain employment, most railroads I gather had plans where Railway watches could be paid for by payroll deduction over a period of time. A prospective railroader had no guarantee of permanent employment as he was on probation initially, and economic conditions could result in furlough at any time this is true today as it was any time in the history of railroading. In my case when I hired on the CPR in 1973 a railway wristwatch at that time cost about $175 and I could have paid for it over four months if I chose to. I elected to buy a secondhand pocket watch that passed inspection for $50, this made more sense to me as I had no idea at the time whether railroading would be lifetime occupation. At the time I hired on I was part of a class of 12, by the next summer I was the only one left so there would be 11 others who quit or were fired and took their Railway watches with them. You go figure this type of scenario happening all over North America, and I'm sure it did. Anyways I did make a career of it and I lasted 28 years, by the way I have a jewelers contract watch in my collection from Portage la Prairie which I will post in the photo gallery later on.

Buchaneer

I have a Keystone Howard Railroad Chronometer cat. 1175 in the original boxes, outside box of carboard, greenish color. The inside box is a hard material covered with green fabric. The price shown on the tag is $75.00 plus a war tax of 3% or $3.75. I suppose this was WWI era. The box label shows "Howard Watch License, This watch numbered, described and valued as above is covered by one or more of the following US patents (list of 11 patents earliest is 1905, latest is 1913 and one patent applied for)." There are two licensed conditions shown also, one says the movement can't be used in any other case nor the case for any other movement and the other says the license can't be removed from the box nor the watch sold without the box.

I had one of these boxes at one time also... but I did not read the fine print.... Thanks for an update on it...