This is something that I winnowed out of eBay when "nobody was lookin". The seller only named it as a "Dale" watch.

"R. J. Dale" was a Watchmaker in Mt Forest Ontario, and is mentioned in their historical notes as having a "shop on Main Street. I am researching this further. My first thoughts on it are that the factory included Mr. Dale in some promotional movements they were fatuously distributing to new towns along the CPR lines that were being planned then and which Mt. Forest was a part of.

It stands as THE finest specimen of an 1899 vintage model 5, Gr. 218 Elgin 18s 15j movement in my collection. The "D" engraved on the back cover is really classy too! (Especially cause that's my initial)

Sharp watch, Dave.

A nice clean looking watch Dave.

Nice watch Dave I only have a few private labels watches were the watch maker's name on the movement

New feedback, from my inquiry to Mt. Forest, Historical Society . . .
To: David C. Abbe Regarding your recent inquiry through BizBull my father was a watchmaker in Mount Forest for about 40 years with time out for World War II. From time to time he mentioned the Dale shop closed by the time I was born in 1942. I believe the "Dale" name is still visible painted in black on the side of the three-story building where his shop was. In a 1927 book listing businesses on Main Street Mount Forest there are three jewelers listed -- J.T. Skales & Co.; J.B. Philp & Son and R.J. Dale. My father bought the Skales stock etc. pertaining to watchmaking when he returned from overseas in 1946. He set up in my grandmother's store (a former restaurant) which was situated right between Philp and Skales. At that time Philp's son was operating that business. Prior to 1927 my father apprenticed with Philp Senior. I have a pocket watch with his name on the dial (but not the movement) manufactured by the American Waltham Watch Co. with a Serial Number indicating it was manufactured in 1911 (which happens to be the year my father was born). I believe I also have some with the Skales name on the dial. But back to Dale. In 1956 when I was about 14 I fixed clocks for my father and one day he suggested that I go to an auction sale for a deceased party Bobby Marshall who had at one time also operated a business on Main Street. He also appears in the 1927 list as R.S. Marshall "Harness Maker, Boots and Shoes, Traveling Goods". He told me that Marshall's late wife was the daughter of Mr. Dale and he knew of a special clock there that had been given to the Marshals upon their marriage by Mr. Dale the vendor of watches and clocks. Even then there were some antique hunters around and he did not think it wise for him to be there bidding on this clock. In any event I got it for $18 and still have it. We call It the Shakespeare clock. It is an Ansonia with an escapement wheel and pallets on the dial face side. When the Younger Philp died my father got the senior Philp's workbench which he used from that point forward and I still have along with lots of watches tools and material. After my father died in 1989 I got back into working on them but time hasn't permitted that for at least 10 years now.I have practiced law in Mount Forest since 1969. Gil Deverell

David,
A very nice watch with a very interesting provenance.
I'll bet their are some very interesting stories to go with some of the names on the private label watches.

Beautiful watch and story! It is so nice to be able to determine the provenance to a specific item and to know that what you are holding was held by that person years ago. Due to the club, I am developing an appreciation for private label watches. Thanks for sharing, Dave, and thanks to all for the inspiration.