For my 1,000th post, I thought I'd show a couple of my favorites: Waltham's frustrating 16-plus-size Model '88.

The first with a gorgeous fancy dial:

The beautiful nickel Riverside movement:

The second in a fitted Fahy's case:

An absolute stunner of a two-tone Riverside movement:

Eric,

I'm not a Waltham collector, but those sure are pretty. Great pictures as usual!

John III

Beautiful watches and stunning photography. How do you get such awesome photos

Why are these "frustrating," Eric?

Thanks, boys.

Ray, it's my homemade light box.

Ethan, these are frustrating because the case size is around a 17s, which makes them tough to find. Secondly, the stem is unique with that miserable set screw, and lastly the movement is secured with a drilled anchor pin opposite the one case screw.

Hey Eric, To say the stem is unique with its set screw is kinda understating the matter. I did a service on one of these a while back,and having never worked on one before,it was quite a challenge. It is maybe easy for the professional,but for a novice like me,man what a pain. Seems like you need to put the movement into the case without the dial,secure the stem in place,then add the dial after the movement is in the case. Right it can't be done like that. Anyway,I finally got it back together,and back to its owner. It was his father's watch,and a free job from me to a friend. I just wonder why Waltham built that movement like that,when it seems like it would have been just as easy to put it together like the other movements.

Ah, I remember the light box auction. Simply beautiful woodwork and the photos and watches truly amazing

The model 1888 is one of my very favorite movements especially being the first Motor Barrel production watch, and all cases are unique to their size and pin/case screw mounting. It takes a little practice to work on an 1888, but a real pleasure to clean up and restore. I have two of them for sale on eBay right now at; http://stores.ebay.com/Top-Drops66
The "Royal" looks like it is a RR Vet. Both are very nice.

Beautiful '88's Eric and Dave!I've been wondering if it would be possible to make an adapter ring to fit one of these hard-to-case model88's to a standard 18S case.Being a 17S, it's almost there anyway.I know there are a lot of these movements around uncased, and proper cases don't seeem to be easy to find.I have a 15J 88 model Riverside movement, haven't been able to find a case I could afford.Anyone have an opinion on this idea? I realize they have that crazy detent stem setup, that may be tricky to get around, though.If this could be done, it would get a lot of these nice looking old Walthams back into circulation!...Ted.

I would be interested to see if it could be done. I have a pair of great looking 88 movements I picked up cheap. I would think that a spacer if done correctly could make it easier to case them.

Jim,
A lathe, some brass stock and some machine shop skills should do the trick. I would think as long as the inner ring of the case was true and round a press fit piece could be made, how much difference in size are the movements if you know?.

Hi Ray, to tell the truth I have two 88 movements, but I havent really touched them since I got them. I was going off of what other people had written in this thread. When I measured them and compared them to a Illinois movement I had I really dont see the size difference. Perhaps I will see the difference when I get to them and case them. I think the pin is going to be the issue.

I have several model 88s in original cases. I like them because I can find good examples reasonably priced in original cases and there are some good fancy dials to place on them. The stem fitting takes some practice but the dial doesn't need to be removed. One has to be sure stem is for the model 88 as some early 16s Hamilton stem set models used a similar system and their stems look nearly identical to the Waltham stems.

To Eric, I just noticed you said the second watch is in a fitted case.What case size did you use?I assume it had to be altered to fit the 88 movement.Thanks!...Ted.

Ted, I meant that it fit - sort of like my one good suit.

It's an original 16-1/2s Fahy's case.

I have found many good 1888 cases on eBay which were occupied by 7 Jewel movements, but as they have an al;ready fitted Crown and stem, all I had to do was insert one of the nocer higher jewelled 88's in place and end up with a parts movement as well.

Oh yeah! MUCH better than those low class Seth Thomas jobs you were touting a while back.

Good stuff Eric!