An accessory oft overlooked by most first time watch collectors is a good vintage chain to compliment their watch and is necessary to carry the watch in a pocket or vest.

Having carried a pocket watch on the RR for 42 years, I had a fair sized assortment to help manage the watch and hold it securely.

It is always advisable to have a small leather strip between your watch chain and the "bow" of the watch so as not to have any metal to metal contact.

Here is my all time favorite chain to carry my RR Grade watches and my assorted watch chains that I kept on hand to choose from.

regards,
bb

P2

P3

P4

P5

P6

P7

Ye "Olde" Worn Leather Watch Strap;

Nice grouping of chains Buster.
Roger

I have always had mixed feelings about the leather guard between the swivel and a bow.

Here you are carrying an expensive time piece on a well designed watch chain that, in most cases, are welded links for strength....and you're depending on the tensile strength of a piece of leather to protect that investment.

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree about protecting a bow as much as possible....but like I said, mixed feelings.

I haven't worked on a railroad for 42 years, but have carried pocket watches since I was ten, so that's 50 years now.....and I've done it with and without the leather protector, and STILL do it on a few of my short chains, but not my long and vest chains for the reason above.

A chain is only as strong as the weakest link....and that piece of leather is the weakest link.

Just a data point for discussion.

That said, those are beautiful examples, Buster!

I do not have any vests but I do carry in my pocket and here is how .
Shield is made out of sea shell got the pearl look to it and old brass eagle .

Mark I understand your concern about the leather and its
tensile strength. However I have used the leather on my chain for years and never had one break.I make them out of cowhide and in the past I used some elk leather scraps which is to my way of thinking the best leather to use.

I agree with my old buddy Deacon on its strength. I also agree with Mark on his strategy of "the weakest link".

One good thing about leather, it is stout and it stretches instead of breaking. Leather also will develop a "crack" when it gets ready to "split" Therefore like any other instrument or attachment/accessory, keep it inspected.

I use tanned buckskin which I harvested in the wilds of Texas.

regards,
bb

that one might be politically incorrect to show
as some animals lover might get offended by killing and eating such animal
(not me )nice buck Buster .

Well now. I'll add a comment to keep with the spirit of the thread -- having seen first hand the wear chains can cause a bow, I like the idea of a leather shock (wear) absorber.

That is one nice buck, Buster. Big scorer.

Well.... Let me say this I raised two sons and two daughters and they never knew what store bought beef or fish tasted like as they were going thru birth till their formative years.

That was the way that I "explained away " the high cost of hunting & fishing, leasing, gas, and supplies. Nothing, and I mean nothing was wasted in harvesting fish or game in my house. If you eat beef/chicken/fish and go to the local grocery to do your hunting, that is great and there is no difference in procuring your own meats the way you desire. I at least didn't have to wonder about the unknowns of "I wonder who handled and processed my meats, and if it was clean and if the required processes were adhered to ??" Because that was me and the job that I personally did. Today my 4 lovely children are aged from 45 to 22 and are healthy and always want to know when "Old Dad" is going to go catch or harvest some fresh meat and have a family cookout.

And if you don't eat meat, I am all for you completely as we all have choices, I am half and half personally. At times you might think me a vegetarian and at other times you would know me as a meat eater. Finally, I am a nature lover and I so enjoy being out in nature. I always thank the Lord, and the animal itself for sustaining others when I have the good luck and skills necessary to harvest and process it myself, in order to feed my family.

Oh by the way, the cost per pound of selecting and processing my own meat ?? About $50 per pound at the very least. And that's how much I enjoyed in being out in nature and doing something besides going to the local grocery for the very same proteins.

Thanks guys for your comments.

regards,
bb

Gentlemen, I have had 3 break on me....cowhide, horsehide AND goatskin from daily wear and carry.

I have a LOT of sample materials of hides as I've advised several leather jacket manufacturers over the years and found tensile strength of leather is stout, but weakens with use and flexing, regardless of the way it's tanned.

Guess we all have different experiences, but that's what makes us all brothers in the trenches, as we all had the same things happen, this would sure be a dull forum to read.

Regards! Mark

Nice chain collection Buster!

I have heard, but I don't know if there is any truth to it that Simmon's chains were NOT very well liked up north. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Is there any maker that would be more preferred over another?

Tim



n

till recently (10 years ago) my main source of protein(turkey,deer) was forest behind my house
I miss those days
now at night I hunt for those last night catch.

Peter, those don't look very friendly!

Regards! Mark

I never handle or carry a pocket watch unless it is attached to a chain or fob or a lanyard.

This practice has saved my watch from being dropped to the floor innumerable times.

For me, this is rule one when handling or carrying a pocket watch.

Hi Buster, a great assembly of Pocket Watch chains. In particular the impressive gold filled chain.

My immediate impression of this chain were I to see it worn by an individual says to me there is at the end of this chain a functional and valued timepiece with an important task. The chain and watch together demonstrate pride of possession, function, and would relate to position of an individual.

Rick

Here is at least a partial solution to the leather strap 'dilemma.' I had a local shoe repair guy make up the straps and used a brass grommet (?) on each end that contacts the chain.

Nicely done!

Regards! Mark

I've never had a proper gold watch chain, only a few rhodium plated (white) and gold filled and plated sport chains. They never look good with what I carry. ...and they're hard on the bows. The best thing I've found is one made for me recently. It's 2 tone and I believe made from cow hide. It looks great, is kind to the watch bow and will probably last for a while.

Now I've never been a hunter and don't own any guns but I think I've moved beyond protesting here whenever someone posts a picture of a dead animal that they've killed. If I was ever in need of food, I might hunt too ...but if that apocalyptic day ever came, I'd probably have to fashion a spear from a broom handle, duct tape and a steak knife! The last gun I owned was a Crossman 760 Power Master BB gun which also shot .177 lead pellets too! Deadly accurate! In any case, earth creatures are born and die ....and many are killed along the way; some through necessity and some through sport. Hopefully none suffer the torment of being partially killed by incompetent, ill equipped or unsure hunters.

In the meantime, I like my watch strap just fine. I also love my fine Lucchese boots which are made from lizard and calf, and my Frye shoes, and my fancy wallet, etc. Personally though, I can't look any animal in the eye and tell them that their existence must end now. I don't have it in me. If you must, then all I ask is that you not be cruel. Please don't use arrows. Use guns like Peter's and blast them so hard they don't know what hit them! That's what I'd want if I were being executed.

Sorry for the weak photo, it's kind of dark in the house right now and I don't have a good lighting setup; I rely on daylight mostly.

William

Well said William. I agree with you.

On my every day carry watch, I use the same thing my father and his father before him used, a shoe string. Cheap to buy and causes very little wear on the bow.

I use the exact same one that you have there William. I also have a brown one, and a black one.

I do have a couple of the chains, but sold most of them.

Here is the older protectors that I guess they used so as not to damage the bow.

I too hunted in my early years, but would find it hard to now. I think it is the way one was raised that determined if they would hunt and kill an animal, and you are so right William. We were taught to NEVER take a shot unless we knew that we were going to make a clean kill with that round.

My father used to raise everything we ever ate from beef, to pork, and then there was the chickens. I can still remember watching him throw the corn out and then catch the hen, and that was our dinner. The one thing he taught us was to NEVER kill anything if we were not going to eat it. Well unless it was a woodchuck, as they were a danger to the livestock with there holes. A cow, or horse could and did break a leg if they got caught in one of them. Of course every year we had our dear, and to us that was really a treat. I can even remember my mother canning meat along with all of the vegetables every year. Not all kinds of chemicals in that food!!

Regards,
Larry

There is a jeweler in my town who had a whole NOS card of these, Larry, and when I asked what he wanted for the card, he quoted $300!

Needless to say, he still has them.

Regard! Mark

Larry, can you give me the specs on those bow protectors?

Length, grommet diameter & hole diameter.

Thanks

This silver plated chain came with a Canadian Railway Time Service 1892 in a Sterling case, I doubt it ever saw train service.

The part that you hook the fob to slides along the chain so the fob is always at the bottom of the arc.

WOW!! That is kind of a crazy price Mark!!

Lorne they are 38 mm long, 12 mm wide, grommet diameter is 6.5 mm, and the hole is 2.8 mm.

I have some that are 51 mm long, 11 mm wide, grommet diameter is 8 mm, and the hole is 4 mm.

Regards,
Larry

Thanks Larry, I was down at the grommet store but they only have the small ones.

I'll hunt around ebay for some of the bigger ones.

quote:

I have heard, but I don't know if there is any truth to it that Simmon's chains were NOT very well liked up north

I have never heard that anywhere, especially since their main office was in Attleboro, Massachusetts and their other offices were in New York and Chicago

Simmon's was/is what was preferred and asked for everywhere. All of the rest were lumped together and "just" watch chains.

regards,
bb