Hello everybody;

I was visiting a friend today and he showed me this while I was there. I thought it was quite the piece so I bought it from him.

I was hoping that some of you might be able to tell me more about it. He told me that it was an English "Deck Watch" and that these were used by the Royal Navy on the decks of battle ships. I don't know anything about that story, or this watch so if you could shed some light on it for me I'd really appreciate it. There are no visible identification marks on it anywhere. The dial is porcelain as far as I can tell and it's stem wind / pin set.

Thank you all.

Bud

Stunning watch Bud! I don't know much about it, but I created a shortcut to this topic in our military timepiece forum.

Hello Ed, and thank you very much for doing that. I hope I didn't post this in the wrong place. If I did, I apologize and by all means move it if necessary.

Regards

Bud

The Jewel count looks like 11, but there is a very interesting beat(?) "adjustment" (Arrow Below). We need to learn more about this very nice looking watch!

Hi.
It has many similarities with the "Roskopf system". G F Roskopf was making cheap but reliable watches. Therefore I have my doubts that the Admiralty used his watches. Very interesting watches nevertheless. That screw Dave is referring to is probably what is called a depthing screw.
http://www.musketeer.ch/watches/roskopf.html
Regards, Krister

Hello Dave, and yes, I agree. I sure would like to know the manufacturers name. I find it strange that there are absolutely no makers mark on it anywhere.

Also, I noticed that little screw way down in there as well. Had no idea what it was though.

Bud

quote:

We need to learn more about this very nice looking watch!

Thanks for information Krister and the interesting link. I'll go read about this gentleman and his inventions.

Bud

quote:

It has many similarities with the "Roskopf system". G F Roskopf was making cheap but reliable watches.

Hello again Dave;

I was also wondering about the balance. Although I can't know for certain, but could that be a Solid Gold balance wheel in this big old watch?

Bud


We need to learn more about this very nice looking watch!

Dave, The teeth on the escape wheel are extremely
stuby in appearance not unlike that found in a pin pallet (?)escapement. How old a watch is this?

regards, John

It is similar to the Royal Navy watches of turn of the century, but I do not think it is one. My reasons are two-fold:

First and most importantly, the Royal Navy was quite conscientious in marking their watches with at a minimum their broad arrow, and often also the RN assigned serial number which was quite different from the manufacturer's serial number. This marking made it difficult for someone to make off with the watch since it was marked as RN property.

And, second, the Royal Navy procured high quality watches from well known makers who pridefully marked their movements and almost always also marked the dials with their name.

Jim correctly observes that it is very unlikely to be a RN watch. As large as it is, it could be a "watchman's" watch.

That said, it is in excellent condition, has a honest two paired jewelling of the escape wheel/Pallet lever combination with a very interesting "depthing" adjustable movement deserving careful study.

The Swiss and the Brits both did some very interesting design "twists" to get around the incredibly labor intensive Pallet Stone positioning and adjusting demanded by the USA-inspired "Anchor" Pallet Fork based escapement.

The dial looks very much like the Goliath...

and as Jim has already stated...definately not a Royal Navy piece, too strigent were their requirements.