Waltham Factory Case Question

Internet Horology Club 185

This topic can be found at:
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1086047761/m/3911013551

July 28, 2005, 17:40

Chris Abell

Waltham Factory Case Question

Just got a nice Waltham, and the case is in very good condition. I noticed that around the bow recesses, there appears to be painted decorative effect, is this the original finish?

July 28, 2005, 17:40

Chris Abell

July 28, 2005, 18:25

Terry Hill

yes,
i believe these cases were enameled....

and finding the enameling intact is a challenge.

July 28, 2005, 22:38

Chris Abell

Hi Terry,
There is also traces left in the pattern around both covers and bow, does anyone have a picture of a good example?

July 29, 2005, 09:43

Doug Romero

I have one of these cases that is super nice. The black enamel is somewhat better than Chris's example. I'll dig it out later and take some pix. It's a 23j Vanguard up/down with lossier inner terminal hairspring. It's the nicest overall example I've run across.

July 30, 2005, 11:37

Lindell V. Riddle

One of the most interesting of these cases is the one I sent to Sweden last year. It looks great on Bernhard Schmidt's Canadian Pacific as you'll see in this topic...

"Before and After 23J Canadian Pacific Waltham"

Closer to home, I bought a nearly identical watch to the one Chris asked about at the Great Lakes Regional in Dearborn last fall. Mine is a wind indicator from 1929 in a correctly numbered deeply toned rose-gold-filled and black enameled Waltham-Wadsworth case.

Waltham Wind-Indicator looks fine in rose/enameled case...

July 30, 2005, 11:38

Lindell V. Riddle

Case-back has a very nicely detailed tuxedo style pattern...

July 30, 2005, 11:39

Lindell V. Riddle

Here's the 23-Jewel Vanguard movement which is number 26561754 from a 1929 production run. You can see details of the movement in the image below. But more on point for this topic, the Waltham-Wadsworth signature and case serial number 8458556 which like the movement is also from 1929 and interestingly it carries a 1928 patent.

Waltham-Wadsworth enameled case carries 1928 patent...

July 30, 2005, 13:41

Terry Hill

here is a small scan of a 1931 Louis Sickles catalog with this case

i had to reduce it for upload...

July 30, 2005, 19:15

Terry Hill

by request... maybe this will help...

July 31, 2005, 07:18

Chris Abell

Thanks Terry,

Great to see those scans, I was wondering if Doug had a side photograph of his case so myself and Lindell can see how much paint is in the bezel pattern area mine has traces left in it.

July 31, 2005, 12:04

Ed Ueberall

Interesting to note that by 1931 the Crescent St. grade is listed as being "adjusted to 6 positions". Most of the earlier Crescent St's are adjusted to 5 positions. The "6 Position" movements make a nice addition to a RR watch collection.

July 31, 2005, 13:10

Lindell V. Riddle

Ed,

Thanks for pointing out the "6 Positions" which, not being much of a Waltham collector I had not previously noticed in the ad or for that matter on the movement. Turns out the 23-Jewel Vanguard Indicator I showed above, movement 26561754 with 1929 production number has that "6 Positions" marking you referenced.

Looking at a slightly later 23-Jewel Vanguard Indicator, number 27128969 it is marked "6 Positions" as well. That one, shown below in a green-gold-filled Waltham "2-B Case" has the bolder dial shown in the ad Terry shared with us. Interestingly the 1931 ad shows no indicators, but the one below is from about that same time-frame.

Vanguard Number 27128969 is 23-Jewels and 6 Positions...

July 31, 2005, 19:07

Doug Romero

Sorry for the delay. Just took couple quick pix of one I have. Not as crisp as I thought but real nice. Thanks to Lindell for the super pictures and info. Wow. Nice case! Anyhow here's another. The Serial Number is 26561834 so pretty close to one Lindell showed.

July 31, 2005, 19:12

Doug Romero

Movement

July 31, 2005, 19:32

Chris Abell

Very nice watch Doug, do you have a well lit picture of the side of the case, showing the extent of paint in bezels,
Thanks