My Biggest "Habit" is Ball/Hamilton with Hamilton's being my Second Collectible. However, I have at least one of all of the 16s Ball Hamilton Models, and I had a couple of "stray" Ball/Waltham's so I decided to add a total of three 16s. Ball Walthams. Having two 19 Jewel watches acquired along the years, I just got this 21 Jewel Model 16s. yesterday. Now I only need a 17 Jewel 16s Waltham.

As you can see, the Dial is an Un-Common one. But, I actually know little about the Waltham Manufactured Ball Watches. So, Anything Anyone can tell me about this watch would be Appreciated. It is Serial No. B 253144. I tried to find its year of Manufacture but ended up with somewhere between 1911 and 1919. Anybody able to Pin this down Closer?

Paul, I would say, that's a Great Habit to have !

I believe this Case originally had a "Stirrup" Bow and appears to be a "20th Century Model," but as you can see, the Bow has been changed to a generic one at sometime in the past. The Rest of the Watch appears like it might be Original. Anybody able to confirm this or point out other problems?

Movement is supposed to have had a COA a couple of months ago. Runs Strong, is Clean and is only off a few seconds in the last 24 hours. I will time it shortly, but I am happy with its performance for now. Here's the Inside of the Back Cover.

I do have a "NOS" Stirrup Bow in my Parts Horde but I'm questioning whether to attempt to install it. I'm not sure what might be messed up in the stem to have the "ugly" replacement it has now.

Yeah, Jack, "old men" like me develop habits! It does seem to me that "Girls" were better in many ways, and might have even been Slightly Cheaper. Oh, the Good Old Days!

Hope everybody checks out this watch and gives me suggestions to make sure it is as "Original" in appearance as possible. Suggestions Welcomed!

Paul

Your watch has a very nice Ball ORRS wavy numeral dial, but I suggest that the dial predates the watch by at least ten years and, therefore, that the dial is probably not original to the movement. Those dials are usually seen on Ball-Waltham watches dating from the first two or three years of production.

I think that your watch should have a gothic numeral dial with large dots for five-minute markers.

I have identified eleven distinct designs of Ball-Waltham ORRS dial, of which your dial is, chronologically, of the third type.

Brotherhood and Commercial Standard dials are additional, so the subject of Ball-Waltham dials is quite extensive.

JBS

Thanks, John. I felt this dial might be older than the watch, but I am definitely NOT versed in Ball/Waltham dials. Ball/Hamilton in 16 size have only a few variations and are easy to sort out, in my opinion.

Do you know about which years this dial would have been used? Thanks again!

Remembering that hard and fast rules do not exist for Ball watches, there is no definite answer. However, I doubt whether your dial would be correct for the first run of Ball-Waltham ORRS watches (B060701 to B061100), notionally of 1899. I would expect your dial to appear on watches notionally from 1901 and 1902 from the 2nd to 18th runs of Ball-Waltham ORRS watches (before the 200000 serial numbers began). I do not think any Brotherhood dials had wavy numerals (but some Commercial Standard dials did).

Thanks again, John for answering more questions about this watch. Anything else you can talk about is also encouraged. I have minor knowledge about Ball/Waltham watches so anything is appreciated.