In looking at a picture of a National Watch Company pocket watch Lindell posted in another thread, I saw something quite odd: (for me anyway) a HINGED bezel with crystal. I've been a collector of watches for some time now and have never come across a hinged bezel with crystal. How rare is this? Did National Watch Company exclusively attach bezels and crystals this way?

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979

Stephanie,
I'm assuming that the scan you are referring to is the H. H. Taylor. Hinged bezels with a crystal are found on most American hunting case keywind cases. This was to allow the owner to swing the bezel up out of the way so the winding key could be used to set the hands on the square tip of the cannon pinion. For most European and the few American made movements that were wound and set from the back, the hinged bezel was not necessary.

Ed Ueberall
NAWCC 49688
IHC Member 34
The Escapement

Stephanie,
Here is a 16size hinged bezel case made by the Keystone Watch Co. with a Illinois Burlington movement inside.

The watch with the gold metal dial I posted a picture of a while ago also has a hinged bezel. It's keywound but winds and sets from the back.

Great stuff guys! I'd agree a lot of great open-faced watces both KW-KS and otherwise have hinged bezels. I think what caught Stephanie's eye and struck her as unusual was the "flip-open" nature of the hinged bezel on the Hunter-Cased Elgin. There it serves a useful purpose to protect the dial and hands well yet still easily enable the Key-Setting.

I inserted a picture of the watch in Stephanie's original post above in order to illustrate her question better. By the way it is a very original combination and is coming soon to our Chapter 185 Members Only Auctions.

Here's another one. AWWCo. Broadway, serial # 1,193,574, ca 1877, Model 77 Sterling grade, Material grade A, setting SW. This information is from the Waltham Serial Numbers with Descriptions book. Anyone know what grade A means and what SW setting is? This one is KWKS.
Note the lack of a name on the dial.

Ed,

Your information makes good sense. Thanks!

Wayne A.,
Thanks for the pics!

John A.,
Nice pics, beautiful watch. Thanks! Huuuummm, metal dial! Pretty!

Stephanie O'Neil
NAWCC Member 143979