I just moved to Grand Forks, ND last weekend as the wife will be attending grad school at UND. Since I am originally from a town of 5,000, the larger sized city looked to be a good option to be able to pick up more watches. To say the least, today was the first day out on the prowl and picked up a couple real nice ones. I hope they keep showing up here like these two!

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Both nice finds Jared. I particularly like the 1892 Vanguard. Did you get these locally and reasonably?

Mike-

I picked them up locally for what I thought was a fair price for the pair running @ $250 for both. The guy also had about 20 more watches of different grades and picks them up quite a bit from people bringing them in. I felt it was a good way to start business with him and was able to give him my phone number for if he got any non-running watches he gets in.

Jared

That's a very good deal as compared to ebay for example. The dial on the Hamilton is worth a goo 100 and the Waltham dial can be replaced reasonably if you choose to do that. It's not bad as is, but could be better. Both nice watches. Like I have mentioned, I have a couple scrappers who get watches for me. They are very inexpensive unless they are gold, but I don't get to pick and choose. Someday my ship will come in. I really like both of yours. Nice job.

Good picks !

I have found that the 18sz model 1892 dials generally call for a DSD and that the price of them is on the same level as the Hamilton line. The lower graded 17 jewel watches for the most part are found today with less than pristine dials because sellers have been "upgrading" these dials for 30+ years that I know of.

regards,
bb

Buster-

I have a couple chip and hairline free 1892 dials available. I may put one on it. I haven't decided if I will keep these two watches or sell them at the moment. I have both grades in my collection already, so I may see which is the better and sell the lesser! The wife seems to think I own enough watches at the present time, although I have a different feeling on that

Jared

Which would translate to ;

"I will soon be parting with some nice watches"



regards,
bb

Very nice and affordable picks!!Great find

It must be something about some wives, mine included. They have this mistaken idea that you "can" have to many watches.

They are great finds, the 1892's are one of my favorites.
And all wives are the same, if only I get her interested in collecting watches also.
Bill

My wife has no problem with my watch collecting.

If I ever see a Big Old Red Fire Truck sitting in someones yard or driveway I ask her if she thinks they would sell it to me so we can hang flowers on it in the front yard. and look for a couple more for the back yard.

Ok guys, since bth of these watches looked to have been taken care of and have good motion. I decided not to touch the movements in any way. I went ahead and timed them for 24 hours..... and the results are in! The Hamilton is 1 min. 15 seconds fast in 24 hours, the Waltham 30 seconds fast in 24 hours. Somebody took very good care of these two watches.

Pardon me, but they sound like they're in the need of a cleaning. These watches are capable of railroad accuracy, which is 30 seconds plus or minus per week.

When they run fast, especially THAT fast in a 24 hour period, it usually means the balance wheel isn't doing a full swing, usually meaning the oil is gummy.

The Hamilton is the main concern, as I see the regulator is already almost all the way over to the slow side of the scale and it's still running that fast. You might adjust the Waltham out to time closer as it's near center scale. Without knowing it's service record, I'd be careful.

I'd suggest you not run them anymore until you have them checked out.

You did REALLY good on those purchases!

Regards! Mark

Mark-

I understand what the watches are capable of for railroad time accuracy. More than anything I was surprised to find them that close when buying them and not having to do anything to them. I typically buy non-running and repair them, so I am used to well over half of what I work on have been messed with enough at some point that they are 10-20 minutes a day off and require extensive timing. I may clean and oil these and see how they time out without adjustment. I am currently waiting for my own cleaning solution, rinsing solution, and watch oil to come in. I just moved and don't have access to my father's ultrasonic, rinser, and oil. I've always worked out of his shop, so now having my own may prove a little difficult, especially on parts inventory. I'm guessing I will be calling him more than I think to send me certain parts...

Jared

Very good and understood.

I'm just concerned that the Hamilton, specifically, is hard over to slow on the regulator and it's still gaining over 8 minutes a week in your test.

That's pretty awful for a railroad grade watch, created to perform the 30 second variation per week. That one I'd be very careful running much more before a cleaning.

The Vanguard, on the other hand, looks like it can be 'tickled' into compliance as it is.

Nothing more than a friendly observation.

Regards! Mark

Nice watches and a good buy! The Vanguard is worth putting a better dial on if you have one available.