I'm new to the club and have been going over many postings from the past. Most of the questions that I would have ask I was able to find the answer by searching the older post.
I have been having a lot of fun with it.
I'm working on my photo skills, but thought I may be ready to post my first question.
Does anyone have any infromation on this private label ? J C Watts East Saginaw Mich ?
Thank You Jack

Hey, Jack.........welcome aboard.

Why don't you try and 'google' that name? You may come up with some information, perhaps even a picture of the store, if they were jewelers.

Marty

Thanks Marty, I have tried Google , and Bing but
come up short. Someday I may make it up there
and see what I can find on this watch. So far, not so good ....... It's a neat watch in the original Leader 5 OZ heavy case. But I can't find anything more about it..... I thought maybee
someone here would know. Jack

J.C. Watts was born about 1830 in England. In the 1880 census he is living in East Saginaw listed as a. Jeweler.

I will list more later, this is from my phone.

Welcome to the club Jack....Any chance of getting a photo of the dial....

You will find that anytime there is a question relating to any private label watches, Tom, our resident historian will be along to assist most of the time as he has done already....and as he has indicated there will be more later....Tom is very, very good at what he does....

Hope to hear from you later on any additional watches you may have or acquire....

Good luck and again, wecome aboard....

Regards,

Jerry

You can always count on the "super sleuth" REGARDS rOGER

Thanks, Here is the Dial.

Welcome Jack.
I still have no clue how Tom gets his information but he is the best .

The computer I am using won't let me do images right now, later next week I can add some city directory images.

In the mean time, he was Joseph C. Watts, he was born about 1831 in England. His died April 2,1910 in Ann Arbor MI

Welcome Jack, Some interesting "Factoids". If the serial number is 353442, that would make this watch an;
Open Face
Model 3
Grade 57
11 Jewel
Lever set
Unadjusted
Made in the Mid-1880's
At Springfield, Massachusetts

A long neck Deuber case would be "appropriate" now, as it is evident the Gold case has gone to the melters.

If you want to learn more about the fascinating backgrouind of Hampden watches our very own IHC185 has the ONLY remaining substantive Histories of Hampden watch company books available anywhere!

Thanks everyone,Tom you really are the Best !
I couldn't find anything. Dave I should have shown it in the case as well, its in a 5 oz Leader Coin Silver case. I think it mite be original because there are no other screw marks.
Its really a big heavy watch that you never forget is in your pocket !! I'll check out the books. Thanks for the infromation. Jack

If you Google "Joseph C. Watts jeweler " you will find a pdf that has a photo of his house.

That is REALLY Cool. I came up empty trying J C Watts Jeweler, or Watchmaker. I didn't know to try Joseph.
But this leads me to yet another question. If he built this house in 1858 and was an Ann Arbor Jeweler, did he move to Saginaw after ? My watch is about 1880. Or because it is signed J C Watts & Co. perhaps he had multipal shops ?
From the looks of the house he was doing O.K. in the jewelry business. Jack

When I get back home I will post some more, but it appears he was in both towns at different times. He is in the city directories and the 1880 census in East Saginaw but he passed away in Ann Arbor. Apparently the company part is he was in business with his brother at one point.

I have limited access right now.

You're doing GREAT !!!!!

Welcome to IHC185 Jack,

Your pictures came out very good. I would like to see some pictures of your watch in its case if possible. Private label watches are very interesting especially if you can find out where they came from.

It always amazes me how Tom is able to find out the history of private label watches. Thank you for all your posts Tom.

Here’s the house pictures and caption from the PDF Tom found which was put together by The Downtown Ann Arbor Historical Street Exhibit Program.

In 1858 Main Street jeweler Joseph C. Watts built his large brick home on the northeast corner of Liberty and Division within easy walking distance of his Main Street shop. Multiple fireplaces, a roof-top widow’s walk, and ornate trim in the fashionable Italianate style proclaimed his success. The earliest settlers and most prominent citizens built their houses near the center of town. At first, crude, dirt-floored log cabins were clustered near Huron and Main. Single family frame, brick, and stucco dwellings rapidly photos courtesy of the Bentley historical library spread east to what after 1837 became the University of Michigan campus.

On the opposite corner to your right stands druggist Emanuel Mann’s 1850 house of brick covered with stucco scored to resemble stone. This style was so popular that Ann Arbor was referred to as “the little stucco village.” In 1829 Mann’s parents had been the first German family to settle in Ann Arbor. Next to the park is the 1853 Greek Revival home of Henry Dewitt Bennett, local postmaster and later secretary of the university. In 1970 the house became a city-owned museum honoring Reuben and Pauline Kempf. They bought the home in 1890 and taught piano and voice in the parlor for more than fifty years.

The town’s major churches were also part of the neighborhood. University students rented rooms and took meals in nearby homes. The neighborhood remained residential until after World War II, when its prime location between Main Street and campus led to its transformation to commercial uses.

Photos courtesy of the Bentley Historical Library

Here is the advertisement in the photo above.

You Guys are Unreal !!!!!! Thanks !!!!!

Beautiful watch with a lot of life left in it. There are a few Hampden collectors in our great club and for those of us who like Hampdens a new member with Hampdens is even better! Welcome

Thanks very much everyone. I will try and have better postings going forward. I should have listed the SN its 353142 ( sorry Dave I know it wasn't clear in the photo ) Also I should have explained that I took it out of the case for the photos. The 3 hinge case was causing too many shadows and affecting the photo quality.
The case outer cover says Leader Coin.
The inner cover has a diamond with a " 5 " in it.
Here is the watch back in the case. Jack

Jack the 5 is 5 oz and that makes your case quite desirable by itself as the heavier cases are harder to find. If you ever want to part with it I am interested! Nice old Hampden and great pictures.