Did any mid 20th century railroad grade pocket watches ever use incabloc or any other shock protection for the balance staff and if not, why not?

Dana,

I have some oral history handed down through a couple guys here... I'd love to hear what some of the old timers have to say as well.

The biggest difference between American escape and timing mechanisms and those of Swiss origin is the shear robustness of ours compared to theirs.

We went with big, rugged, brawny... the Swiss went with light weight and delicate.

Fewer robust parts are easier to maintain and repair than the more complex and delicate parts.

Hockey player vs figure skater...

By the time of the complicated Incabloc USA watchmakers were no longer interested. The last gasps of US watchmaking were spent trying to make electric movements.

I never gave this any thought, but it does seem odd that nobody at least made an effort to introduce at least a limited line of shock proof watches, if only to test the market.

Hamilton's later made "Swiss" watches that they made "Limited Editions" of that mimicked earlier 992's and 992B's, while not RRG, they did have the Incabloc Balances. I believe they used the Swiss "6497" movements and some were marked "HA 550" and others "268".

As Dave said, by that time the pocket watch industry was all downhill, and they were trying to stay afloat by a number of new innovations such as electric watches and the Incabloc Balances were tried but to no avail.

regards,
bb

It isn't entirely true that no U.S. maker ignored shock protection. Depollier, a NY jeweler, patented a shock protection system for pocket watches and had Paul Ditisheim use it on watches it made for Depollier.

More information.

Here is a Depollier Ditisheim with shock protection from my collection.

And here is a non-Depollier Ditisheim without shock protection from my collection. This watch has other nice features, though.

Ethan underscored the point. The shock protection was Swiss-made. To back up what Paul observed early on in this post, the American movements were much more robustly pivoted. Timex advertising probably broadcast this point harder than anybody. Of the Many, many, many variations Timex made, the "Jeweled" watch (below) shows their method. A semi-jeweled Balance wheel with a jeweled wheel train. These were automatically assembled, and the balance wheel was much easier to manage this way.

Wow! Look at those plate decorations! That's a "high grade" Timex. I think their approach was a little different: Why not just avoid the implementation of any shock protection devices? Let's just use conical pivots like those found in dollar watches and alarm clocks? That way our watches will "take a lickin an keep on tickin", even after the most violent automobile accidents, bungee jumping miscalculations or domestic quarrels. Heck, you could even hit one with a lawn mower, shoot it with a shot gun, then blast it with a stick of dynamite and it'd still be fine! :0)

William

That's what John Cameron Swayze tried to make us believe.

Regard! Mark

Discussions like these are very valuable. At a swap meet today I saw a 17 jewel Waltham with a cho cho on the face. It said shock resistant. Well, I read this thread a couple weeks ago and remembered it. Looking very close I saw "Swiss". No sale!
Instead I found a running Hamilton 992 in good shape for $200. Dial has no flaws and I think it has a gold wheel, round spokes and shiny. Not rough finish and duller like the brass gold plated ones. I am continually suprised at the wealth of information on this site. Well worth the price of membership.

George, Good Find!, Great rescue!

All true. But at the end of the day, William deserves great credit for that hilarious post that had me chuckling and belly laughing for two full minutes. Domestic quarrels!?

Michael,

When the aluminum bats and iron skillets come out, and when your Cuisinart toaster becomes the equivalent of a medieval flail, it's time to put the Patek away. Only a Timex or a Pocket Ben will survive this extreme danger, even if you don't!

William

Well, I have watch 6 and 7 and I am still walking.
William, those blinking eyes creep me out.

George,

That's my son Oliver who is now 9 so it's time for an avatar update. Maybe this time I can make him wiggle his ears.

William

You obviously have more talent than I, nice looking kid.