Does anyone have one of these beaded display cases with the original bow? I would like an idea of what it looks like.

Seller maintains he has seen others and they were from Rockford.

Close-up

I'd throw a common round stainless circle bow on it... just a matter of mic'ing the neck and picking the correct size.

I just did that, it's a titch big but will do fine.

Big is better than small... leaves room for a nice fat fob... I've been cutting simple fobs from some scrap leather I picked up at the local swap meet.

I used some old leather fobs that came in with a couple RR watches I bought as a template. I really like them... I can get about 20 out of a $12 piece of scrap or salvaged 3oz leather.

The finish matched up very nicely with the vintage "bloom" of the case

Only problem is that I did with a file what is usually done with a bow lathe.

I will see if my guy Ralph has one to do it properly.

Paul, can you post a pic of your fobs?

Leather fob, 5/16" by 6"... this is about 3oz leather with a suede finish... The examples I received attached to a couple old RR watches were smooth leather... but otherwise, the same. They can be cut to any width or length you prefer.

Back I picked up some leather scraps from a gentleman at the swap meet for $14.00 and have enough material to make dozens of these.

The knot at the top is something I did after carrying these for a couple months. I like the positive grip the knot affords me even if it shortens the overall length to about 3 inches. I can hold it just below the knot with my thumb and forefinger and the watch lays in my palm.

Good job, I have a 23" piece 5/16"wide, gonna make me some.

Doing some spring cleaning I found some of those aromatic cedar balls and thought to give one a try.

Pinned it with a 1/8" dowel.

I have never used a fob so don't know how it will perform.

I punched a half circle on each side as a bit of a lock.

Fobs are cool and I've used them on low end watches for carry, but keep in mind your watch is still connected to no part of you. It can still bounce out of your pocket and hit the floor. All the fob does is make it easier to get hold of to pull out of your pocket.

I know I'm just stating the obvious, but sometimes the obvious is overlooked.

Happy Easter, by the way.

Regards! Mark

Thanks Mark,

The only time that has happened to me is when I put my feet up on my desk, reclined back and napped through lunch...

Fortunately, the carpet proved soft enough to save the watch from any serious harm.

I personally find the full vest chains more of a hassle than a help. I snag the chains on stuff and yank the clip off or even one time, bent the heck out of the bow. Personally, I've done far more damage with a fully chained watch than I ever will with a comfortable leather fob.

Paul

Interesting. I've had the exact opposite experiences myself. I wear full vest chains all the time with no problems at all, and yet those 'fob only' setups tend to fall out of my pocket anytime I lean over, so I steer clear of them except for display purposes.

Ah well.

Regards! Mark

It's probably a contrast in style. I can't wear a vest in San Diego...Ten miles east of here where the men are men and the sheep are scared, I could wear a vest... but not here at the beach. I carry in my front left jeans pocket and used to clip to my belt loop.

I'm also very active with either mechanics or home maintenance projects.

The only other thing I've done is crushed a 1.3mil crystal on an OF watch squatting with an arm load of tools. Crushed it with my thigh.

Jean pockets are not the friendliest place to carry a pocket watch.

Lorne,

Pretty cool. I had not considered fitting a fob to the end. Because of the way I carry my watch, a hard fob would put the case or crystal at risk. I have a metal tag punch for fire extinguisher inspection tags. It works great for punching the tiny circles in the leather, then connect the circles with a razor blade to complete the slit. I decided it was more trouble than it was worth for my purposes.

I tried to contract a cobbler to make these for me, but his price was through the roof... so, instead, he shared his technique with me and showed me how to make a template for the cuts from a piece of scrap wood.

I am going to start packing an insignificant 16s with this fob in the watch pocket on the right side of my jeans, just to see if I like it.

Some jeans have a much bigger watch pocket than others, Wrangler Five Star has lots of room but I guess that could allow the watch to slip out accidentally.

I like carrying big old 18s watches in jeans watch pockets. The sheer weight and mass of these watches seem to keep them in place.

Regard! Mark

Hi group,

A whole lot gets lost over a period of time especially with all the multi search engines available and with "posters" on those search engines putting up incorrect information and not being monitored. Soon what once "was" seems to become something entirely different.

Since this is a forum where any of us may contribute information, I would like to give back some of what I know to help out on this thread.

As soon as a bow was installed on this case, it was mentioned that a bigger bow leaves more room for a "fat fob". Well I have worn the watches on the RR's and what has been referred to as a "fat fob" in this case is actually a "leather strap". Most workers who wore jeans daily usually carried their watch on a leather strap either in the sewn in watch pocket on their jeans or they carried the watch in the right/left pocket with their change and keys !! They really got beat up that way but hey, they were just a tool and as such no one cared. The other employees who wore overalls were usually engineers or fireman or repair personnel who worked on the dirty engines where plenty of grease was always applied. A lot of them pulled on a pair of overalls over their slacks or jeans when they were fixing to go to work. They generally carried their watch in a bib chest pocket attached to a chain. The old conductors on "thru freight" runs who generally rode cabooses usually carried their watch in a leather belt case with a chain. They also dressed up more than other employees and sometimes wore leather/suede/serge/suit vests and they carried their watch in one of the vests pockets attached to a chain. Most all of these employees had some type of "fob" attached to the other end of their leather strap or chain. Most fobs were made of metal but I have seen fobs made of buckeyes and of carved peach pits and everything in between !! These "fob" pieces were used mostly as decoration and also as a handle to help pull the leather strap/chain from ones pocket because at the other end would be the watch to check the time !! Time was important to the RR worker as he lived by the clock and everything was synchronized to come together remarkably in the course of the day.

On the end of a leather strap or a watch chain, there is a place to attach the watch. On the opposite end of that leather strap or watch chain [sometimes] is a place to attach a "fob". A fob is a decorative piece with the users/owners RR affiliation on it such as a "S.P./U.P./C.N.W./D.R.G.W."etc. or any number of current and/or defunct RR's, advertising's, masonic lodge symbols, stones, coins, etc. to compliment your watch. Then at times fobs would be from RR workers job insurance companies used and given to the workers to advertise their business to other employees. Yes, RRoaders carried a insurance policy back in the day that if they were "fired" then their job insurance would continue to pay them as long as they were off. RR workers back in the day were generally fired for rules infractions and they would be fired for 15/30/45/60/90/120 days mostly and then they would be reinstated with all rights !!

Today when one searches and reads the various accounts from search engines, fobs, straps, and chains seem all to be lumped together and people call them one and the same. But they weren't and I thought you'll as friends would be interested to know the truth about "the way it was". I hope that helps you and clarifies a few things as that is my sole and only intention[s] in this thread.

regards,
bb

Thank you Buster That is informative. Long ago i worked for the ATSF and the worked for the Frisco Never had to use the job insurance but it was nice knowing you would not go broke

Thanks for the information Buster.

Railway garb was always interesting to me. One Conductor I recall always wore coveralls with a shirt and tie.

Some guys would buy a pair of coveralls and not wash them , just wear them till they fell apart and buy new ones. These seemed to be the most cantankerous of employees.

I recall some would use the same clothes for work and life at home and they never looked good in either situation. One fellow of this ilk picked up the nickname of "Pigpen"

Some would only wear worn out "civilian" clothes to work and again always looked a bit disheveled.

Myself, I came to the conclusion that what I wore to work affected my frame of mind and had a full set of work only clothes that were always clean and in good repair. The jackets/coats I wore to work were always much better than one would expect to see on the rail and always perked up my mood when working a redeye.

Regarding out of work insurance or as we called it, "Payless Payday", it was usually difficult to collect. Some guys abused the plan and would try to get fired for paid time off and it evolved to where you were not covered if fired as a result of breaking a rule. It was difficult to commit a firing offence without breaking one.

Thanks to Lorne and Buster for sharing. Nice to hear from the guys who have "bin there"

Great stuff Buster,

I like my leather strap... and appreciate the history lesson.

The right tool for the right job. Makes perfect sense that different trades had different preferences suited to their working conditions and environment.

I tend to carry my leather strapped trolley watch through the day and wear my chained RR for evenings out.

A couple of interesting fobs that sold on eBay recently.

Acorn Propelling Pencil Pocket Watch Fob