Did only better quality pocket watches come with a dust ring?

Do all pocket watches require a dial washer?

[1]No

[2]Yes



regards,
bb

Let me rephrase: Did all pocket watches come with a dust ring and if so were many tossed away? I notice some sellers specify that their offering has a dust ring.

Buster, did you catch that Illinois San Antonio private label with Indian Territory connections on ebay?

Lorne many dust rings went away because they do not make a watch dustproof and they bend easily.

Thanks Deacon.

They also make it **** hard to get the movement back in the case. I don't usually fool with my better watches but took a movement out to clean years of grime from the case. It's off to my guy Ralph to get it put back in.

There is only one logical reason for a dust ring to not go back on a watch. That reason is someone is recasing a watch and it it a hair too tight so it gets pulled off and tossed aside, problem solved

OR;

I knew an old watchmaker who never put the dust ring back on the watches that he worked on. He had thousands of dust covers that he had saved in a large box. He said they were useless, mumbling something to do with udders on a boar hog

I think they are useful, serve a purpose, which is to keep as much airborne particles out of a watch as possible and for me who is somewhat fumble fingered at times, it helps keep my thumb from coming down on the balance wheel and perhaps breaking a staff or cracking a jewel if I pull that movement from it's case for some reason.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that "all" watches came with a dust ring.

No on the San Antonio Indian Territory, email a link please !

watchbbgo1@dishmail.net

regards,
bb

We sometimes jokingly say when we open a watch we can clean off enough coal dust from the crown pinion exit hole to fire up a locomotive. A watch is like a bellows diaphragm that pumps coal dust, dirt and debris in through the winding stem neck. Were it not for the dust cover much, much more of this abrasive crud will get into the movement and accelerate its demise.

My experience has been that a movement with a dust ring is 95% cleaner inside and much more likely to be in better mechanical shape.

In other words that means (to me) that the watchmakers who kept the dust rings in the movements were more sensible and conscientious.

My Chicago school books and even in "The Watch Makers Manual" by Fried it explains that dial washers are used to take the slack out of the end play in the hour wheel. If you use a dial washer when there is very little or no end shake you can make things too tight and stop the movement. Do not use a flat washer. Make sure the spring is still active in the curve of the washer.

Thanks for all the responses. I think it is time to order Mr. Frieds book.

One old beloved Ukrainian watchmaker from years ago here in Minneapolis would sometimes explain, when the customer asked why their watch stopped, "dial washer bent, not serious, Nick will fix".

William, I like that type of anecdote. I guess you can tell from my last name that I am partial to anything Ukrainian. The old generation is fast disappearing so whenever I get together with my Brother we try to duplicate that heavily accented english.

Hi Dave;

Based on your statement, do you think that unscrupulous sellers also know this and would install a dust ring before listing it on eBay (or elsewhere) in an effort to get a bit more money out of their watches?

Bud

quote:

My experience has been that a movement with a dust ring is 95% cleaner inside and much more likely to be in better mechanical shape.

Good Question. I expect that few "unscrupulous sellers" would successfully find and fit any more than a very few of the many, many different types and styles of dust rings that JUST MIGHT get them a few pennies more from learned eBay buyers. Personally I always look to see if a dust ring is showing in the movement pictures, but there are plenty of other signs that show the quality of historical service to the watch.