My son found this Waltham watch today at a flemarket. I have never see one like this. I have dated it to around 1931-1932.It is quite heavy the stem is missing or I can't find where you would set it or wind it.It has a beauitful dial,both the front and back screw off. I'm looking for information and if this would be worth having restored. Here is some pictures.

More pictures

Pictures

Heres a picture

Another picture

I can't speak to the movement itself, but it looks to me like that's a jeweler's display case it's in, which would explain the lack of a stem. I'm no Waltham expert, though. Someone with more experience with these will have better information, no doubt.

Hi Perry, Can you take a close up of the section by the 8 on the dial. Is that a screw or ?...Seems like overkill for a display case, maybe its supposed to have a key wound movement in it since it has the hole in the rear cover.

Yes Ray, it is a screw

On the case, is there any brand name or patent numbers. It looks like a case to be mounted in something, a bank timer, auto?

Tom

no there are no numbers on case

after looking closer at the case at the 1 there is screm holding a plate that has a pin at the 12 that looks like it holds the stim in. under the plate is the number 22

My thinking is along the same lines as Tom. It appears to be part of a timing mechanism for a lock of some kind.
A unique find at any rate!

A 1908 Vintage Grade 625 17J Movement. Were the Bolsheviks making bombs then? Sorry, I errd on the words, a model 08

Ahhh~ a good mystery, thats fun
What I find interesting is the winding of said item. To do so would seemingly require the removal of the "plate" and perhaps wind with a special bent elbow winder All this with the small tools and special tools that aparantly would be required not to mention time and losing said small screw that holds the plate seemingly point to a bench item that only a watchmaker, jeweler, technician would have access to and in a controlled environment
The two handles, if you will, on the edge of the case and the hole on the back cover add additional mystery to it but with the back cover being holed you would think there would be no protection to the mvmt such as being "sealed" if you will and I can't imagine why there would be the hole in the back cover.
I believe the "contraption" fits inside something else that would need to be wound, by a technician, and you would think it would/was used routinely for a device that required a "timer" of precisely a certain time of night/day and not to exceed a useage of the apparant 30-36 hour mainspring Perhaps the hole in the back cover points to a amplified listening device that would allow the operator/user to know the device was functioning. This all points to something pretty sophisticated for the 1908 time frame and perhaps something that was extremely important
Now if it turns out to be an agg timer, I will have egg on my face
Thats my take and maybe it will lend some help to the more advanced, as I can't wait to see what this item turns out to be used for in a practical and logical application
regards,
bb

Would like to see some pics of the movement and case separated.

Looks like it was mounted in a bulkhead or panel as there is one clean side to the flange and one dirty side. The whole assembly seems made to be adjustable by loosening the flange screws and turing the whole thing. Could the glass go on the back and the cover with the hole go on the front to line up with the odd screw or seconds bit?

As Perry said, the movement dates to about 1931-32.

Tom

Michael, I have just got into the pocket watch collecting so I do not know how to separate the movement from the case and afraid that I would damage the watch. I'm not to far from Chris Abell I would like to see if he has time to take a look at it for me.
My son told me that the man that sold it to him said he saw a picture of one like this mounted in the dash of a train. Would anyone know about. something like that

Right under the 12 there is a little plate that screws off and under that plate is the # 22. The movement is a size 16. I don't know if the hole on the back of the plate has anything to do with the screw on the dail but they do line up.

OOPS! I should have researched better! A previous post listed it as a 1908 "vintage", so I assumed [ya know what that means]
So to clarify its the 1908 "MODEL" and produced in 1931-1932. Don't want to mess anyone up if they are researching. Early 30's "vintage" is a whole new era of timekeeping & demands than the early 1900's Hope that helps.
Regards,
bb

Picture of where the post goes.

one more picture

Perry,
The picture you posted at 1246pm today showing where the "post" goes.... Are you talking about a winding stem and possible crown??? Thats what I think I'm looking at~ a missing stem and winding/setting crown... If so, do you have a winder to see if it will fit in there and perhaps wind the watch?
regards,
bb

I'm going with some kind of timer. With the crystal on the back showing the works and the cover with the hole on the front with a shaft coupling with the odd screw in the front to trip something.

As a RR hand I recall the earlier boxcars sometimes had a device called a "shock detector" that recorded when an impact was great enough to cause damage to the contents... That would almost seem to fall in line with the holed cover being on the dial side and a attached shaft that would turn that odd screw on the dial to stop the balance and thus record the time of impact and to place blame on what train crew was responsible at that time Sounds a little far fetched, just food for thought......
Regards,
bb

Good evening folks.
The thought of having something attached to the screw in the dial can´t be right. The minute hand can´t pass that point if there is something there. As for the hole in the back cover it seems to fit over the regulator. Other than that I have no idea what it was used for but I´m just as curios as anyone else to learn.

Regards
Krister

Back to the drawing board
Regards,
bb

Perry on the metal back where the black substance is, is there writing in the center under the black?

Also is it possible to post a photo with the covers on the front & back just to see how things line up.

Thanks
Tom

Yes Buster, that is what I'm talking about the winding stem and crown. I have alot to learn. Buster what part of Texas are you in? Mybe we are close enough that we could meet and you could look at it.

Hi Perry,
I sent you an email stating I give up on what it is. I feel fairly sure its the clock part of a timing device which fits inside a larger missing piece. I doubt I could look it over in person and have a better idea. I do live 25 miles N. of Tyler.
As I suggested in the email, perhaps if you are considering selling it, our auction site on IHC185 might be the place to go since we have created a bit of interest, but no cigars
Tom Brown has most of the better investigative traits on our site, so if hes asking questions and you are wanting answers, give him the facts and he will digest it and spit out the results live on IHC185
Love to see the thingamajig auction right here, count me in
Regards,
bb

Perry, if you want to keep it and just have it cleaned up with pictures of the disassembly, I would do that just to find out what this little puppy has going on.

Buster, I think you are right, because when I took it apart I put a screw divier through the screw hole on the dial and it goes through the balance. I have some new pictures I cleaned the case up just abit.

quote:

had a device called a "shock detector" that recorded when an impact was great enough to cause damage to the contents... That would almost seem to fall in line with the holed cover being on the dial side and a attached shaft that would turn that odd screw on the dial to stop the balance and thus record the time of impact and to place blame on what train crew was responsible at that time

Tom, there is a # 3 on the case but that is all I have found on the case.

Took the movement out of the case.