I don't know what got into me, but I guess because my jeans had a large watch pocket I wore one of my few 18-size watches yesterday. I bought this 23-jewel Waltham Vanguard about 35 years ago from a railroad watch inspector in downtown Los Angeles. He had recased it in this new-old-stock rolled gold plate case from the Star Watch Case Co. The only change I made was replacing the dial and hands (as you see it now) from the replacement metal boxcar dial and heavy hands he sold it with (better suited to his railroad clientele). I have toyed with recasing this 1905 vintage movement in a more age-appropriate case, but with this dial it sure looks sharp this way. Besides, from one viewpoint the movement is original to this case.

... and here is the movement.

During the day a Swiss Wenger pocket watch (Elec)in a leather belt pouch.
Evenings one of the following: Hamilton 950B or Bunn Sp 163A, all with crystal backs. soon to be joined by my Dudley model 2.

Trevor

During the week days a P.S. Bartlett 16j 6s Hunter case,Illinois Autocrat 12s,Elgin 17j 12s,Bulova 17AE,Pierce 17j 12s and when I go out, 12s Elgin 17j octagon case with a Masonic Dial. For some strange reason when I walk the pup in the evening I wear a railroad watch. The following week is totally different.
John

My normal carry watch these days is a late Hamilton 992B in a stainless steel case (Model #15) with a plastic crystal, Heavy Gothic RWS melamine dial, and a 20" chrome-plated chain.

Nothing fancy, but a pretty durable combination that also keeps excellent time.

My normal carrying watch is a YGF Ball 999B with porcelain dial on a 14K chain. I will also carry a Hamilton 941 in a plain polish 14K case. If I get to go to the Cleveland Orchestra or other special event, I may carry my series "L" Howard in a 14K multi color box hinge case with a ruby set in the back.
Cheers!
Joel

I carry a 23j BWR 16s ind, in a style 25 elgin case in white; a Hamilton 2974B; and a WWII 17j Military 16s on leather strap fobs.
On my wrist is a a Breitling Super Ocean Crono/w blue dial.
Anyone wanting to start an Elgin indicator forum- I'm in. I have some parts for them. I bought a package of misc. ind parts at a show, and the guy said they were mostly Elgin, but maybe some Waltham.

Lately I have been wearing my most recent acquisition - a 7-jewel Waltham in a sterling and niello case by Keystone. At some point the escape wheel bushings must have worn because a watchmaker has nicely jeweled these two bearings.

[Joel - do you have pictures yet of your L-size Howard?]

Hi there!
I have been thinking of start using a pocket watch in more of a dayly matter. Why not my first cleaning project. My South bend g 217. The problem is finding a case for it. Have been trying my empty ones without success. Maybe some one know where to find one.

Mostly I carry my GMT Master II Rolex or my Heuer Chronograph back from the sixties. And of course my Polar Pulse meter while exercise (running) .
Regards!
Bernhard

My wife and I were out to a formal dinner last night and I selected this thin Waltham Colonial-A (10-size) to wear with my suit. When I bought the suit I had the tailor put a watch pocket in for me.

My daily wearer is an Omega Seamaster Professional wristwatch, the so-called "Bond" model. It's great running watch and I love it. My dear wife gave it to me three years ago as a wedding gift and I've worn it about every day since then. Some of my co-workers called me insane to wear a fairly expensive watch like that at work, but it's held up very well and I did take the precaution of having it insured! My reasoning was if I only wore it on my days off, I'd never wear it. I routinely worked one or two moonlighting jobs in those days, though I've slowed down a bit since then...

When I'm in a pocket watch mood, I usually tote my old Hamilton 992 in a 10K gold filled Keystone case. An older watchmaker told me years ago when I started collecting watches that I couldn't go wrong with a Hamitlton. He was right. My 992 dates from about 1917 and is still nearly as accurate as my three year old Omega chronometer! I need to take some pics so I can share some images. Ya'll have a good day.

This one today. Omega 12-size, 17 j, adjusted to two positions, ca 1920. This one is a very good time keeper.

Movement. Serial no. is 5802632 and "17 LBSPN" is stamped next to the balance wheel. The Nawco Challenge case appears to be original to this movement; I can't see any sign of other case screw marks.

That's a very neat Omega, John! I love the Breguet hands.

Your fob/carry strap looks a lot like the one I use for my 992, also

I took a piece of dark brown shoe lace leather and cut it to the appropriate length and it does the job.

That is a very nice finish, John, and in good condition. Unlike many of the American watches with solid nickel plates, many Swiss watches have brass plates that are merely plated and the finish does not hold up well. This Omega looks so good that it may even have solid nickel plates.

Thanks for the comments. The leather strap is one my Dad got years ago, he bought several and there may be more here in the house, I just haven't run across them. It has a loop on one end and a buckle on the other. I've never been sure which end attaches to the watch. I remember that when I was young men who used the straps looped the loop around the bow of the watch and the buckle end was fastened around their belts or through the button hole on their overalls bib. My Dad always said that leather from a ground hog always makes the best leather strings for watches and shoe laces. I have seen many pocket watches with a home made leather string for a chain. There was a loop in each end of the leather so that the strap could be looped around the bow and through a button hole or around a belt loop.

i alternated between these two most of november. on the left a late 992 w gold center wheel on the right a vanguard. although i am more hamilton oriented..... the vanguard runs longer and tends to be more accurate. i must confess

Don,
Is the handsaw an Atkins or Disston?

These are beautifully finished movements (and yours has a great dial, too). Thanks, Dave, for sharing it.

I took a few photos of my carry 992 and my every day Omega Seamaster. Obviously, I have a lot to learn about watch photography, but wanted to share some images!

Here's the Omega. This was a wedding gift from my wife three years ago. I was going to wear my favorite old 992 posted above and in fact had just had it cleaned, oiled, and adjusted for the wedding. My wife surprised me with this Seamaster at our rehearsal dinner and I tactfully decided to wear it instead.

The pocket watch I most often carry is my model 15 stainless steel Hamilton 992B with Canadian melamine dial (A veteran of the Soo Line Railroad)-for wristwatch it's my Omega Constellation (pie pan dial) caliber 564 in stainless steel.

14k white Waltham, 14 size, complete watch is barely 5/16" thick.

Riverside A, 21j, adjusted 5 positions, serial 23063303, ca 1919. The wheels in this one appear to be brass instead of the usual gold that Waltham used. There is no spring on the regulator and no inidication that there ever was. The 'gray book' shows that the range of serial numbers this one is in were 19j.

Very nice, John. This is Waltham's Colonial A model and one of the thinnest American made movements in pocketwatch sizes. It was only made in two grades - Riverside A or Maximus A and were almost always in nice quality solid gold cases. Note that in this model there was no "Riverside Maximus". Initially the Riverside had 19 jewels with a gold center wheel and the Maximus had 21 jewels and a full gold train). For whatever reason Waltham upgraded a number of the Riverside A movements to 21 jewels (you should see a small re-engraved plug where it used to say 19). They also went to a brass center wheel on some of the higher serial-numbered movements.

Your case has some nice extra carving on the fixed bow and the center ring of the case. I have more commonly seen the plain un-engraved style.

Hi John, I just noticed your question. It is an Atkins

John
Beautiful Watch they are nice watches.

Waltham did a very good job when the plug for the jewel upgrade was put in; it's practically invisible and difficult to see even in strong light with a high-power loupe. I have a Colonial B Riverside that was also upgraded, but the plug is very obvious.

I like to carry an 18s, 17j Elgin that keeps amazing time, but lately have switched to one of my favorite movements, the Hamilton 940 in a cheap brass case that I turned into a display back. Folks are impressed when I check the time and it has started several conversations that have resulted in repair jobs!

George, that sounds like a really neat one. I think a display back watch is in my future, too. (Should have bid on the one Lindell just auctioned off )

I'd love to be able to show people the works of the watch easily as people today ARE amazed by any mechanical watch. So many younger people have never seen one.

Lately I've been carrying my sturdy, nice running 992B that I posted about recently. The stainless case and LaRose dial make for a very durable combo with the wonderful 1951 production 992B movement.

I don't have a picture of it yet with the homemade fob I am using. A thin piece of waxed shoelace is doing the trick, with a loop on the end for securing to belt loops.

My "Watch of Choice" is a Longines Conquest I bought new in Singapore in 1962, which has served me faithfully ever since, surviving my varuious adventures and only required 4 lenses, 2 repair, 3 cleanings, and one wrist band. (The first got blown off my arm during a foreign adventure in 1967).
As far as "Pocket watches", currently I am carrying an amazingly well poised 18s 17j Adjusted, Elgin OF that remains within 5 - 10 sec/day and to which someone very cleverly mounted a swiss-fake "Locomotive Dial" claiming; "North Shore Limited" over the seconds section.

Hi David,

The Longines sounds very interesting. Here's my Dad's old Seiko automatic, with a replacement band. This one was blown off my Dad's wrist during the turbulent thirteen months he spent in Vietnam in 1968-69. I still wear it sometimes and it runs fine.

Maybe we were "on the same riverboat". That usd to be a "joke", actually I was trying to "signature" a SAM site and it got very warm for awhile. end of discussion, Thank you.